Emma

Famous quotes

• Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

  Volume I, Chapter IIn context

  • Character

• “it is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage. A man always imagines a woman to be ready for any body who asks her.”

  Volume I, Chapter VIIIIn context

  • Marriage
  • Men
  • Women

• Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.

  Volume I, Chapter VIIIIn context

  • Intelligence
  • Pride

• One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.

  In context

  • Happiness

• A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable old maid! the proper sport of boys and girls, but a single woman, of good fortune, is always respectable, and may be as sensible and pleasant as any body else.

  Volume I, Chapter XIn context

  • Money
  • Women

• There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves.

  Volume I, Chapter XIIn context

  • Character
  • Charity

• The truth is, that in London it is always a sickly season. Nobody is healthy in London, nobody can be.

  Volume I, Chapter XIIIn context

  • Comedy
  • Health

• It was a delightful visit;⁠—perfect, in being much too short.

  Volume I, Chapter XIIIIn context

  • Comedy

• Nobody, who has not been in the interior of a family, can say what the difficulties of any individual of that family may be.

  Volume I, Chapter XVIIIIn context

  • Family

• Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.

  In context

  • Life & Death
  • Marriage

• What is right to be done cannot be done too soon.

  Volume II, Chapter VIn context

  • Morality

• There is safety in reserve, but no attraction. One cannot love a reserved person.

  Volume II, Chapter VIIn context

  • Character
  • Love

• Surprizes are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable.

  Volume II, Chapter VIIIIn context

  • Comedy

• How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!

  Volume II, Chapter XIIIn context

  • Happiness

• I am very sorry to be right in this instance. I would much rather have been merry than wise.

  Volume II, Chapter XIIIn context

  • Happiness
  • Wisdom

• Ah! there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.

  Volume II, Chapter XIVIn context

  • Happiness

• Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.

  In context

  • Business
  • Friendship

• If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.

  Volume III, Chapter XIIIIn context

  • Love

Contents