In this article, we explore the timeless wisdom of Jane Austen, an author whose words have continued to resonate through the ages. Her keen insights into human nature serve as a mirror reflecting the complexities of society and relationships. Spanning various themes like love, life, wisdom, and humor, the quotes sourced here provide a glimpse into Austen’s extraordinary ability to capture the intricacies of life with grace, elegance, and wit. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, guidance, or merely a moment of reflection, you’ll find her quotes to be both thought-provoking and enlightening.
Romantic Quotes
"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart."
"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope."
"To love is to burn, to be on fire."
"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."
"We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sort of man; but this would be nothing if you really liked him."
"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed."
"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."
"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."
"Without thinking highly either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object."
"The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrevocably gone."
Life Quotes
"It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do."
"The longest journey must have its end."
"To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment."
"Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings."
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."
"A person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
"Selfishness must always be forgiven, you know, because there is no hope of a cure."
"Indulge your imagination in every possible flight."
"Those who do not complain are never pitied."
"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!"
"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery."
"The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance."
Wisdom Quotes
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other."
"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain."
"Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure."
"There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves."
"A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be."
"It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage."
"Respect for right conduct is felt by every body."
"It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone."
"It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble."
"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."
Humor Quotes
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."
"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure."
"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal."
"You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure."
"A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind."
"It is only a novel... or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed."
"I begin already to weigh my words and sentences more nearly."
"An artist cannot do anything slovenly."
"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion."
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"
Friendship Quotes
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"A woman, especially if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends."
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
"It is not every man's fate to marry the girl who loves him best."
"She was one of those, who, having once begun, would be always in love."
"Do not be persuaded into stepping out of the common road by anything I can say."
"I began to hope that he did not care for her; how disappointed I must be if he were married."
"I do not pretend to set people right, but I do see that they are often wrong."
"It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage."
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"I am very much obliged to you, and I am very glad to get to know you."
Feminism Quotes
"A woman especially, if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor, which is one very strong argument in favor of matrimony."
"I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures."
"I will not allow books to prove anything."
"You have been so unwise, as to risk the loss of your own happiness in the wild pursuit of an ideal "
"Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing after all."
"Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story."
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"
"If there is anything disagreeable going on, men are always sure to get out of it."
"But when a young lady is to be a heroine, something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way."
"A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!"
Societal Observations Quotes
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
"Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure."
"Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief."
"A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
"What is right to be done cannot be done too soon."
"One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty."
"What strange creatures brothers are!"
"A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than she was ten years before."
"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
Character Insight Quotes
"There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves."
"The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor."
"It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble."
"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."
"An artist cannot do anything slovenly."
"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion."
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"
"The beginning of a particular definition of feminism is often a term in use connected with book reading."
"Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing after all."
"Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story."
"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!"
"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!"
Critique of Marriage Quotes
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than she was ten years before."
"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!"
"Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor, which is one very strong argument in favor of matrimony."
"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends."
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."
"A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure."
"Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief."
"The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor."
"It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble."
Love Insights Quotes
"To love is to burn, to be on fire."
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart."
"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."
"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."
"We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it."
"But when a young lady is to be a heroine, something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way."
"An artist cannot do anything slovenly."
"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion."
"Indulge your imagination in every possible flight."
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
Final words
In her novels, Jane Austen expertly explores the intricacies of human nature through her enduring characters and elegantly crafted prose. Her quotes, as demonstrated through these selections, provide a brilliant reflection on love, life, and society, filled with humor and deep wisdom. The lasting relevance of Austen’s words speaks volumes about her understanding of human behavior, making her work as relatable today as it was in her time. Engaging with her insights enriches both our knowledge and appreciation of the subtle complexities of interpersonal relationships and societal norms. As we continue to delve into the minds and hearts of her characters, we can draw from her observations to improve our understanding of the world around us and our places within it. Remember, in the delicate dance of life and love, Austen’s words will continue to illuminate the path and guide us with their timeless elegance and truth.
