Notable Jane Austen Quotes

Jane Austen quotes are poetic, pointed and intelligent. Austen was an English writer who combined structured neoclassic and flowing romantic styles in her novels. Her works tend to be realistic and socially minded, but the writer is also not afraid to show emotion. She was a master of character development and focused heavily on the art of conversation.

Austen was born in 1775 and passed away in 1817. She never published a novel under her own name during her life. Her works were simply attributed to "A Lady" until after her death. Her novels are now considered among the greatest works of any English author from the period.

Jane Austin Novel Quotes
Jane Austen wrote many novels during her life, but her most popular works remain Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. In each piece she reveals her sly humor and strong intellect.

• "There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart." - Emma.

• "Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure." - Mansfield Park.

• "Those who do not complain are never pitied." - Pride and Prejudice.

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

• "People always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid them." - Sense and Sensibility.

• "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance." - Pride and Prejudice.

• "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of." - Mansfield Park.

• "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel must be intolerably stupid." - Northanger Abbey.

Jane Austen Letter Quotes
Austen did not limit her literary talents to novels. Like many ladies in her day, Austen was a prolific letter writer. Her wit and direct manner are as evident in her personal letters to friends and family as they are in her stories.

• "Next week I shall begin my operations on my hat, on which you know my principal hopes of happiness depend." - 1798 letter.

• "I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." - 1798 letter.

• "We have been exceedingly busy ever since you went away. In the first place we have had to rejoice two or three times everyday at your having such very delightful weather for the whole of your journey..." - 1800 letter.

• "I will not say that your mulberry-trees are dead, but I am afraid they are not alive." - 1811 letter.