Emma 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.

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

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

— Spoken by a character · Chapter IX

Ah! that ball!—why did we wait for any thing?—why not seize the pleasure at once?—How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XII

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

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XVI

I cannot make speeches, Emma:” he soon resumed; and in a tone of such sincere, decided, intelligible tenderness as was tolerably convincing.—“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XIII

I do not know whether it ought to be so, but certainly silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.

— Spoken by a character · Chapter VIII

I always deserve the best treatment, because I never put up with any other; and, therefore, you must give me a plain, direct answer.

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XVIII

Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken; but where, as in this case, though the conduct is mistaken, the feelings are not, it may not be very material.—Mr.

You must be the best judge of your own happiness.

— Emma · Chapter VII

I condition for nothing else; but without music, life would be a blank to me.’

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XIV

“Indeed, I am very sorry to be right in this instance. I would much rather have been merry than wise.”

— Spoken by a character · Chapter XII

I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.

— Spoken by a character · Chapter VII

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

— Mr. Knightley · Chapter VIII