It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage.

What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering?

My Emma, does not every thing serve to prove more and more the beauty of truth and sincerity in all our dealings with each other?

She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or a hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mind never varied, whose tongue never slipped.

I do not like to have people throw themselves away; but everybody should marry as soon as they can do it to advantage.

But if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give.

In a letter from Bath to her sister, Cassandra, one senses her frustration at her sheltered existence, Tuesday, 12 May 1801. Another stupid party . . . with six people to look on, and talk nonsense to each other.