Good-humoured, unaffected girls, will not do for a man who has been used to sensible women. They are two distinct orders of being.

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.

A person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill.

When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable If I have not an excellent library.

I read it [history] a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all — it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention.

for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him.

Good company requires only birth, education, and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good manners are essential; but a little learning is by no means a dangerous thing in good company; on the contrary, it will do very well.