The little bit (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush as produces little effect after much labour.

There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it.

It is not every man's fate to marry the woman who loves him best

Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.

It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first.

You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.

I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them. And I protest, if I had any money to spare, I should buy a little land and build one myself, within a short distance of London, where I might drive myself down at any time, and collect a few friends about me and be happy. I advise everybody who is going to build, to build a cottage.