100+ Jane Austen Quotes The Queen of the English Novel
If you enjoy stories about friendship and family, you might also like other authors like Jane Austen. These writers focus on how people behave in society and the tricky rules of romance. Whether you are a student or just a curious reader, exploring her books is a fun adventure. Her writing shows us that even though times change, human nature stays pretty much the same.
Who is Jane Austen ?
Here is a list of Jane Austen novels in order. She published four books during her lifetime, and two more were released after she died.
• Sense and Sensibility (1811)
• Pride and Prejudice (1813)
• Mansfield Park (1814)
• Emma (1816)
• Northanger Abbey (1818)
• Persuasion (1818)
Famous Jane Austen Quotes
• “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
• “The distance is nothing when one has a motive.”
• “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!”
• “There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”
• “Angry people are not always wise.”
• “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
• “Till this moment I never knew myself.”
• “Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience- or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”
• “I wish, as well as every body else, to be perfectly happy; but, like every body else, it must be in my own way.”
• “One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty.”
• “Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.”
• “I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control.”
• “There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves.”
• “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.”
• “A man who has nothing to do with his own time has no conscience in his intrusion on that of others.”
• “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”
• “I hope I may now take my leave of this subject entirely, and find that I have not been giving you more trouble than I can avoid.”
• “We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”
• “It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage.”
• “I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal.”
• “Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.”
Jane Quotes on Love & Romance
• “My heart is, and always will be, yours.”
• “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.”
• “To love is to burn, to be on fire.”
• “If I could but know his heart, everything would become easy.”
• “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
• “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.”
• “I have loved none but you.”
• “I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago.”
• “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed.”
• “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.”
• “It is fail to say that I do not think of you; I am always thinking of you.”
• “The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrevocably gone.”
• “If I were to live a thousand years, I should never forget the very sweet and agreeable manner.”
• “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.”
• “There are as many forms of love as there are moments in time.”
• “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
• “Her own thoughts and reflections were habitually her best companions.” — Mansfield Park
• “I have not a doubt of your doing very well together; your tempers are exactly alike.”
If you enjoy meaningful words like these, take a look at our Ellen Ochoa Quotes for more inspiration.
Jane Quotes on Life and Happiness
• “I am the happiest creature in the universe. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice.”
• “I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.”
• “Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”
• “Everything is to be endured rather than marrying without affection.”
• “Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.”
• “We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”
• “There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another.”
• “Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.”
• “Where people are really attached, poverty itself is wealth.”
• “A mind lively and at ease, can do with very little excitement.”
• “Encouragement and hope are the two main things, which I have to give.”
• “A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.”
• “It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble.”
• “Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience- or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”
• “Our wealth is in our own minds.”
• “One man’s style must not be the rule of another’s.”
• “The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters.”
• “None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.”
• “Our own heart, and not other people’s opinions, forms our true honor.”
• “It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”
• “Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like.”
• “when pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure.”
Jane Austen Quotes on Friendship
• “There is nothing like stay-at-home family affection and the hope of it to make us feel right.”
• “My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”
• “Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.”
• “Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies.”
• “The loss of a friend is always a loss.”
• “A small neighborhood is the very thing for us—not too many people to be always in our way, and yet enough to prevent our being quite alone.”
• “There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves.”
• “The ties which, though powerless to the cold and unfeeling, are so strong to the hearts of the noble and the pure.”
• “A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number.”
• “How many people’s happiness in this world is based on the ignorance of their neighbors!”
• “Nothing is more fatiguing than the eternal presence of one who is always trying to be agreeable.”
• “Where the heart is attached, it is influenced by such a thousand indications.”
• “Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.”
• “One should never be too sure of anything, especially where other people’s feelings are concerned.”
Iconic Lines from Jane Austen Novels
• “I have not the pleasure of understanding you.” — Pride and Prejudice
• “The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!” — Sense and Sensibility
• “It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us.” — Pride and Prejudice
• “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.” — Emma
• “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain.” — Pride and Prejudice
• “A person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill.” — Pride and Prejudice
• “Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person who marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.” — Emma
• “There is a safety in reserve, but no attraction. One cannot love a reserved person.” — Emma
• “Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” — Jane Austen’s Letters
• “Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.” — Mansfield Park
• “Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.” — Pride and Prejudice
• “Nobody, who has not been in the interior of a family, can say what the difficulties of any individual of that family may be.” — Emma
• “A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman! He ought not; he does not.” — Persuasion
• “Money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give it.” — Sense and Sensibility
• “There are motives which we must not share.” — Northanger Abbey
• “I would much rather have been merry than wise.” — Persuasion
• “What is right to be done cannot be done too soon.” — Emma
• “A man of information may be as an agreeable a companion as a man of wit.” — Jane Austen’s Letters
• “I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.” — Persuasion
You can also explore our Clara Barton Quotes, known as the angel of the battlefield, for more inspiring words.
Jane Austen Quotes from Her Letters
• “I will not say that your letter was more than worthy of its fortune; but it is certain that I did not read it without much delight.”
• “What should I do with your strong, manly, spirited sketches, full of variety and glow? How could I possibly join them on to the little bit (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush?”
• “Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor, which is one very strong argument in favor of matrimony.”
• “If I am a wild beast, I cannot help it. It is not my own fault.”
• “I must learn to make my own way in the world, and I hope I shall not be the less happy for it.”
• “I will not say that your mulberry trees are dead; but I am afraid they’re not alive. “
• “To you I shall say, as I have often said before, Do not be in a hurry, the right man will come at last”
• “I hope you will not find my letter too long, but I have a great deal to tell you.”
• “How horrible it is to have so many people killed! And what a blessing that one cares for none of them!”
• “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on till I am.”
• “My black cap was openly admired by Mrs. Lefroy, and secretly I imagine by everybody else in the room”
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Lessons You Can Learn from Jane Austen’s Novels
Jane Austen was more than just a writer. She was a teacher who wanted her readers to be less selfish and more sensible. Her novels teach us how to live with dignity. Here are 4 key lessons that I find in her novels. If you find any other lesson, you can also share it with us through email or message us on our Instagram.
Let Your Lover Educate You
In Pride and Prejudice, the main couple succeeds because they improve each other. Jane Austen teaches us that the best couples help each other grow. In her stories, characters do not just accept each other’s flaws. Instead, they challenge one another to become kinder and more mature. A great partner helps you overcome your failings. This type of love balances people out and makes them better than they were before.
Judge People More Carefully
The story of Mansfield Park teaches us not to judge people by money or power. We should not stop judging people, but we must do it wisely. Many people focus only on who is rich or powerful. Jane shows us that fancy clothes and money do not make a person noble. She uses a “moral lens” to look at a person’s true character. A shy person with no money can be much better than a wealthy person who is mean.
Take Money Seriously
In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen talks openly about how important money is. She warns that marrying just for wealth can lead to a miserable life. However, she also believes that marrying a person who has no money is also a mistake. To be happy, a person should have enough money to live comfortably. We should not be obsessed with only marrying a rich person, but we must not ignore our needs either.
Don’t Be Snobbish
In the book Emma, we see how being a snob is a trap that hurts you and the people around you. It is easy to judge others based on their social rank, but that is wrong. Good people exist in every part of society. We should look at a person’s character, not just their status or rank.
Conclusion
When you finish one of her books, you feel ready to go back into the real world with a better attitude. She teaches us to stay away from people who are greedy or mean. Instead, she wants us to look for the goodness in ourselves and everyone we meet. This is the secret reason why so many people still love her today. She wanted the world to be a better place, and that is a message that never gets old.
Frequently Asked Questions
• How many books has Jane Austen written?
Jane Austen wrote six main novels. She also created some shorter stories and wrote many personal letters, but most people know her for those six major books.
• What was Jane Austen’s first book?
Jane Austen’s first published book was Sense and Sensibility, released in 1811. She had written other stories earlier, but this was the first one available to the public.
• Jane Austen’s famous books
Her most famous books are Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion.
• What order to read Jane Austen?
Most people prefer to read her books in the order they were published. Start with Sense and Sensibility, then read Pride and Prejudice. After that, you can choose any order for the remaining books.
• Jane Austen famous for
Jane Austen is famous for her six major novels and her writing style. She is well-known for her social commentary and her early use of free indirect speech. This special way of writing helps the reader understand exactly what a character is thinking and feeling.
• How Jane Austen died?
Jane Austen died from an illness at the age of 41. Today, many doctors think she had a condition called Addison’s disease. She was buried at Winchester Cathedral in England.
