Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

“but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason;

I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”

have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,” said Darcy. “Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.”

It was a subject, in short, on which reflection would be long indulged, and must be unavailing.

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, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.

Her impatience for this second letter was as well rewarded as impatience generally is.

To be sure, you knew no actual good of me—but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love.”