Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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"Much nearer thirty,"
"Ah, well! there is not much difference. I never was at his house; but they say it is a sweet pretty place."
"As vile a spot as I ever saw in my life,"
"Is it very ugly?"
"then it must be some other place that is so pretty I suppose."
"My dear,"
"it is very provoking that we should be so few. Why did not you ask the Gilberts to come to us today?"
"Did not I tell you, Sir John, when you spoke to me about it before, that it could not be done? They dined with us last."
"Then you would be very ill-bred,"
"My love you contradict every body,"
"Do you know that you are quite rude?"
"I did not know I contradicted any body in calling your mother ill-bred."
"Mr. Palmer is so droll!"
"He is always out of humour."
"Oh, my dear Miss Dashwood,"
"I have got such a favour to ask of you and your sister. Will you come and spend some time at Cleveland this Christmas? Now, pray do, — and come while the Westons are with us. You cannot think how happy I shall be! It will be quite delightful! — My love,"
"don't you long to have the Miss Dashwoods come to Cleveland?"
"Certainly,"
"I came into Devonshire with no other view."
"There now," —
"you see Mr. Palmer expects you; so you cannot refuse to come."
"But indeed you must and shall come. I am sure you will like it of all things. The Westons will be with us, and it will be quite delightful. You cannot think what a sweet place Cleveland is; and we are so gay now, for Mr. Palmer is always going about the country canvassing against the election; and so many people came to dine with us that I never saw before, it is quite charming! But, poor fellow! it is very fatiguing to him! for he is forced to make every body like him."
"How charming it will be,"
"when he is in Parliament! — won't it? How I shall laugh! It will be so ridiculous to see all his letters directed to him with an M.P. — But do you know,
he says,
He declares
Don't you, Mr. Palmer?"
"He cannot bear writing, you know,"
"he says
"No,"
"I never said any thing so irrational. Don't palm all your abuses of languages upon me."
"There now; you see how droll he is. This is always the way with him! Sometimes he won't speak to me for half a day together, and then he comes out with something so droll — all about any thing in the world."
"Well — I am so glad you do. I thought you would, he is so pleasant; and Mr. Palmer is excessively pleased with you and your sisters I can tell you, and you can't think how disappointed he will be if you don't come to Cleveland. — I can't imagine why you should object to it."
"Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well,"
"Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town. Somehow or other I never happened to be staying at Barton while he was at Allenham. Mama saw him here once before; — but I was with my uncle at Weymouth. However, I dare say we should have seen a great deal of him in Somersetshire, if it had not happened very unluckily that we should never have been in the country together. He is very little at Combe, I believe; but if he were ever so much there, I do not think Mr. Palmer would visit him, for he is in the opposition, you know, and besides it is such a way off. I know why you inquire about him, very well; your sister is to marry him. I am monstrous glad of it, for then I shall have her for a neighbour you know."
"Don't pretend to deny it, because you know it is what every body talks of. I assure you I heard of it in my way through town."
"Upon my honour I did. — I met Colonel Brandon Monday morning in Bond-street, just before we left town, and he told me of it directly."
"But I do assure you it was so, for all that, and I will tell you how it happened. When we met him, he turned back and walked with us; and so we began talking of my brother and sister, and one thing and another, and I said to him, 'So, Colonel, there is a new family come to Barton cottage, I hear, and mama sends me word they are very pretty, and that one of them is going to be married to Mr. Willoughby of Combe Magna. Is it true, pray? for of course you must know, as you have been in Devonshire so lately.'"
"Oh — he did not say much; but he looked as if he knew it to be true, so from that moment I set it down as certain. It will be quite delightful, I declare! When is it to take place?"
"Oh! yes, quite well; and so full of your praises, he did nothing but say fine things of you."
"So do I. — He is such a charming man, that it is quite a pity he should be so grave and so dull.
Mama says
— I assure you it was a great compliment if he was, for he hardly ever falls in love with any body."
"Oh! yes, extremely well; that is, I do not believe many people are acquainted with him, because Combe Magna is so far off; but they all think him extremely agreeable I assure you. Nobody is more liked than Mr. Willoughby wherever he goes, and so you may tell your sister. She is a monstrous lucky girl to get him, upon my honour; not but that he is much more lucky in getting her, because she is so very handsome and agreeable, that nothing can be good enough for her. However, I don't think her hardly at all handsomer than you, I assure you; for I think you both excessively pretty, and so does Mr. Palmer too I am sure, though we could not get him to own it last night."
"I am so glad we are got acquainted at last,"
"And now I hope we shall always be great friends. You can't think how much I longed to see you! It is so delightful that you should live at the cottage! Nothing can be like it, to be sure! And I am so glad your sister is going to be well married! I hope you will be a great deal at Combe Magna. It is a sweet place, by all accounts."
"Yes, a great while; ever since my sister married. — He was a particular friend of Sir John's. I believe,"
"he would have been very glad to have had me, if he could. Sir John and Lady Middleton wished it very much. But mama did not think the match good enough for me, otherwise Sir John would have mentioned it to the Colonel, and we should have been married immediately."
"Oh, no; but if mama had not objected to it, I dare say he would have liked it of all things. He had not seen me then above twice, for it was before I left school. However, I am much happier as I am. Mr. Palmer is the kind of man I like."
"Do come now,"