Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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Mrs Charles Musgrove, and her fine little boys,
But the rain was also a mere trifle
her boots were so thick! much thicker than Miss Anne's;
her perfect readiness for the play, if Henrietta and all the others liked it,
We had better put it off. Charles, you had much better go back and change the box for Tuesday. It would be a pity to be divided, and we should be losing Miss Anne, too, if there is a party at her father's; and I am sure neither Henrietta nor I should care at all for the play, if Miss Anne could not be with us."
the strictest injunctions had been left with Mrs Musgrove to keep her there till they returned.
"how Mr Musgrove and my brother Hayter had met again and again to talk it over; what my brother Hayter had said one day, and what Mr Musgrove had proposed the next, and what had occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the young people had wished, and what I said at first I never could consent to, but was afterwards persuaded to think might do very well,"
"And so, ma'am, all these thing considered,"
"though we could have wished it different, yet, altogether, we did not think it fair to stand out any longer, for Charles Hayter was quite wild about it, and Henrietta was pretty near as bad; and so we thought they had better marry at once, and make the best of it, as many others have done before them. At any rate, said I, it will be better than a long engagement."
"That is precisely what I was going to observe,"
"I would rather have young people settle on a small income at once, and have to struggle with a few difficulties together, than be involved in a long engagement. I always think that no mutual --"
"Oh! dear Mrs Croft,"
"there is nothing I so abominate for young people as a long engagement. It is what I always protested against for my children. It is all very well, I used to say, for young people to be engaged, if there is a certainty of their being able to marry in six months, or even in twelve; but a long engagement --"
"Yes, dear ma'am,"
"or an uncertain engagement, an engagement which may be long. To begin without knowing that at such a time there will be the means of marrying, I hold to be very unsafe and unwise, and what I think all parents should prevent as far as they can."
"Here, Frederick, you and I part company, I believe,"
"I am going home, and you have an engagement with your friend. To-night we may have the pleasure of all meeting again at your party,"
"We had your sister's card yesterday, and I understood Frederick had a card too, though I did not see it; and you are disengaged, Frederick, are you not, as well as ourselves?"
"By all means, my dear,"
"go home directly, and take care of yourself, that you may be fit for the evening. I wish Sarah was here to doctor you, but I am no doctor myself. Charles, ring and order a chair. She must not walk."
there had been no fall in the case;
Anne had not at any time lately slipped down, and got a blow on her head;
she was perfectly convinced of having had no fall;
finding her better at night.
"Oh! my dear, it is quite understood, I give you my word. Captain Harville has no thought but of going."
"To be sure I will, if you wish it. Charles, if you see Captain Harville anywhere, remember to give Miss Anne's message. But indeed, my dear, you need not be uneasy. Captain Harville holds himself quite engaged, I'll answer for it; and Captain Wentworth the same, I dare say."
“I beg, Catherine, you will always wrap yourself up very warm about the throat, when you come from the rooms at night; and I wish you would try to keep some account of the money you spend; I will give you this little book on purpose.”
“I wish you could dance, my dear — I wish you could get a partner.”
“It would have been very shocking to have it torn,”
“would not it? It is such a delicate muslin. For my part I have not seen anything I like so well in the whole room, I assure you.”
“Yes, my dear,”
“it is very uncomfortable indeed.”
“Aye, so we do. That is very disagreeable. I wish we had a large acquaintance here.”
“Very true, my dear; and if we knew anybody we would join them directly. The Skinners were here last year — I wish they were here now.”
“No more there are, indeed. How very provoking! But I think we had better sit still, for one gets so tumbled in such a crowd! How is my head, my dear? Somebody gave me a push that has hurt it, I am afraid.”
“I don’t, upon my word — I wish I did. I wish I had a large acquaintance here with all my heart, and then I should get you a partner. I should be so glad to have you dance. There goes a strange-looking woman! What an odd gown she has got on! How old-fashioned it is! Look at the back.”
“I wish she had been able to dance,”
“I wish we could have got a partner for her. I have been saying how glad I should be if the Skinners were here this winter instead of last; or if the Parrys had come, as they talked of once, she might have danced with George Parry. I am so sorry she has not had a partner!”
“My dear Catherine,”
“do take this pin out of my sleeve; I am afraid it has torn a hole already; I shall be quite sorry if it has, for this is a favourite gown, though it cost but nine shillings a yard.”
“Do you understand muslins, sir?”
“Men commonly take so little notice of those things,”
“I can never get Mr. Allen to know one of my gowns from another. You must be a great comfort to your sister, sir.”
“And pray, sir, what do you think of Miss Morland’s gown?”
“I am quite of your opinion, sir,”
“and so I told Miss Morland when she bought it.”
“Bath is a charming place, sir; there are so many good shops here. We are sadly off in the country; not but what we have very good shops in Salisbury, but it is so far to go — eight miles is a long way;
Mr. Allen says
but I am sure it cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag — I come back tired to death. Now, here one can step out of doors and get a thing in five minutes.”
“What a delightful place Bath is,”