Austen Said:

"There would not be time, and other difficulties would arise. We must rather adopt Mr. Crawford's views, and make the performance, not the theatre, our object. Many parts of our best plays are independent of scenery."

"I am sure I would give up the part to Julia most willingly, but that though I shall probably do it very ill, I feel persuaded she would do it worse,"

"We have got a play,"

"It is to be Lovers' Vows; and I am to be Count Cassel, and am to come in first with a blue dress and a pink satin cloak, and afterwards am to have another fine fancy suit, by way of a shooting-dress. I do not know how I shall like it."

"I take the part which Lady Ravenshaw was to have done, and"

"Miss Crawford is to be Amelia."

"I come in three times, and have two-and-forty speeches. That's something, is not it? But I do not much like the idea of being so fine. I shall hardly know myself in a blue dress and a pink satin cloak."

"We see things very differently,"

"I am perfectly acquainted with the play, I assure you; and with a very few omissions, and so forth, which will be made, of course, I can see nothing objectionable in it; and I am not the only young woman you find who thinks it very fit for private representation."

"I am much obliged to you, Edmund; you mean very well, I am sure: but I still think you see things too strongly; and I really cannot undertake to harangue all the rest upon a subject of this kind. There would be the greatest indecorum, I think."

"If I were to decline the part,"

"Julia would certainly take it."

"Oh! she might think the difference between us— the difference in our situations —that she need not be so scrupulous as I might feel necessary. I am sure she would argue so. No; you must excuse me; I cannot retract my consent; it is too far settled, everybody would be so disappointed, Tom would be quite angry; and if we are so very nice, we shall never act anything."

"I had my choice of the parts,"

"but I thought I should like the Count best, though I do not much relish the finery I am to have."

"The Count has two-and-forty speeches,"

"which is no trifle."

"If you are afraid of half a dozen speeches,"

"what would you do with such a part as mine? I have forty-two to learn."

"Do you think there is anything so very fine in all this? For the life and soul of me, I cannot admire him; and, between ourselves, to see such an undersized, little, mean-looking man, set up for a fine actor, is very ridiculous in my opinion."

"And I do believe she can say every word of it,"

"for she could put Mrs. Grant right the other day in twenty places. Fanny, I am sure you know the part."

"Shall I go too? Had not I better go too? Will not it be right for me to go too?"

"It is time to think of our visitors,"

"Where did you leave Miss Crawford, Fanny?"

"I do not say he is not gentleman-like, considering; but you should tell your father he is not above five feet eight, or he will be expecting a well-looking man."

"If I must say what I think,"

"in my opinion it is very disagreeable to be always rehearsing. It is having too much of a good thing. I am not so fond of acting as I was at first. I think we are a great deal better employed, sitting comfortably here among ourselves, and doing nothing."