Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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"It would not be a great match for her; but if Henrietta liked him,"
  • Novel: Persuasion
  • Character: Speaking together Miss Louisa Musgrove and MissHenriettaMusgrove
  • Link to text in chapter 9
  • Text ID: 00844
Henrietta was perhaps the prettiest, Louisa had the higher spirits;
she knew not now, whether the more gentle or the more lively character were most likely to attract him.
As to Captain Wentworth's views, she deemed it of more consequence that he should know his own mind early enough not to be endangering the happiness of either sister, or impeaching his own honour, than that he should prefer Henrietta to Louisa, or Louisa to Henrietta. Either of them would, in all probability, make him an affectionate, good-humoured wife.
With regard to Charles Hayter, she had delicacy which must be pained by any lightness of conduct in a well-meaning young woman, and a heart to sympathize in any of the sufferings it occasioned; but if Henrietta found herself mistaken in the nature of her feelings, the alternation could not be understood too soon.
"Well, I am very glad indeed: but I always thought you would have it; I always thought you sure. It did not appear to me that -- in short, you know, Dr Shirley must have a curate, and you had secured his promise. Is he coming, Louisa?"
His kindness in stepping forward to her relief, the manner, the silence in which it had passed, the little particulars of the circumstance,
that he meant to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought to testify that her conversation was the last of his wants,
It was evident that Charles Hayter was not well inclined towards Captain Wentworth.
She was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed of being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle;
it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife; for while she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite, she could not but think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory and experience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either.
They were more in love with him; yet there it was not love. It was a little fever of admiration; but it might, probably must, end in love with some. Charles Hayter seemed aware of being slighted, and yet Henrietta had sometimes the air of being divided between them.
There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in his manner. He had, probably, never heard, and never thought of any claims of Charles Hayter. He was only wrong in accepting the attentions (for accepting must be the word) of two young women at once.
Charles Hayter was wise.
they were going to take a long walk,
Mary could not like to go with them;
the sort of necessity which the family habits seemed to produce, of everything being to be communicated, and everything being to be done together, however undesired and inconvenient.
as she might be useful in turning back with her sister, and lessening the interference in any plan of their own.
it was too late to retract,
He was more engaged with Louisa than with Henrietta. Louisa certainly put more forward for his notice than her sister.
their still being, in some spot or other.
words of such interest, spoken with such serious warmth!
there had been just that degree of feeling and curiosity about her in his manner
the Elliot pride
Yes; he had done it.
She was in the carriage, and
he had placed her there, that his will and his hands had done it,
she owed it to his perception of her fatigue, and his resolution to give her rest.
This little circumstance seemed the completion of all that had gone before.
She understood him. He could not forgive her, but he could not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it with high and unjust resentment, though perfectly careless of her, and though becoming attached to another, still he could not see her suffer, without the desire of giving her relief. It was a remainder of former sentiment; it was an impulse of pure, though unacknowledged friendship; it was a proof of his own warm and amiable heart,
her keener powers might not consider either of them as quite worthy of her brother;
their style of driving, which she imagined no bad representation of the general guidance of their affairs,
It would place her in the same village with Captain Wentworth, within half a mile of him; they would have to frequent the same church, and there must be intercourse between the two families. This was against her; but on the other hand, he spent so much of his time at Uppercross, that in removing thence she might be considered rather as leaving him behind, than as going towards him; and, upon the whole,
she must, on this interesting question, be the gainer, almost as certainly as in her change of domestic society, in leaving poor Mary for Lady Russell.
it might be possible for her to avoid ever seeing Captain Wentworth at the Hall: those rooms had witnessed former meetings which would be brought too painfully before her;
They did not like each other, and no renewal of acquaintance now could do any good; and were Lady Russell to see them together, she might think that he had too much self-possession, and she too little.
she had been stationed quite long enough. Her usefulness to little Charles would always give some sweetness to the memory of her two months' visit there, but he was gaining strength apace, and she had nothing else to stay for.
she left great happiness behind her when they quitted the house;
she was convinced of sailors having more worth and warmth than any other set of men in England;
they only knew how to live, and they only deserved to be respected and loved.
she thought it was the misfortune of poetry to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely; and
the strong feelings which alone could estimate it truly were the very feelings which ought to taste it but sparingly.
at the idea of her coming to Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a young man whom she had never seen before;
like many other great moralists and preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.
"Oh! yes -- I am quite convinced that, with very few exceptions, the sea-air always does good. There can be no doubt of its having been of the greatest service to Dr Shirley, after his illness, last spring twelve-month.
He declares himself, that
and,
that
Now, I cannot help thinking it a pity that he does not live entirely by the sea. I do think he had better leave Uppercross entirely, and fix at Lyme. Do not you, Anne? Do not you agree with me, that it is the best thing he could do, both for himself and Mrs Shirley? She has cousins here, you know, and many acquaintance, which would make it cheerful for her, and I am sure she would be glad to get to a place where she could have medical attendance at hand, in case of his having another seizure. Indeed I think it quite melancholy to have such excellent people as Dr and Mrs Shirley, who have been doing good all their lives, wearing out their last days in a place like Uppercross, where, excepting our family, they seem shut out from all the world. I wish his friends would propose it to him. I really think they ought. And, as to procuring a dispensation, there could be no difficulty at his time of life, and with his character. My only doubt is, whether anything could persuade him to leave his parish. He is so very strict and scrupulous in his notions; over-scrupulous I must say. Do not you think, Anne, it is being over-scrupulous? Do not you think it is quite a mistaken point of conscience, when a clergyman sacrifices his health for the sake of duties, which may be just as well performed by another person? And at Lyme too, only seventeen miles off, he would be near enough to hear, if people thought there was anything to complain of."
saw how very desirable it was that he should have some active, respectable young man, as a resident curate,