Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

Search

Your search returned 447 results



novel

sex

character_type

marriage status

occupation

mode of speech

"perhaps the greatest good he could do them, would be to give Jane such a respectable home."
"For shame, Emma! Do not mimic her. You divert me against my conscience. And, upon my word, I do not think Mr. Knightley would be much disturbed by Miss Bates. Little things do not irritate him. She might talk on; and if he wanted to say any thing himself, he would only talk louder, and drown her voice. But the question is not, whether it would be a bad connexion for him, but whether he wishes it; and I think he does. I have heard him speak, and so must you, so very highly of Jane Fairfax! The interest he takes in her— his anxiety about her health —his concern that she should have no happier prospect! I have heard him express himself so warmly on those points!—Such an admirer of her performance on the pianoforte, and of her voice!
I have heard him say that
Oh! and I had almost forgotten one idea that occurred to me— this pianoforte that has been sent here by somebody —though we have all been so well satisfied to consider it a present from the Campbells, may it not be from Mr. Knightley? I cannot help suspecting him. I think he is just the person to do it, even without being in love."
"I have heard him lamenting her having no instrument repeatedly; oftener than I should suppose such a circumstance would, in the common course of things, occur to him."
"There might be scruples of delicacy, my dear Emma. I have a very strong notion that it comes from him. I am sure he was particularly silent when Mrs. Cole told us of it at dinner."
how much taste you had;
she was going to call on the Bateses, in order to hear the new instrument.
"For my companion tells me,"
"that I absolutely promised Miss Bates last night, that I would come this morning. I was not aware of it myself. I did not know that I had fixed a day, but as he says I did, I am going now."
"I thought you meant to go with me. They would be very much pleased."
"Do come with me,"
"if it be not very disagreeable to you. It need not detain us long. We will go to Hartfield afterwards. We will follow them to Hartfield. I really wish you to call with me. It will be felt so great an attention! and I always thought you meant it."
"Should I send it to Mrs. Goddard's, ma'am?"
"No trouble in the world, ma'am,"
"What!"
"have not you finished it yet? you would not earn a very good livelihood as a working silversmith at this rate."
she wanted something from Kingston."
to play as long as they could wish to dance;
his friends will be so kind as to visit him there. Better accommodations, he can promise them, and not a less grateful welcome than at Randalls.
no objection to it, provided you are satisfied.
'If Miss Taylor undertakes to wrap Miss Emma up, you need not have any fears, sir.'
It would be the greatest pleasure to them, if you could allow me to attend you there. They can do nothing satisfactorily without you."
"Emma,"
"this paper is worse than I expected. Look! in places you see it is dreadfully dirty; and the wainscot is more yellow and forlorn than any thing I could have imagined."
"My dear, you are too particular,"
"What does all that signify? You will see nothing of it by candlelight. It will be as clean as Randalls by candlelight. We never see any thing of it on our club-nights."
having no regular supper; merely sandwiches, &c., set out in the little room;
"I do not think it is so very small. We shall not be many, you know."
"You talk a great deal of the length of this passage, my dear. It is a mere nothing after all; and not the least draught from the stairs."
"I wish,"
"one could know which arrangement our guests in general would like best. To do what would be most generally pleasing must be our object— if one could but tell what that would be."
"Well —if you please,"
"if you think she will be of any use."
"Aye, do, Frank.—Go and fetch Miss Bates, and let us end the matter at once. She will enjoy the scheme, I am sure; and I do not know a properer person for shewing us how to do away difficulties. Fetch Miss Bates. We are growing a little too nice. She is a standing lesson of how to be happy. But fetch them both. Invite them both."
"The old lady! No, the young lady, to be sure. I shall think you a great blockhead, Frank, if you bring the aunt without the niece."
the evils of it much less than she had supposed before— indeed very trifling;
"He has asked her, my dear. That's right. I knew he would!"
urge his nephew's instant return. Mrs. Churchill was unwell —far too unwell to do without him; she had been in a very suffering state
when writing to her nephew two days before, though from her usual unwillingness to give pain, and constant habit of never thinking of herself, she had not mentioned it; but now she was too ill to trifle, and must entreat him to set off for Enscombe without delay.
As to his going, it was inevitable. He must be gone within a few hours, though without feeling any real alarm for his aunt, to lessen his repugnance. He knew her illnesses; they never occurred but for her own convenience.
"that he could only allow himself time to hurry to Highbury, after breakfast, and take leave of the few friends there whom he could suppose to feel any interest in him; and that he might be expected at Hartfield very soon."
"It was time to go;"
'I really cannot get this girl to move from the house. I absolutely must go in by myself, though I hate being stuck up in the barouche-landau without a companion; but Augusta, I believe, with her own good-will, would never stir beyond the park paling.'
"We cannot suppose that she has any great enjoyment at the Vicarage, my dear Emma— but it is better than being always at home. Her aunt is a good creature, but, as a constant companion, must be very tiresome. We must consider what Miss Fairfax quits, before we condemn her taste for what she goes to."
"I should not wonder,"
"if Miss Fairfax were to have been drawn on beyond her own inclination, by her aunt's eagerness in accepting Mrs. Elton's civilities for her. Poor Miss Bates may very likely have committed her niece and hurried her into a greater appearance of intimacy than her own good sense would have dictated, in spite of the very natural wish of a little change."
"Why, really, dear Emma, I say that he is so very much occupied by the idea of not being in love with her, that I should not wonder if it were to end in his being so at last. Do not beat me."
was unexpectedly summoned to town and must be absent on the very day. He might be able to join them in the evening, but certainly not to dinner.
Mrs. Elton, as elegant as lace and pearls could make her,