Jane Austen Quote – Week 30

This week's Jane Austen Quote is taken from Emma, chosen by dearest Linda. Thank you Linda for the speedy posting!

The action takes place on Box Hill where Mr. & Mrs. Elton have just excused themselves from the party for a walk. Here is the comment made by Frank Churchill:

"Happy couple!" said Frank Churchill, as soon as they were out of hearing: "How well they suit one another! Very lucky -- marrying as they did, upon an acquaintance formed only in a public place! They only knew each other, I think, a few weeks in Bath! Peculiarly lucky! for as to any real knowledge of a person's disposition that Bath, or any public place, can give -- it is all nothing; there can be no knowledge. It is only by seeing women in their own homes, among their own set, just as they always are, that you can form any just judgment. Short of that, it is all guess and luck -- and will generally be ill-luck. How many a man has committed himself on a short acquaintance, and rued it all the rest of his life!"

Jane has a way of tucking the most profound thoughts that will catch you unawares if you are not paying attention. These thoughts are often very good advice for the many situations we find in our lives. It is my opinion from my studies that she read and gathered information from a lot of authors such as Samuel Johnson's "The Spectator", etc as well as her Bible. We should read more of such like ourselves. We just might learn something. I suspect those people in past ages were not as dumb as I used to think.

This one is very good advice for unmarried folks. It is directed to the men for choosing a wife; and, I might add, it goes double for women when choosing a husband. It would be a nice project for someone to go through her works and collect all such good advice. Jane always has a gem or two for us on almost every page.

Linda the Librarian

Pic: Kate Beckinsale as Emma in the 1996 A&E Emma. The gorgeous picture is by olde-fashioned from DeviantArt