Quote of the Week 54

Rachel posted a beautiful quote from Emma last week, and in honour of the recent news about filiming of Emma 2009, I have chosen to quote from the same novel this week.

Emma & her family are en route to the Weston's Christmas Party, and she falls into discussion with her brother-in-law, John Knightley. He 'slyly' suggests that Mr Elton 'seems to have a great deal of good-will' towards Emma. She replies:

'I thank you; but I assure you you are quite mistaken. Mr Elton and I are very good friends, and nothing more,' and she walked on, amusing herself in the consideration of the blunders which often arise from a partial knowledge of circumstances, of the mistakes which people of high pretensions to judgment are for ever falling into; and not very well pleased with her brother for imagining her blind and ignorant, and in want of counsel. He said no more.

Emma, Chapter 13

I love the irony here. John Knightley is of course, correct, and Emma herself is missing the obvious signs in front of her. I love how we can convince ourselves of 'the truth' around us, misinterpreting other's motivations through the filter of our own desires.

Besides the irony (and fairly good summary of Emma), I love this quote because once again Miss Austen hits the proverbial nail on the head. '...she walked on, amusing herself in the consideration of the blunders which often arise from a partial knowledge of circumstances...' I can't count the number of times I have leapt to premature judgements which at best have been embarrassing and at worst ... well, acutely embarrassing! (and harmful, etc). 'Partial knowledge of circumstances' is a very curious state-of-being. Hmm. I need to keep thinking on this one. There is a lot in this little sentence, isn't there?!

Pics 1 & 2: Kate Beckinsale as Emma from: Strangegirl