Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 181

I chose a part of Pride and Prejudice that I love - chapter 43 when Elizabeth sees Pemberley for the first time. It triggers the beginning of her growing affection for Mr Darcy. She later meets him in the grounds and they connect like they havent before.

"They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills;—and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place where nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!"

I really love the part "nature had done more" and "natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste" - what a wonderful description and I think that this can be linked to the natural development of her relationship with Mr Darcy.

Pic: Elizabeth Bennet at Pemberley