Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 175

This quote is taken from near the beginning of chapter 48 of Emma.
Emma is discussing her feelings about Mr Knightley, and his possible feelings for Harriet.

"Wish it she must, for his sake—be the consequence nothing to herself, but his remaining single all his life. Could she be secure of that, indeed, of his never marrying at all, she believed she should be perfectly satisfied.—Let him but continue the same Mr. Knightley to her and her father, the same Mr. Knightley to all the world; let Donwell and Hartfield lose none of their precious intercourse of friendship and confidence, and her peace would be fully secured.—Marriage, in fact, would not do for her. It would be incompatible with what she owed to her father, and with what she felt for him. Nothing should separate her from her father. She would not marry, even if she were asked by Mr. Knightley.
It must be her ardent wish that Harriet might be disappointed; and she hoped, that when able to see them together again, she might at least be able to ascertain what the chances for it were.—She should see them henceforward with the closest observance; and wretchedly as she had hitherto misunderstood even those she was watching, she did not know how to admit that she could be blinded here."


Last night I was out with friends and we were talking in depth about relationships between fathers and their daughters. This quote leaped out at me and tells us something about the connection between Emma and her father.

I also understand found this quote resonated with me as I have definitely experienced not being able to dedicate myself fully to someone but at the same time not wanting anything to change or anyone else to have them. As selfish as that sounds, and it is, emotions sure can be complicated.


Pic: Simple Delights blog