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Pride & Prejudice – page 38

JANE AUSTEN

“Pride,” observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the

solidity of her reflections, “is a very common failing,

I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced

that it is very common indeed; that human nature is

particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of

us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on

the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary.

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words

are often used synonymously. A person may be proud

without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of

ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think

of us.”

“If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy,” cried a young Lucas,

who came with his sisters, “I should not care how proud

I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a

bottle of wine a day.”

“Then you would drink a great deal more than you

ought,” said Mrs. Bennet; “and if I were to see you at it,

I should take away your bottle directly.”

The boy protested that she should not; she continued

to declare that she would, and the argument ended only

with the visit.

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