I pay very little regard...to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person.
Jane AustenRead
Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker reflects on how vanity can mislead one in matters of the heart, leading to suffering and blindness to reality.
In this quote, Jane Austen suggests that what she perceived as love was actually a result of her own vanity, causing her to be foolishly oblivious to the truth. This highlights the distinction between genuine love and a self-centered illusion, emphasizing the emotional turmoil that can arise when one is blinded by ego rather than true affection.
Themes
LoveVanityFollyBlindnessEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the nature of love vs vanity in relationships.
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He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person.
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You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.
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She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! Alas! She must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.
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