And Elizabeth Bennet.

Today is the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Pride and Prejudice.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

This is one of the best opening lines of a novel. It promises adventure, wit, and a touch of appropriate sarcasm.

Another of my favorite quotes (though I suppose this one makes me a bit of a misanthrope):

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”

Thank you, Jane!