Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (dark academia books to read .txt) ๐
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When her husband dies and leaves his estate to his son from a former marriage, Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are offered a cottage on the estate of a distant relative. The two oldest daughters fall in love, only to find that the objects of their affection have secrets that throw their lives into an uproar. The reserved oldest daughter and impetuous, fiery middle daughter will take very different journeys to discovering the true worth of their respective beaus.
Published in 1811, Sense and Sensibility, was largely written fifteen years earlier, when Austen was approximately the same age as her older protagonist Elinor. It was published anonymously (โBy A Ladyโ), possibly due to propriety, or perhaps because she wanted to avoid any negative publicity if the book was not well-received. She neednโt have worried; it sold out its first printing of a modest 750 copies. She used well-defined characters, humor, and satire to paint a vivid picture of life in the England of George III, with all of its manners, class issues, and unwritten rules of behavior. That itโs still being read over two hundred years later is a testimony to her brilliance.
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- Author: Jane Austen
Read book online ยซSense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (dark academia books to read .txt) ๐ยป. Author - Jane Austen
Sir John called on them as soon as the next interval of fair weather that morning allowed him to get out of doors; and Marianneโs accident being related to him, he was eagerly asked whether he knew any gentleman of the name of Willoughby at Allenham.
โWilloughby!โ cried Sir John; โwhat, is he in the country? That is good news however; I will ride over tomorrow, and ask him to dinner on Thursday.โ
โYou know him then,โ said Mrs. Dashwood.
โKnow him! to be sure I do. Why, he is down here every year.โ
โAnd what sort of a young man is he?โ
โAs good a kind of fellow as ever lived, I assure you. A very decent shot, and there is not a bolder rider in England.โ
โAnd is that all you can say for him?โ cried Marianne, indignantly. โBut what are his manners on more intimate acquaintance? What his pursuits, his talents, and genius?โ
Sir John was rather puzzled.
โUpon my soul,โ said he, โI do not know much about him as to all that. But he is a pleasant, good humoured fellow, and has got the nicest little black bitch of a pointer I ever saw. Was she out with him today?โ
But Marianne could no more satisfy him as to the colour of Mr. Willoughbyโs pointer, than he could describe to her the shades of his mind.
โBut who is he?โ said Elinor. โWhere does he come from? Has he a house at Allenham?โ
On this point Sir John could give more certain intelligence; and he told them that Mr. Willoughby had no property of his own in the country; that he resided there only while he was visiting the old lady at Allenham Court, to whom he was related, and whose possessions he was to inherit; adding, โYes, yes, he is very well worth catching I can tell you, Miss Dashwood; he has a pretty little estate of his own in Somersetshire besides; and if I were you, I would not give him up to my younger sister, in spite of all this tumbling down hills. Miss Marianne must not expect to have all the men to herself. Brandon will be jealous, if she does not take care.โ
โI do not believe,โ said Mrs. Dashwood, with a good humoured smile, โthat Mr. Willoughby will be incommoded by the attempts of either of my daughters towards what you call catching him. It is not an employment to which they have been brought up. Men are very safe with us, let them be ever so rich. I am glad to find, however, from what you say, that he is a respectable young man, and one whose acquaintance will not be ineligible.โ
โHe is as good a sort of fellow, I believe, as ever lived,โ repeated Sir John. โI remember last Christmas at a little hop at the park, he danced from eight oโclock till four, without once sitting down.โ
โDid he indeed?โ cried Marianne with sparkling eyes, โand with elegance, with spirit?โ
โYes; and he was up again at eight to ride to covert.โ
โThat is what I like; that is what a young man ought to be. Whatever be his pursuits, his eagerness in them should know no moderation, and leave him no sense of fatigue.โ
โAye, aye, I see how it will be,โ said Sir John, โI see how it will be. You will be setting your cap at him now, and never think of poor Brandon.โ
โThat is an expression, Sir John,โ said Marianne, warmly, โwhich I particularly dislike. I abhor every commonplace phrase by which wit is intended; and โsetting oneโs cap at a man,โ or โmaking a conquest,โ are the most odious of all. Their tendency is gross and illiberal; and if their construction could ever be deemed clever, time has long ago destroyed all its ingenuity.โ
Sir John did not much understand this reproof; but he laughed as heartily as if he did, and then repliedโ โ
โAy, you will make conquests enough, I dare say, one way or other. Poor Brandon! he is quite smitten already, and he is very well worth setting your cap at, I can tell you, in spite of all this tumbling about and spraining of ankles.โ
XMarianneโs preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision, styled Willoughby, called at the cottage early the next morning to make his personal enquiries. He was received by Mrs. Dashwood with more than politeness; with a kindness which Sir Johnโs account of him and her own gratitude prompted; and everything that passed during the visit tended to assure him of the sense, elegance, mutual affection, and domestic comfort of the family to whom accident had now introduced him. Of their personal charms he had not required a second interview to be convinced.
Miss Dashwood had a delicate complexion, regular features, and a remarkably pretty figure. Marianne was still handsomer. Her form, though not so correct as her sisterโs, in having the advantage of height, was more striking; and her face was so lovely, that when in the common cant of praise, she was called a beautiful girl, truth was less violently outraged than usually happens. Her skin was very brown, but, from its transparency, her complexion was uncommonly brilliant; her features were all good; her smile was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes, which were very dark, there was a life, a spirit, an eagerness, which could hardily be seen without delight. From
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