"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." (December 24, 1798)

"Next week [I] shall begin my operations on my hat, on which you know my principal hopes of happiness depend." (October 27, 1798)

“I will not say that your mulberry trees are dead; but I am afraid they are not alive.” (May 31, 1811)

“I was as civil to them as their bad breath would allow me.” (November 21, 1800)

“I could not sit seriously down to write a serious Romance under any other motive than to save my life, & if it were indispensable for me to keep it up & never relax into laughing at myself or other people, I am sure I should be hung before I had finished the first chapter.” (April 1, 1816)

“I think I may boast myself to be, with all possible Vanity, the most unlearned, & uninformed Female who ever dared to be an Authoress.” (December 11, 1815)

“Poor woman, I shall support her as long as I can, because she is a Woman, & because I hate her Husband.” (February 17, 1813)

“I had the pleasure of receiving, unpacking & approving our Wedgwood ware. It all came very safely, & upon the whole is a good match, tho’ I think they might have allowed us rather larger leaves, especially in such a Year of fine foliage as this. One is apt to suppose that the Woods about Birmingham must be blighted.” (June 6, 1811)

“The Orange Wine will want our Care soon. –But in the meantime for Elegance & Ease & Luxury . . . I shall eat Ice & drink French wine, & be above Vulgar Economy.” (July 1, 1808 )

“Mrs. Hall, of Sherborne, was brought to bed yesterday of a dead child, some weeks before she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she happened unawares to look at her husband." (October 27, 1798)