Jane Austen's novel Emma is perfectly described by its first-sentence depiction of the heroine herself: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."

And indeed, the book itself is handsome, clever, rich, comfortable, and happy — neither vexatious nor "about" much. Sometimes (often?) that's sufficient! As Cardinal Newman commented, "Everything Miss Austen writes is clever .... There are some beautiful things in it. Emma herself is the most interesting to me of all her heroines. I feel kind to her whenever I think of her .... I like Emma."

Some fortune-cookie quotes:

• "Better be without sense, than misapply it as you do." - (Volume 1, Chapter 8)
• "Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief." - (Volume 1, Chapter 8)
• "There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves." - (Volume 1, Chapter 11)
• "What is right to be done cannot be done too soon." - (Volume 2, Chapter 5)
• "Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable." - (Volume 2, Chapter 8)
• "I am very sorry to be right in this instance. I would much rather have been merry than wise." - (Volume 2, Chapter 12)
• "It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble." - (Volume 3, Chapter 14)

Clever, rich, handsome Emma!

^z - 2018-04-24