Caroline Bingley Quotes

"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life."
"I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think."
"I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough – one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design – to take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad – belongs to you alone. And so you like this man’s sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 4. After the ball in Meryton Elizabeth and Jane hold a post mortem, during which they discuss Charles Bingley’s interest in Jane and also what Elizabeth says is the bad behavior of Bingley’s sisters. Elizabeth accuses Jane of being too quick to see the good in everybody and being blind to people’s faults. But Jane is reluctant to criticize the Bingley sisters and tells Elizabeth that she is too quick to judge others harshly. Elizabeth’s suggestion that her sister’s judgment of people is flawed turns out to be ironic, since Elizabeth turns out to be a poor judge of Mr. Darcy’s and Mr. Wickham’s characters, which almost costs her her happiness. This exchange is also foreshadowing of how Jane will put her own happiness at risk by failing to see the bad intentions of her manipulative false friend Caroline Bingley.
Bingley sisters in Pride and Prejudice

They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 4. The narrator paints us a picture of the Bingley sisters Caroline and Louisa. We learn that they are rich, proud, conceited and like to associate with other people of equally high rank. We are told, with Austen’s penchant for irony, that they are "in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others" – which of course they are not entitled to.
A pair of fine eyes - Darcy on Elizabeth

"I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
Miss Bingley immediately fixated her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepedity:
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 6. Mr. Darcy seems lost in thought at a party in the Lucas house and Caroline Bingley suggests that he must be thinking how insufferable it is to spend evenings with such insipid and self-important people. But Darcy shocks her with his response, admitting that he has been thinking about Elizabeth Bennet’s fine eyes. Caroline sees Elizabeth as her rival for Darcy’s affections and is astonished by Darcy’s revelation.
A lady's imagination is very rapid - Darcy in Pride and Prejudice

A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 6. This is Mr. Darcy’s comeback to Caroline Bingley, who is astonished that Elizabeth Bennet is his "favourite" and jokingly asks Darcy when the wedding is to be. Darcy’s tongue-in-cheek response keeps up the joke, but it also contains a lot of truth. For marriage is a big obsession with the female characters in the novel and is one of its main themes.
You will have a charming mother-in-law - Pride and Prejudice

You will have a charming mother-in-law, and of course she will always be at Pemberley with you.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 6. Jealous because Mr. Darcy has expressed admiration for Elizabeth Bennet’s "fine eyes," Caroline Bingley tries to come up with something insulting to say about Elizabeth and her family. She sarcastically suggests that Darcy can look forward to sharing lots of time at his grand Pemberley estate with his new mother-in-law – the tiresome and foolish Mrs. Bennet. Family is an important theme in the novel, and while Elizabeth is a lively and intelligent woman, not all members of her family are as attractive as her.

She was shown into the breakfast-parlour, where all but Jane were assembled, and where her appearance created a great deal of surprise. That she should have walked three miles so early in the day, in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in contempt for it. She was received, however, very politely by them; and in their brother’s manners there was something better than politeness; there was good humour and kindness. Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion, and doubt as to the occasion’s justifying her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 7. Concerned for her ill sister Jane and having no carriage, Elizabeth walks alone through three miles of muddy fields to Netherfield. Elizabeth doesn’t fit the image of the typical 18th century woman, she is headstrong and independent-minded and likes to break gender and class conventions. She suspects – and turns out to be right – that the Bingley sisters Caroline and Louisa are not impressed by her behavior and hold her in contempt. But Mr. Darcy feels "admiration" for Elizabeth and the brilliant complexion the exercise has given her, though he doubts her wisdom is traveling so far alone.

To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! what could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. Elizabeth’s independence of spirit is what makes her a hero to many Jane Austen readers, and these include women the world over today. But Caroline Bingley, one of the novel’s villains who is jealous of Elizabeth, remains unimpressed. Here she berates Lizzy’s three-mile walk to see her ill sister as an exercise in conceit and lack of decorum.

"I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, "that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes."
"Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. The snobbish Caroline Bingley once again guesses wrong about Mr. Darcy’s thoughts. Aiming to puncture his admiration for Elizabeth’s "fine eyes," she makes a jibe about Elizabeth’s three-mile walk through the mud to Netherfield. But Darcy is even more admiring of Lizzy’s eyes after the exercise.

I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. Early on in the novel class conscious Caroline Bingley expresses her disapproval of any union between her brother Charles and Jane Bennet due to her low social status. She goes on after this passage to mock Jane’s lowly relations living in Cheapside.

"Miss Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, "despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else."
"I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth; "I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. Caroline Bingley jibes at Elizabeth, trying to make her look bookish, when she decides to read a book instead of joining in the card game in the Netherfield drawing room. She offensively suggests that Elizabeth has no other pleasures. But Elizabeth deflects the attack and even tries to make it appear like a compliment.

"I am astonished," said Miss Bingley, "that my father should have left so small a collection of books. – What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!"

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. While Elizabeth is visiting the Bingleys to see her ill sister Jane, there is a discussion on reading, in which Caroline Bingley compliments Mr. Darcy on his excellent library at Pemberley. A love of books is something which Darcy and Elizabeth share, and one of the things that draws them closer over time. Of course Caroline has little interest in reading, but pretends she does in order to gain the attention of Darcy.

"Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved."
"All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. To be an accomplished woman, according to Caroline Bingley, one must be able to sing, play music, draw, dance, have a pleasant voice and graceful walk. Quite a tall order and indicative of the high expectations for 18th century women who wanted to get on in life. Mr. Darcy chips in say there is something even more important for such a woman: improving her mind by extensive reading.

"Elizabeth Bennet," said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, "is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art."
"Undoubtedly," replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, "there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 8. After Elizabeth and Caroline Bingley debate about what makes "an accomplished woman," Caroline attempts to damage Elizabeth’s reputation by accusing her of employing a "very mean art." She falsely claims that Elizabeth tries to make herself look good in a man’s eyes by criticizing other women – but the irony is that we all know it is Caroline who is guilty of doing that. However, Mr. Darcy’s response shows that he sees through Caroline and is far from impressed by her ruse.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11. Miss Bingley is watching Darcy read, so she pretends to be absorbed in reading the second volume of his book in an effort to start up a conversation with him. But she soon gets bored, yawns and throws the book aside. Her comment about how much she loves books is therefore ironic, as it is only a device to get Darcy’s attention. The quote is a good example of the gentle satirical fun Austen likes to poke at the social elite.

"I should like balls infinitely better," she replied, "if they were carried on in a different manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing were made the order of the day."
"Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11. Caroline Bingley is in conversation with her brother Charles about his plan to hold a ball at Netherfield. Caroline is critical of balls because they involve dancing instead of conversation. But she is just trying to impress Mr. Darcy because she believes he is not a lover of dancing. However, dance lover Charles takes the view that it wouldn’t be a ball without the dancing. Dancing was a very important part of the courtship ritual in Jane Austen’s England. In Chapter 3 the author tells us, "To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."

You either choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each other’s confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking; if the first, I would be completely in your way, and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11. As Caroline Bingley and Elizabeth walk up and down the room together, Darcy refuses an invitation to join them, saying they could only have two motives for doing this. This passage is Darcy’s reponse, when asked by Caroline what these motives are.

"Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!" cried Elizabeth. "That is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintances. I dearly love a laugh."
"Miss Bingley," said he, "has given me more credit than can be. The wisest and the best of men – nay, the wisest and best of their actions – may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."
"Certainly," replied Elizabeth – "there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule what is wise and good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies, do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11. This exchange between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy comes after Caroline Bingley asserts that she could never tease or laugh at Darcy. She is suggesting that Darcy is socially and intellectually superior and above being laughed at. But Elizabeth is unimpressed by such superiority and laughs at the idea, saying that she dearly loves a laugh. The solemn Mr. Darcy declares that wise men may be made look ridiculous by someone who is a joker. Elizabeth counters by saying she laughs at life’s follies but would never ridicule anything wise or good. Underlying these witty exchanges that take place throughout the novel is a sexual tension between Darcy and Elizabeth. They are the sparks of a smouldering mutual interest that eventually will lead to love.

To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence – Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked – and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested, his behavior during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 12. Poor Mr. Darcy, his heart has been drawing him towards Elizabeth during her stay at Netherfield, but his head is cautioning him that this is a bad idea. Darcy still hasn’t overcome his class prejudice against the low connections of the Bennets. So he is relieved when he hears that Elizabeth and Jane are soon to return home, he makes up his mind not to encourage Elizabeth for the remainder of her stay. He hardly speaks to her all day and when they are left alone briefly he buries himself in a book and ignores her. Darcy may be able to conceal but he cannot deny his strong attraction, for when Caroline Bingley is uncivil to Elizabeth his first instinct is to be protective of Elizabeth.

That his two sisters and Mr. Darcy, however, should have such an opportunity of ridiculing her relations, was bad enough, and she could not determine whether the silent contempt of the gentleman, or the insolent smiles of the ladies, were more intolerable.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth is embarrassed by the behavior of her family at the Netherfield ball. She is even more mortified that it has given Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters Caroline and Louisa so much ammunition to ridicule her family.

Is it not clear enough? Does it not expressly declare that Caroline neither expects nor wishes me to be her sister; that she is perfectly convinced of her brother’s indifference; and that if she suspects the nature of my feelings for him, she means (most kindly!) to put me on my guard? Can there be any other opinion on the subject?

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 21. An upset Jane Bennet has received a letter from Caroline Bingley suggesting that Charles Bingley no longer cares for her. But Jane doesn’t realize that a deceptive Caroline is trying to persuade Jane of this in order to break up their relationship.

Indeed, Jane, you ought to believe me. No one who has ever seen you together can doubt his affection. Miss Bingley, I am sure, cannot. She is not such a simpleton. Could she have seen half as much love in Mr. Darcy for herself, she would have ordered her wedding clothes. But the case is this: We are not rich enough or grand enough for them.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 21. Elizabeth attempts to convince her sister Jane that Charles Bingley really loves her. She tells her that Caroline Bingley is trying to keep them apart because the Bennets are not wealthy enough or of high enough class.

If, upon mature deliberation, you find that the misery of disobliging his two sisters is more than equivalent to the happiness of being his wife, I advise you by all means to refuse him.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 21. Elizabeth says this to a despondent Jane, who asks her can she be happy in accepting a man whose sisters and friends are all wishing him to marry someone else. Caroline Bingley has been attemping to break Jane and Charles Bingley up because she hopes he will marry Georgiana Darcy.

Hope was over, entirely over; and when Jane could attend to the rest of the letter, she found little, except the professed affection of the writer, that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy’s praise occupied the chief of it. Her many attractions were again dwelt on, and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy, and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 24. Jane receives a letter from Caroline Bingley to say that her brother Charles and the family have settled in London. Caroline, who pretends to be Jane’s friend, is trying to break up the relationship between Jane and Charles. To Jane’s dismay, Caroline writes of the growing intimacy between Charles Bingley and Georgiana Darcy and predicts their marriage to each other.

She could not think without anger, hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that want of proper resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends, and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 24. Elizabeth is contemptuous of Charles Bingley’s weakness of character, which allowed his sisters and friend Mr. Darcy to determine his affections. She is referring to his breakup with her sister Jane. Elizabeth’s complaint that Bingley can’t direct his own feelings is ironic, since her affections and feelings are being directed by George Wickham and his lies.

They may wish many things besides his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence; they may wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money, great connections, and pride.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 24. Elizabeth bluntly tells Jane that she believes the Bingley sisters played a role in manipulating their brother Charles to apparently abandon Jane. And their motivation, she suggests, was that they may wish him to marry someone with money and better social position.

My dearest Lizzy will, I am sure, be incapable of triumphing in her better judgement, at my expense, when I confess myself to have been entirely deceived in Miss Bingley’s regard for me. But, my dear sister, though the event has proved you right, do not think me obstinate if I still assert that, considering what her behaviour was, my confidence was as natural as your suspicion. I do not at all comprehend her reason for wishing to be intimate with me; but if the same circumstances were to happen again, I am sure I should be deceived again. Caroline did not return my visit till yesterday; and not a note, not a line, did I receive in the meantime. When she did come, it was very evident that she had no pleasure in it; she made a slight, formal apology for not calling before, said not a word of wishing to see me again, and was in every respect so altered a creature, that when she went away, I was perfectly resolved to continue the acquaintance no longer.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26. The good-hearted Jane Bennet decides it is time to call a halt to a friendship with Caroline Bingley. In a letter to Elizabeth, Jane confesses that her sister’s suspicions about Caroline were right. Jane reveals that Caroline did not answer a letter she wrote to her and was subsequently cold towards her when they met. Jane at last recognizes Caroline’s insincerity and deception and realizes that she is a false friend.

This letter gave Elizabeth some pain; but her spirits returned as she considered that Jane would no longer be duped by the sister at least. All expectation from the brother was now absolutely over. She would not even wish for any renewal of his attentions. His character sunk on every review of it; and as a punishment for him, as well as a possible advantage to Jane, she seriously hoped he might really soon marry Mr. Darcy’s sister, as by Wickham’s account, she would make him abundantly regret what he had thrown away.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26. Jane has written from London to Elizabeth saying that she hasn’t heard from Charles Bingley since he left Netherfield. Elizabeth is pained by her sister’s situation, but her spirits lift when she considers that Jane will no longer be duped by Caroline Bingley. She hopes that Mr. Bingley ends up marrying Georgiana Darcy, a match that Caroline has been trying to bring about.

Pray, Miss Eliza, are not the -shire militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to your family.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 45. Caroline Bingley tries to embarrass Elizabeth in front of Mr. Darcy when Elizabeth visits his ancestral home of Pemberley. In a spiteful comment Caroline brings up Elizabeth’s connection with George Wickham and her younger sisters flirtations with him. Caroline is not happy to see Elizabeth in Pemberley because she sees her as a rival for Darcy’s affections.
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