Lady Catherine de Bourgh Quotes

Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice

I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh…whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. Newly ordained clergyman Mr. Collins begins his letter to Mr. Bennet in groveling terms about his patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh. In Collins we see Jane Austen’s genius for comic satire at its best. He is presented as a ridiculous churchman more interested in living well in his "valuable" new position and kowtowing to his aristocratic benefactor, than in devoting his life to spiritual matters.
Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine in Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect he protested that he had never in his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank – such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to approve of both of the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching before her.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. Over dinner at the Bennets’ home, Mr. Collins spends much of his time describing the woman who helped him establish his career in the clergy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The fawning obsequiousness and servility he displays towards his patroness, coupled with his pretentious manners and obsessive formality, help make Mr. Collins one of English literature’s unforgettable comic characters. Here Austen is satirizing the behavior of the noble class through Collins’s absurd admiration for Lady Catherine and her treatment of him. She is also being ironic – for nobody in their right mind admires being condescended to.

I am happy on every occasion to offer those little delicate compliments which are always acceptable to ladies. I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine, that her charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be adorned by her. These are the kind of little things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. The oily and smarmy Mr. Collins is at his sycophantic best (or worst!) when he drops the name of Lady Catherine de Bourgh into the conversation – and he does a lot of that in the Bennets’ home.

The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. In the novel Mr. Collins – like his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh – is a caricature of a proud and conceited person. He is described in this passage as a man full of pride and his own self-importance and obsequiousness towards his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Her manners were dictatorial and insolent. She has the reputation of being remarkably sensible and clever; but I rather believe she derives part of her abilities from her rank and fortune, part from her authoritative manner, and the rest from the pride of her nephew, who chooses that every one connected with him should have an understanding of the first class.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 16. Charles Bingley is speaking to Elizabeth here about Lady Catherine. He sums up her character extremely accurately. There are many examples in the novel of her being authoritative and dictatorial with the other characters and using her rank and wealth to tell others what to do.

She wrote cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts, and mentioned nothing which she could not praise. The house, furniture, neighbourhood, and roads, were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine’s behaviour was most friendly and obliging. It was Mr. Collins’s picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Elizabeth perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26. Elizabeth receives a letter from her friend Charlotte after her marriage to Mr. Collins. Charlotte seems content with her new life at Hunsford and everything is going well there and at Rosings. Even the haughty Lady Catherine is being ever so friendly and obliging. Elizabeth plans to pay a visit to see for herself.

Mr. Collins’s triumph, in consequence of this invitation, was complete. The power of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his wondering visitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself and his wife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an opportunity of doing it should be given so soon, was such an instance of Lady Catherine’s condescension, as he knew not how to admire enough.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. A puffed-up Mr. Collins glories in the invitation to him and his party to dine with Lady Catherine de Bourgh at her home at Rosings. He cannot wait for the opportunity to show off the "graudeur" of his aristocratic patroness and her friendliness towards him and his wife. Mr. Collins is the stuff of satire, a clergyman full of his own vanity and obsessed with social rank and showing a fawning obsequiousness towards the upper class.

Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest…she likes to have the distinction of rank preserved.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. Mr. Collins tells Elizabeth this when they are invited to dine with Lady Catherine de Bourgh at Rosings. The ridiculous snobbery, vanity and obsession with social rank of both Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine are beautifully satirized in this passage where Mr. Collins suggests Elizabeth doesn’t have an elegant dress.

Her air was not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence; but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone, as marked her self-importance.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is one of Austen’s great comic creations. She is an insufferable snob, full of her own self-importance, boastful, speaks with authority, and ensures that her visitors don’t forget their inferior rank. This is how Elizabeth finds her when she visits the great lady at her home. Austen is using satire here to ridicule the extreme snobbishness and class-consciousness of the English grande dame.

Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great lady’s attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. In her visit to Rosings, Elizabeth discovers that Lady Catherine de Bourgh meddles a lot in other people’s lives. She likes to "dictate" to other people what to do. Elizabeth makes this observation after Lady Catherine inquiries into Charlotte’s domestic affairs, then proceeds to give her a great deal of advice on the management of them all.

No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I have never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. The haughty Lady Catherine de Bourgh reacts with shock, on being told by Elizabeth that her family never employed a governess to educate her and her sisters. Every family with young girls needs a governess, she rudely suggests. She uses a metaphor to compare Mrs. Bennet to a slave because she herself had to take charge of her daughters’ education. Elizabeth is attending dinner at Rosings Park, Lady Catherine’s residence, with Charlotte and Mr. Collins.

"All! – What, all five out at once? Very odd! – And you only the second. – The younger ones out before the elder are married! – Your younger sisters must be very young?"
"Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps she is full young to be much in company. But really, Ma’am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not have the means or inclination to marry early. – The last born has as good a right to the pleasures of youth, as the first. And to be kept back on such a motive! – I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind."
"Upon my word," said her ladyship, "you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person. Pray, what is your age?"
"With three younger sisters grown up," replied Elizabeth, smiling, "your ladyship can hardly expect me to own it."
Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 29. This passage is a foretaste of things to come, as Elizabeth stands her ground with Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a formidable woman used to getting her own way. Elizabeth refuses to tell Lady Catherine her age when she asks her and doesn’t concede to the noble lady’s opinions. Lady Catherine comments that Elizabeth is very forward about offering her opinions. The famous clash later between the two as Lady Catherine attempts to block any marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth is foreshadowed here.

I must have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 31. Lady Catherine de Bourgh admits that she cannot play a musical instrument, but claims to be an expert on music. She believes that she would have been a great musician, had she learned. Austen is poking fun here at the "great" lady and her arrogance.

"Though Mrs. Collins has no instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told her, to come to Rosings every day, and play on the pianoforte in Mrs. Jenkinson’s room. She would be in nobody’s way, you know, in that part of the house."
Mr. Darcy looked a little ashamed of his aunt’s ill-breeding, an made no answer.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 31. Lady Catherine, who cannot play the piano, rudely suggests that Elizabeth would not be in the way if she practised piano in the room of her daughter’s companion at Rosings. Lady Catherine uses her social position in society to assert dominance over and demean others. She lacks self-knowledge and self-awareness of her appalling manners. Even Darcy is ashamed of his aunt’s bad breeding.

Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting that, had she chosen it, she might by this time have been presented to her as her future niece; nor could she think, without a smile, of what her ladyship’s indignation would have been. "What would she have said? how would she have behaved?" were questions with which she amused herself.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 37. Elizabeth entertains herself at Lady Catherine’s expense. Each time Elizabeth looks at her she smiles at the thought that had she accepted Darcy’s proposal, she would have been presented as a future niece to the indignant Lady Catherine!

"There can be no occasion for your going so soon. Mrs. Bennet could certainly spare you for another fortnight."
"But my father cannot. He wrote last week to hurry my return."
"Oh! your father of course may spare you, if your mother can. Daughters are never of so much consequence to a father."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 37. Elizabeth moves to depart the parsonage at Hunsford and Lady Catherine insists that she stay for another two weeks. When Elizabeth says her father cannot spare her, Lady Catherine dismisses this saying that that daughters are not important to fathers. It’s true that in Austen’s time daughters of landed gentry were regarded as "never of so much consequence" when it came to inheritence rights. The patriarchal system severely limited women’s access to legal ownership of property.

The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of its proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. Elizabeth praises the tastefully furnished and elegant rooms in Darcy’s Pemberley. She compares them to those in in Lady Catherine’s home of Rosings, which were more splendid but less elegant. Her verdict: Darcy has more taste than his aristocratic aunt. But is it Darcy’s rooms she loves – or Darcy?

You are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain event of last November; for had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 48. When Lydia runs off with Wickham, Mr. Collins effectively kicks the Bennet family when they are down. In an extremely rude letter of condolences to Mr. Bennet, he tells him that Lydia’s promiscuous behavior will harm the prospects of the rest of his daughters marrying well. He plays the class card and quotes his patroness Lady Catherine saying that nobody will want to have anything to do with such a family. Recalling Elizabeth’s rejection of his own marriage proposal, Mr. Collins counts his blessings that he didn’t marry into the family, as this would have involved him in their disgrace.

A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would in all likelihood be soon afterwards united to my nephew – my own nephew – Mr. Darcy.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays an unexpected call on the Bennet family, where she targets Elizabeth. What follows is of the most fascinating and captivating battle of wits in all of English literature. In her opening shot Lady Catherine expresses her alarm over a report she received that Elizabeth is likely to marry her nephew Mr. Darcy.

Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. Lady Catherine de Bourgh says this to Elizabeth on hearing the rumor that her nephew Mr. Darcy is to propose marriage to her. A member of the upper class, Lady Catherine represents the view that people from her class should not marry someone from an inferior social class such as Elizabeth, who is middle class. She believes she has the right to tell others what do do.

"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it?"
"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. The formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh has come to Longbourn to speak to Elizabeth about a rumored engagement between her and Mr. Darcy. In the war of words that erupts between these two women, Elizabeth appears to be winning the battle of wits and enjoying it.

I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. Lady Catherine is certainly not used to being spoken to like this, as Elizabeth stands up to the aristocratic bully in one of English literature’s truly great scenes. Elizabeth will answer only the questions she chooses to, she tells de Bourgh. To her ladyship it must appear to be the height of impertinence. To Elizabeth it is expressing her independence of spirit and equality as a person.

Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. Lady Catherine de Bourgh voices her strong disapproval to Elizabeth of any marriage engagement between her and Lady Catherine’s nephew Mr. Darcy. She threatens Elizabeth with all kinds of nasty consequences if she accepts a proposal from Darcy. They include disgrace, and being slighted and despised by everybody in Darcy’s high society. Lady Catherine is a caricature who represents the extremes of snobbish pride and prejudice.

I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence. My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father’s, from respectable, honourable, and ancient – though untitled – families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 56. As class war breaks out between Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Elizabeth, the domineering and haughty de Bourgh spells out why an "upstart" like Elizabeth is an unsuitable match for her nephew Darcy. Pointing to her lack of money, connections and family position, she dismisses Elizabeth as simply a young women with pretensions above her station. In de Bourgh’s world, marriage doesn’t cross social and money boundaries. Lady Catherine is a quintessential rude snob with no self-awareness of how ill behaved she is. Austen uses satire here to ridicule the extreme class consciousness in English society at the time.
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