# Quote — Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

> "I can readily believe," answered he gravely, "that reports may vary greatly with respect to me; and I could wish, Miss Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either."
>
> "But if I do not take your likeness now, I may never have another opportunity."

- Author: [Jane Austen](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen.md)
- Book: [Pride and Prejudice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen/pride-and-prejudice.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice#Chapters_11-20) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen/pride-and-prejudice/i-can-readily

## More from this book

> "“The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this … 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?”

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen/pride-and-prejudice/the-death-of-your.md)

> "When I consider," she added, in a yet more agitated voice, "that I might have prevented it! — I who knew what he was. Had I but explained some part of it only — some part of what I learnt — to my own family! Had his character been known, this could not have happened. But it is all, all too late now."

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen/pride-and-prejudice/when-i-consider.md)

> "Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.”

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-austen/pride-and-prejudice/loss-of-virtue.md)