‘The moment I first met you, I noticed your pride, your sense of superiority, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others. You are the last man in the world whom I could ever be persuaded to marry,’ said Elizabeth Bennet.

And so Elizabeth rejects the proud Mr Darcy. Can nothing overcome her prejudice against him? And what of the other Bennet girls – their fortunes, and misfortunes, in the business of getting husbands?

This famous novel by Jane Austen is full of wise and humorous observation of the people and manners of her times.

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Glossary

1. Accomplished: well trained or educated in social skills such as conversation, art, music, etc.
2. affection: a strong feeling of liking or love
3. agreeable: pleasant, charming
4. amends, make amends to put right a mistake or an injustice done to somebody
5. apparent: seeming, not real
6. astonishment: great surprise
7. attachment: a feeling of liking or love for a place or person
8. ball: a grand, formal dance
9. blush: (v) to become red in the face, especially when embarrassed
10. the Church: the Church of England
11. colonel an army title; the head of a regiment
12. compliment: (n and v) a remark expressing respect or admiration
13. conquer: to repress or control; (n) conquest
14. considerate: thoughtful; careful not to hurt other people’s feelings
15. contempt: a feeling that someone or something is worthless
16. desire: (n) a strong wish
17. disdain: (n) a feeling or show of superiority or dislike
18. elder/eldest: older/oldest (used only of people, especially of members of a family)
19. elegance: good taste in clothes, appearance, and manner
20. elope: to run away from home in order to get married secretly
21. favourable: giving or showing approval
22. flatter: (v) to praise someone too much or insincerely
23. Gentleman: a man of good family and social position, usually wealthy
24. haste: a hurry; quickness of action
25. honour: (n) moral principles; a privilege or pleasure
26. indifference: a complete lack of concern or interest
27. inferior: less clever or important than other people, or of lower social position
28. justice: right and fair behaviour or treatment
29. ladyship: a title used in speaking to or about a titled lady
30. late: no longer alive
31. library: a room in a house, used for keeping books
32. long: (v) to want to do something very much
33. master, mistress: a man or woman who owns a house and employs servants
34. mock: (v) to laugh unkindly at someone, to make fun of them
35. morals: an understanding of right and wrong behaviour
36. mutual: of a feeling shared by two people
37. obstinate: refusing to change one’s opinion or actions; (n) obstinacy
38. party: a group of people doing something together
39. patron: (here) a person who has the right to give someone a Church of England post (e.g. the post of rector)
40. penniless: very poor; having no money at all
41. propose: to ask someone to marry you
42. rector: a priest in the Church of England
43. rectory: a rector’s house
44. regiment: a large number of soldiers, part of an army
45. reject: (v) to refuse to accept
46. Right: (n) a proper claim to something
47. servility: being too ready to obey other people and behave like a servant
48. sister/brother-in-law: a sister/brother by marriage (e.g. your husband’s sister)
49. sociable: fond of being with other people; friendly
50. superior: better, cleverer, more important than other people, or of higher social position
51. taste: (here) the ability to enjoy or to choose things which are elegant, attractive and pleasing
52. underestimate: (v) to have too low an opinion of something or someone
53. vulgar: low, common, coarse, lacking in taste or manners.