{{prxprp016.jpg}} || 16 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

'His pride,' said Miss Lucas, 'does not offend me so much as

pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot

wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune,

everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I

may so express it, he has a right to be proud.'

'That is very true,' replied Elizabeth, 'and I could easily forgive

his pride, if he had not mortified mine.'

'Pride,' observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidity

of her reflections, 'is a very common failing I believe. By all

that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common

indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that

there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-conv

placency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary.

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often

used synonimously. A person may be proud without being

vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to

what we would have others think of us.'

'If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy,' cried a young Lucas, who

came with his sisters, 'I should not care how proud I was. I

would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine

every day.'

'Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought,'

said Mrs. Bennct; 'and if I were to see you at it I should take

away your bottle directly.'

The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare

that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

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