Pagina 34 de 817

"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-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or

imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the

words are often used synonymously. 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. Bennet; "and if I were to see you at it, I should take away

your bottle directly."