Marriage

“Both were aware that wealth is a relative thing, and that the positively rich are not those who have the largest possessions but those who have the fewest vain or selfish desires to gratify.””

— Susan Ferrier

“Heath covered hills and high cheek-bones are the charms that must win my heart.""I'm delighted to hear you say so, my dear Mary," said the literal-minded Grizzy. "Certainly nothing can be prettier than the heather when it's in flower; and there is something very manly”

— Susan Ferrier

“Vain would be the attempt to describe Lady Juliana's horror and amazement at the hideous sounds that for the first time assailed her ear...."It's impossible the bagpipe could frighten anybody," said Miss Jacky, in a high key; "nobody with common sense could be frightened at a bagpipe."...Mrs. Douglas here mildly interposed, and soothed down the offended pride of the Highlanders by attributing Lady Juliana's agitation entirely to surprise. The word operated like a charm; all were ready to admit that it was a surprising thing when heard for the first time.””

— Susan Ferrier

“Love is a passion that has been much talked of, often described, and little understood””

— Susan Ferrier

“I'm certain indeed, I think there's no doubt of it - that reading does young people much harm. It puts things into their heads that never would have been there but for books. I declare, I think reading's a very dangerous thing; I'm certain all Mary's bad health is entirely owing to reading. You know we always thought she read a great deal too much for her own good.””

— Susan Ferrier

“The carriage drove smoothly along, and the sound of the church bell fell at intervals on the ear, 'in cadence sweet, now dying away'; and, at the holy sound, Mary's heart flew back to the peaceful vale and primitive kirk at Lochmarlie, where all her happy sabbaths had been spent. The view now opened on the villiage church, beautifully situated on the slope of a green hill. Parties of struggling villagers, in their holiday suits, were descried in all directions, some already assembled in the church-yard, others traversing the neat foot-paths that led through the meadows. But, to Mary's eyes, the well dressed English rustic, trudging along the smooth path, was a far less picturesque object, than the bare-footed Highland girl, bounding over trackless heath-covered hills; and the well-preserved glossy blue coat, seemed a poor substitute for the varied drapery of the graceful plaid.””

— Susan Ferrier

“I must now turn my head into a museum, and hang up all my smary sayings inside my brain, there to putrify, as warnings to all past misses.””

— Susan Ferrier

“You’ll never get rid of a stupid man by civility.””

— Susan Ferrier

“If you can’t even imagine such things as prejudice, narrow-mindedness, envy, hatred, and malice, your ignorance is bliss and you had better remain in it.””

— Susan Ferrier