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The loss of her daughter made Mrs. Bennet very dull for several days.

[218] “All the circumstances of this action—the night, Rhesus buried in a profound sleep, and Diomede with the sword in his hand hanging over the head of that prince—furnished Homer with the idea of this fiction, which represents Rhesus lying fast asleep, and, as it were, beholding his enemy in a dream, plunging the sword into his bosom. This image is very natural; for a man in his condition awakes no farther than to see confusedly what environs him, and to think it not a reality but a dream.”—Pope.

“He is as fine a fellow,” said Mr. Bennet, as soon as they were out of the house, “as ever I saw. He simpers, and smirks, and makes love to us all. I am prodigiously proud of him. I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a more valuable son-in-law.”

The Iliad — Chapter 46: ARGUMENT. (part 9/12)

Mr. Wickham’s adieus were much more affectionate than his wife’s. He smiled, looked handsome, and said many pretty things.

“As often as I can. But you know married women have never much time for writing. My sisters may write to me. They will have nothing else to do.”

[216] The king of Crete: Idomeneus.

[217] Soft wool within, i e. a kind of woollen stuffing, pressed in between the straps, to protect the head, and make the helmet fit close.

“Write to me very often, my dear.”

“Oh, Lord! I don’t know. Not these two or three years, perhaps.”

“Oh, my dear Lydia,” she cried, “when shall we meet again?”

—Dryden’s Virgil, iv. 767.

[215] “All else of nature’s common gift partake: Unhappy Dido was alone awake.”

The day of his and Lydia’s departure soon came; and Mrs. Bennet was forced to submit to a separation, which, as her husband by no means entered into her scheme of their all going to Newcastle, was likely to continue at least a twelvemonth.

[213] “Gifts can conquer”—It is well observed by Bishop Thirlwall, “Greece,” vol. i. p, 180, that the law of honour among the Greeks did not compel them to treasure up in their memory the offensive language which might be addressed to them by a passionate adversary, nor to conceive that it left a stain which could only be washed away by blood. Even for real and deep injuries they were commonly willing to accept a pecuniary compensation.”

[214] “The boon of sleep.”—Milton

Mr. Wickham was so perfectly satisfied with this conversation, that he never again distressed himself, or provoked his dear sister Elizabeth, by introducing the subject of it; and she was pleased to find that she had said enough to keep him quiet.

[212] Where Calydon. For a good sketch of the story of Meleager, too long to be inserted here, see Grote, vol. i. p. 195, sqq.; and for the authorities, see my notes to the prose translation, p. 166.

Pride and Prejudice — Chapter 62: Chapter LIII (part 1/2)

And fill’d my bosom.” —Cowper.