I'm re-reading Pride and Prejudice again. Started just before Christmas and have been reading it for free from Google books off of my phone. This read-through, I am noticing the differences, particularly the omissions, of the various movie versions as compared to the original text. The other wonderful thing about a book over a movie is the ability to ponder, chew over, re-read and review. Like this paragraph, which I have done just such meditating of:
If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection, Elizabeth's change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor faulty. But if otherwise--if the regard springing from such sources is unreasonable or unnatural, in comparison of what is so often described as arising on a first interview with its object, and even before two words have been exchanged,--nothing can be said in her defence, except that she had given somewhat of a trial to the latter method in her partiality for Wickham, and that its ill success might, perhaps, authorise her to seek the other less interesting mode of attachment.
So, a better way to fall in love is through gratitude and esteem rather than dazzling smiles and first impressions. In other words, nice guys ought to finish first.
If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection, Elizabeth's change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor faulty. But if otherwise--if the regard springing from such sources is unreasonable or unnatural, in comparison of what is so often described as arising on a first interview with its object, and even before two words have been exchanged,--nothing can be said in her defence, except that she had given somewhat of a trial to the latter method in her partiality for Wickham, and that its ill success might, perhaps, authorise her to seek the other less interesting mode of attachment.
So, a better way to fall in love is through gratitude and esteem rather than dazzling smiles and first impressions. In other words, nice guys ought to finish first.