Chapter 4
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley b
efore, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him. "He is just what a young man ought to
be," said she, "sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! -- so much
ease, with such perfect good breeding!"
"He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly ca
n. His character is thereby complete."
"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a
compliment."
"Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take
you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not
help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other women in the room. No thanks
to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him.
You have liked many a stupider person."
"Dear Lizzy!"
"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in
any body. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a
human being in my life."
"I would wish not to be hasty in censuring any one; but I always speak what I think."
"I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be honestly blind
to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough; -- one meets it
every where. But to be candid without ostentation or design -- to take the good of every body's
character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad -- belongs to you alone. And so,
you like this man's sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his." "Certainly not; at
first. But they are very pleasing women when you converse with them.
Miss Bingley is to live with her brother and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall
not find a very charming neighbour in her."
Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced. Their behaviour at the assembly had not
been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of
temper than her sister, and with a judgment, too, unassailed by any attention to herself, she was
very little disposed to approve them. They were in fact very fine ladies, not deficient in good
humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it; but proud
and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private
seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more
than they ought, and of associating with people of rank; and were therefore in every respect
entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in
the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their
brother's fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.
Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly an hundred thousand pounds from his father,
who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. -- Mr. Bingley intended it
likewise, and sometimes made choice of his county; but as he was now provided with a good house
and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his
temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield, and leave the next
generation to purchase.
His sisters were very anxious for his having an estate of his own; but though he was now
established only as a tenant, Miss Bingley was by no means unwilling to preside at his table, nor
was Mrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider
his house as her home when it suited her. Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was
tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. He did look at it and into
it for half an hour, was pleased with the situation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what
the owner said in its praise, and took it immediately.
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of
character. -- Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper,
though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never
appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Darcy's regard Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of
his judgment the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no
means deficient, but Darcy was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious,
and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the
advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving
offence.
The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently characteristic. Bingley
had never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in his life; every body had been most kind
and attentive to him, there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with
all the room; and as to Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the
contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for
none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or
pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.
Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so -- but still they admired her and liked her, and
pronounced her to be a sweet girl, and one whom they should not object to know more of. Miss
Bennet was therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt authorised by such
commendation to think of her as he chose.