Chapter 4

WHEN Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had
been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, 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
an ought likewise to be, if he possibly can.  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.