Mr. Collins Quotes

Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; and I am sure if I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other about it.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. Mrs. Bennet cannot bear to hear Mr. Bennet mention the name of Mr. Collins. Collins is a reminder to the exasperated mother of five daughters of their inability to produce a son and keep their estate within the family. For Longbourn being under an entail means that only a male heir can inherit the estate, so in the event of Mr. Bennet’s death it goes to his cousin Mr. Collins.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice

I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh…whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. Newly ordained clergyman Mr. Collins begins his letter to Mr. Bennet in groveling terms about his patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh. In Collins we see Jane Austen’s genius for comic satire at its best. He is presented as a ridiculous churchman more interested in living well in his "valuable" new position and kowtowing to his aristocratic benefactor, than in devoting his life to spiritual matters.

"There is something very pompous in his style. – And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail? – We cannot suppose he would help it if he could. – Could he be a sensible man, sir?"
"No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him"

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. Elizabeth and her father are commenting on Mr. Collins and his letter to the Bennets, whose Longbourn estate he is to inherit and which he is about to visit. In the letter he expresses the hope that "the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch." We gain a good glimpse of Mr. Collins’s character from the Bennets’ comments – pompous, servile to his patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh and for a clergyman unusually vain and full of his own self-importance.

He begged to know to which of his fair cousins, the excellence of its cookery was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. An offended Mrs. Bennet puts Mr. Collins right when he asks which of her daughters was responsible for the excellent cooking. She interprets this as suggesting they were of the lower class and couldn’t afford a cook.
Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine in Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect he protested that he had never in his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank – such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to approve of both of the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching before her.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. Over dinner at the Bennets’ home, Mr. Collins spends much of his time describing the woman who helped him establish his career in the clergy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The fawning obsequiousness and servility he displays towards his patroness, coupled with his pretentious manners and obsessive formality, help make Mr. Collins one of English literature’s unforgettable comic characters. Here Austen is satirizing the behavior of the noble class through Collins’s absurd admiration for Lady Catherine and her treatment of him. She is also being ironic – for nobody in their right mind admires being condescended to.

I am happy on every occasion to offer those little delicate compliments which are always acceptable to ladies. I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine, that her charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be adorned by her. These are the kind of little things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. The oily and smarmy Mr. Collins is at his sycophantic best (or worst!) when he drops the name of Lady Catherine de Bourgh into the conversation – and he does a lot of that in the Bennets’ home.

"It is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?"
"They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time, and though I sometimes amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little elegant compliments as may be adapted to ordinary occasions, I always wish to give them as unstudied an air as possible."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. Mr. Bennet is making fun of Mr. Collins and being ironical at his guest’s expense when he compliments him on his talent of "flattering with delicacy." But Mr. Collins is too dense and full of his own vanity to notice it. In his reply Collins admits to thinking up compliments and practising them so that present them at the right time as if they came naturally.

I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit. It amazes me, I confess; for, certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction. But I will no longer importune my young cousin.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. After his meal with the Bennets, Mr. Collins insists on reading to the girls from a book of sermons and Lydia gets bored and interrupts him with gossip about the militia soldiers. The offended Collins abandons his reading, complaining about how little young ladies are interested in serious books written for their benefit.

Mr. Bennet’s expectations were fully answered. His cousin was as absurd as he had hoped, and he listened to him with the keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time the most resolute composure of countenance, and except in an occasional glance at Elizabeth, requiring no partner in his pleasure.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 14. Austen’s descriptions of the pompous and conceited Mr. Collins, as she savagely satirizes the ridiculous clergyman, are almost mockeries. A good example is in this passage where Mr. Bennet derives much amusement from observing his absurd cousin’s manners and way of going on during a visit to Longbourn. And we laugh with him.

The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. In the novel Mr. Collins – like his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh – is a caricature of a proud and conceited person. He is described in this passage as a man full of pride and his own self-importance and obsequiousness towards his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to marry…he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report. This was his plan of amends – of atonement – for inheriting their father’s estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own part.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. At a time when women’s legal access to property in England was limited, Mr. Collins is due to inherit Longbourn on the death of Mr. Bennet. Now that he has a good income and house, he decides that it is time to marry. Seeing himself as a fountain of generosity and kindness, he decides to choose one of the Bennet daughters to make amends to the family over the loss of their home. Austen is an expert at writing ironic statements and the tone throughout this passage is without doubt ironic, for Collins admires himself for sharing with one of the Bennet girls the wealth that he took from them in the first place. The description of the puffed-up clergyman celebrating his high-mindedness marks Austen out as the supreme satirist. Mr. Collins has no self-awareness of how ridiculous he is.

Miss Bennet’s lovely face confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of what was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled choice.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. Having now a good house and income, Mr. Collins has decided to marry and goes to Longbourn with the intention of choosing one of the Bennet sisters for a wife. On seeing Jane’s "lovely face" and without knowing anything of her character, he announces his intentions towards the eldest Bennet sister. On his quick first impressions of her, she fits the bill for the position of Mrs. Collins.

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth – and it was soon done – done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. After setting sights on Jane Bennet for his wife, Mr. Collins has no problem switching his attentions to Elizabeth, when Mrs. Bennet points out that Jane is soon to be engaged to someone else. In his search for a wife, the ridiculous Mr. Collins doesn’t really care who he marries.

Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collins is about to enter the record books for making the worst marriage proposal in English literature. But Elizabeth attempts to leave the room before he begins, as because she clearly has no desire to hear him out. In an excellent example of dramatic irony, Mr. Collins mistakingly attributes her "little unwillingness" to her "modesty" and says this makes her even more "amiable" to him. Mr. Collins misreads the situation because of his vanity.

Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying – and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. As Mr. Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, she has to stifle the urge to laugh at the ever-so-serious clergyman metaphorically talking about his "run away with" by his strong feelings.

My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced that it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly – which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness…she said, "Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way"…But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place – which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collins’s lack of self-awareness is astonishing as he corners an obviously uninterested Elizabeth to propose. Setting out his reasons for wanting to marry her, there is not one mention of love and it is mostly about why it would be good for him. He believes that he should marry because it sets a good example for a clergyman, it will add to his happiness, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh has told him to marry a "useful sort of person…able to make a small income go a good way." For good measure he also mentions that since he is to inherit Mr. Bennet’s estate, he would like to minimize the family’s loss by marrying one of his daughters. Finally with great irony he laughably assures Elizabeth of his "violence of my affection" for her. Austen is mocking Mr. Collins here. She is using him as a satirical figure to comment on loveless marriages, where people wed for all kinds of ridiculous reasons other than love.

It is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. There is dramatic irony here, because the reader knows that Elizabeth is being sincere in her refusal of Mr. Collins’s proposal of marriage, but he interprets it as a sign of her being modest. Mr. Collins is just one of those men who refuses to hear the word "no." He is being rather full of himself with his sense of self-importance, thinking that he is God’s gift to unmarried women looking for a husband.

You must give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment of believing what I say.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. When Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’s proposal, he doesn’t accept that it’s a refusal and indicates that he will persist a second and even third time until she says "yes." She firmly and swiftly rejects this attempt to control how she should think and dictate the decisions of her heart. The fuller quote is: "Indeed, Mr. Collins, all praise of me will be unnecessary. You must give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment of believing what I say. I wish you very happy and very rich, and by refusing your hand, do all in my power to prevent your being otherwise."

"Really, Mr. Collins," cried Elizabeth with some warmth, "you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as to convince you of its being one."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collins is not a man who is easily discouraged, indeed he is too stupid to get the message. Elizabeth is forced to repeat her refusal of his marriage proposal when he promises to come back again hoping to receive "a more favourable answer."

In spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made to you. Your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collin’s proposal to Elizabeth is probably the most famous and worst marriage proposal in literature. And this passage would be hard to surpass for the top prize for the worst chat-up line ever! When Elizabeth politely turns him down, Mr. Collins comes back to tell her that she may never get another marriage offer – he, in effect, is her last chance saloon! He demeans her by insulting her (and all women) that her income is so little she will never get another chance of winning a husband. And this is how Mr. Collins asks for a woman’s hand in marriage? What arrogance and vanity! Mr. Collins obviously never went to charm school, he never felt the need to as he thinks so highly of himself!

"As I must therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females."
"I do assure you, Sir, that I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Elizabeth is trying to reinforce the message to Mr. Collins that she doesn’t wish to marry him, but he appears to be a little dense and mentally hard of hearing. The dumbfounded Collins does not believe that her rejection of his marriage proposal is at all serious. He ludicrously views it as the ploy of elegant females to keep a man in suspense and increase his love. Elizabeth assures him that her refusal is sincere.

To such perseverance in wilful self-deception, Elizabeth would make no reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew; determined, that if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive, and whose behaviour at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Elizabeth can no longer stay and listen to Mr. Collins’s "wilful" exercise in self-deceit as he refuses to accept her refusal to marry him. She leaves the room and determines that if Mr. Collins should persist, she will have her father give him the message. She believes that Mr. Bennet’s "no" won’t be mistaken for female pretension or flirtation.
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