One cannot always be laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty.
– Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 40. Elizabeth admits to Jane that she has been mistaken in her judgment of Darcy and she misused her wit to abuse him. This self-knowledge comes after the letter from Darcy to Elizabeth explaining the truth of his relationship with George Wickham. The fuller quote: "I meant to be uncommonly clever in taking so decided a dislike to him, without any reason. It is such a spur to one’s genius, such an opening for wit to have a dislike of that kind. One may be continually abusive without saying any thing just; but one cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty."