They are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.
– Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1. Mr. Bennet is commenting on the prospect of their new neighbor Charles Bingley falling in love with one of his five daughters. His wife Mrs. Bennet’s has expressed the hope that the rich occupant of the nearby Netherfield Park will be a potential suitor for one of their girls. Mr. Bennet’s reply, in singling out Elizabeth for her "quickness," positions her early on as the protagonist in the novel.