Boy does this sound familiar......

This is from “Northanger Abbey” by Jane Austen. Originally published in 1818.

Catherine is commenting about Mr. Thorpe, with whom she was on a carriage ride with. He had just stretched the truth to her, causing some worry.

“By him the whole manner seemed entirely forgotten; and all the rest of his conversation, or rather talk, began and ended with himself and his own concerns. He told her of horses which he had bought for a trifle and sold for incredible sums; of racing matches, in which his judgement had infallibly foretold the winner; of shooting parties, in which he had killed more birds (though without having one good shot) than all his companions together; and described to her some famous day’s sport, with the fox-hounds, in which his foresight and skill in directing the dogs had repaired the mistakes of the most experienced huntsmen, and in which the boldness of his riding, though it had never endangered his own life for a moment, had been constantly leading others into difficulties, which he calmly concluded had broken the necks of many.”

Some things never change.