I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle.
Darcy names his flaw without dressing it up. The paradox—principles versus practice—captures a common gap between who we think we are and what we do. Confession becomes the ground of change; regret is not the end but the hinge. Austen lets humility do quiet repair work where pride once stood. The line reframes earlier arrogance as a starting point, not a verdict. Redemption feels earned because the truth costs him something.