“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” said she afterwards to herself. “There is nothing to be compared to it. Warmth and tenderness of heart, with an affectionate, open manner, will beat all the clearness of head in the world, for attraction: I am sure it will…I have it not; but I know how to prize and respect it. Harriet is my superior in all the charm and all the felicity it gives.”
– Jane Austen
Emma, Chapter 31. In a world in thrall to social standing, clever conversation and beauty, Emma acknowledges the value of kindness and compassion. In her tribute to Harriet, she lauds her warm and tender heart as a virtue above all others. And one that she admits she herself does not possess.