“Mystery; Finesse – how they pervert the understanding! My Emma, does not every thing serve to prove more and more the beauty of truth and sincerity in all our dealings with each other?”
– Jane Austen
Emma, Chapter 51. Mr. Knightley’s comments to Emma could sum up the lesson of the novel. He believes in being honest and upfront. His remarks come as he reads Frank Churchill’s letter on his secret engagement to Jane Fairfax. He views Churchill as acting like a boy and playing a dangerous game.