“Depend upon it, Emma, a sensible man would find no difficulty in it. He would feel himself in the right; and the declaration – made, of course, as a man of sense would make it, in a proper manner – would do him more good, raise him higher, fix his interest stronger with the people he depended on, than all that a line of shifts and expedients can ever do. Respect would be added to affection…Respect for right conduct is felt by every body. If he would act in this sort of manner, on principle, consistently, regularly, their little minds would bend to his.”
– Jane Austen
Emma, Chapter 18. Mr. Knightley is speaking to Emma about Frank Churchill, after Frank fails to make his expected visit to Highbury following his father’s marriage. Instead Frank sends yet another letter of excuse, to the disappointment of his new mother Mrs. Weston in particular. Knightley strongly disapproves of Frank’s behavior. He doesn’t believe that Frank is truly restrained by his guardians, as he suggests, but has simply no concern for duty and family connections. He uses the metaphor to describe how Frank could “bend” or manipulate his guardians’ “little minds” if he really wanted to. To Knightley acting with integrity and doing the right thing by people you are connected with are of the utmost importance.