Quotation from: Emma

Written by: Jane Austen


"Not Harriet's equal!" exclaimed Mr. Knightley loudly and warmly;
and with calmer asperity, added, a few moments afterwards, "No, he
is not her equal indeed, for he is as much her superior in sense
as in situation. Emma, your infatuation about that girl blinds you.
What are Harriet Smith's claims, either of birth, nature or education,
to any connexion higher than Robert Martin? She is the natural
daughter of nobody knows whom, with probably no settled provision
at all, and certainly no respectable relations. She is known only
as parlour-boarder at a common school. She is not a sensible girl,
nor a girl of any information. She has been taught nothing useful,
and is too young and too simple to have acquired any thing herself.
At her age she can have no experience, and with her little wit,
is not very likely ever to have any that can avail her.
She is pretty, and she is good tempered, and that is all.
My only scruple in advising the match was on his account, as being
beneath his deserts, and a bad connexion for him. I felt that,
as to fortune, in all probability he might do much better; and that as
to a rational companion or useful helpmate, he could not do worse.
But I could not reason so to a man in love, and was willing
to trust to there being no harm in her, to her having that sort
of disposition, which, in good hands, like his, might be easily led
aright and turn out very well. The advantage of the match I felt
to be all on her side; and had not the smallest doubt (nor have I now)
that there would be a general cry-out upon her extreme good luck.
Even _your_ satisfaction I made sure of. It crossed my mind immediately
that you would not regret your friend's leaving Highbury, for the
sake of her being settled so well. I remember saying to myself,
`Even Emma, with all her partiality for Harriet, will think this a
good match.'"

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