 in this sort of manner, on
principle, consistently, regularly, their little minds would bend to his.«
    »I rather doubt that. You are very fond of bending little minds; but where
little minds belong to rich people in authority, I think they have a knack of
swelling out, till they are quite as unmanageable as great ones. I can imagine,
that if you, as you are, Mr. Knightley, were to be transported and placed all at
once in Mr. Frank Churchill's situation, you would be able to say and do just
what you have been recommending for him; and it might have a very good effect.
The Churchills might not have a word to say in return; but then, you would have
no habits of early obedience and long observance to break through. To him who
has, it might not be so easy to burst forth at once into perfect independence,
and set all their claims on his gratitude and regard at nought. He may have as
strong a sense of what would be right, as you can have, without being so equal
under particular circumstances to act up to it.«
    »Then, it would not be so strong a sense. If it failed to produce equal
exertion, it could not be an equal conviction.«
    »Oh! the difference of situation and habit! I wish you would try to
understand what an amiable young man may be likely to feel in directly opposing
those, whom as child and boy he has been looking up to all his life.«
    »Your amiable young man is a very weak young man, if this be the first
occasion of his carrying through a resolution to do right against the will of
others. It ought to have been an habit with him by this time, of following his
duty, instead of consulting expediency. I can allow for the fears of the child,
but not of the man. As he became rational, he ought to have roused himself and
shaken off all that was unworthy in their authority. He ought to have opposed
the first attempt on their side to make him slight his father. Had he begun as
he ought, there would have been no difficulty now.«
    »We shall never agree about him,« cried Emma; »but that is nothing
extraordinary. I have not the least idea of his being a weak young man: I feel
sure that he is not. Mr. Weston would not be blind to folly, though in his own
son; but he is very likely to have a more yielding, complying, mild disposition
