"The mere habit of learning to love is the thing; and a teachableness of disposition in a young lady is a great blessing." (Chapter 22)
- He cares for his family, and most especially his sister. Isn't there an old adage that says a women can tell how he will treat her by how he treats his mother and sisters?
- He cares for his property. He has a modest estate about 20 or so miles from his father's. After returning home from Bath, he leaves to check up on the house, and make sure that everything is in good order.
- He is a faithful man. More than other Austen heros, his religious fervor is mentioned, and rightly so, for he is a rector.
- Henry has a good sense of humour and wit. He is playful and light-hearted with Catherine when it is appropriate.
- He understands women extremely well.*
- He brings out the purity and the goodness in Catherine.
- He loves Catherine for her naivete, but will not let her follies go unchecked. He makes sure in Chapter 24, that she not be allowed to continue in dangerous folly.
- He is mature, but kind and a good teacher.
- He adapts to every environment. He is the same genuine man in Bath that he is at the Abbey. Even when he is baffled by Catherine's childlike behaviour at the Abbey, and reproaches her for it, he is quick to give her comfort and make her feel settled.
* This humourous scene occurs upon Henry's first introduction to Catherine at the Assembly Rooms in Bath:“I shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow.” (Henry speaking)
“My journal!” (Catherine replying)
“Yes, I know exactly what you will say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged muslin robe with blue trimmings — plain black shoes — appeared to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer, half–witted man, who would make me dance with him, and distressed me by his nonsense.”
“Indeed I shall say no such thing.”
“Shall I tell you what you ought to say?”
“If you please.”
“I danced with a very agreeable young man, introduced by Mr. King; had a great deal of conversation with him — seems a most extraordinary genius — hope I may know more of him. That, madam, is what I wish you to say.”
“But, perhaps, I keep no journal.”
“Perhaps you are not sitting in this room, and I am not sitting by you. These are points in which a doubt is equally possible. Not keep a journal! How are your absent cousins to understand the tenour of your life in Bath without one? How are the civilities and compliments of every day to be related as they ought to be, unless noted down every evening in a journal? How are your various dresses to be remembered, and the particular state of your complexion, and curl of your hair to be described in all their diversities, without having constant recourse to a journal? My dear madam, I am not so ignorant of young ladies’ ways as you wish to believe me; it is this delightful habit of journaling which largely contributes to form the easy style of writing for which ladies are so generally celebrated. Everybody allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female. Nature may have done something, but I am sure it must be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal.”
Only six chapters left
“I shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow.” (Henry speaking)
“My journal!” (Catherine replying)
“Yes, I know exactly what you will say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged muslin robe with blue trimmings — plain black shoes — appeared to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer, half–witted man, who would make me dance with him, and distressed me by his nonsense.”
“Indeed I shall say no such thing.”
“Shall I tell you what you ought to say?”
“If you please.”
“I danced with a very agreeable young man, introduced by Mr. King; had a great deal of conversation with him — seems a most extraordinary genius — hope I may know more of him. That, madam, is what I wish you to say.”
“But, perhaps, I keep no journal.”
“Perhaps you are not sitting in this room, and I am not sitting by you. These are points in which a doubt is equally possible. Not keep a journal! How are your absent cousins to understand the tenour of your life in Bath without one? How are the civilities and compliments of every day to be related as they ought to be, unless noted down every evening in a journal? How are your various dresses to be remembered, and the particular state of your complexion, and curl of your hair to be described in all their diversities, without having constant recourse to a journal? My dear madam, I am not so ignorant of young ladies’ ways as you wish to believe me; it is this delightful habit of journaling which largely contributes to form the easy style of writing for which ladies are so generally celebrated. Everybody allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female. Nature may have done something, but I am sure it must be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal.”
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