HUNTER WARREN

"...or by the apprehension of some deformed thing in another, by comparison whereof they suddenly applaud themselves. And it is incident most to them that are conscious of the fewest abilities in themselves; who are forced to keep themselves in their own favour by observing the imperfections of other men. And therefore much laughter at the defects of others is a sign of pusillanimity. For of great minds one of the proper works is to help and free others from scorn, and compare themselves only with the most able"

Thomas Hobbes shows his views that people use others as objects of self satisfaction in order to mask their own faults in this part of his quote on humor. In Emma, Frank Churchill and Emma engage in a conversation that later reveals Emma's hidden insecurities. During the scene Austin reveals that Emma is unhappy with her unsatisfactory feelings for Frank Churchill. She says, "Not that Emma was gay and thoughtless from any real felicity; it was rather because she felt less happy than she had expected. She laughed because she was disappointed; and though she liked him for his attentions, and thought them all, whether in friendship, admiration, or playfulness, extremely judicious, they were not winning back her heart. She still intended him for her friend." After Emma discovers her true feelings for Frank, Frank by the orders of Emma, asks the members of the party to speak of what is on their mind. In doing this, Frank asks everyone to say one thing very clever, two things moderately clever, or three things very dull. In response to this, Miss Bates says "then I need not be uneasy". Due to the insecurities that Emma withholds, she responds with "Ah! ma'am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me-but you will be limited as to number-only three at once". Becuase Emma says this, you can begin to notice that Emma ridicules Mrs. Bates due to the way she feels about herself. She has to ridicule others (like Mrs. Bates) in order to satisfy herself and help herself overlook her own personal problems.