Mr Woodhouse is so gentle and polite, and Mr Knightley has no problem dining with the Coles or having Robert Martin consider him one of his best friends. I remember earlier in this group read there were some posts as to where Emma could have learned her snobbish notions from -- whether from her father or Mr Knightley. Now it seems obvious that it could not be from either of them. It could not have been from Mrs Weston as Miss Taylor either -- except perhaps, it is possible since Miss Taylor was over-indulgent, and Emma had been mistress of her father's house ever since her elder sister's marriage at an early age -- Emma being used to getting her own way and being made much of, and quickly realizing her consequence in Highbury society -- it also led to some snobbishness.