a saint out of Emma ;-)

>I would like Emma to be a more compassionate person—one who would see Jane’s distress and wish to relieve it.

I'm glad she didn't. With everyone around there Emma would have been accused of 'throwing her weight around' by trying to shut people up.
It's enough that she didn't want to increase her discomfort by going there to talk about the piano.

Emma shows enough compassion when Jane wants to leave the strawberry party and when she chances upon Emma asks her a favour. Emma is all compassion there.
So it's the 'occasion' that matters.

>I have seen none that she gave the lady proper attention. I do not understand the unconditional belief that Emma did when there is no evidence in the text it happened.

There is no evidence that she didn't either. Emma may have been sitting at the other end of the circle, but we aren't given a second to second details of the party.

We are not told about Mr Knightley greeting them either. In fact the attention of the writer is completely on Jane and the piano that we aren't told about the greetings of anyone (expect Frank Churchill - now I'm intrigued) ;-)

>I think Emma’s history of neglecting Miss Bates makes it prudent to question her behavior.