I really do love the scene where Mr. Knightley professes his love for Emma. I caught the back end of the Emma Paltrow version recently where this scene takes place and it is so beautiful, the setting with the greenery and sunshine and bits and pieces of fluff floating in the air and Emma holding her bonnet...: )

]His love for Emma was infinitely pure and selfless, and I think, such love cannot be born overnight or merely out of jealousy.

You know, I'd never stopped to think about this before and I have to agree that the love must have been there for some time. I have a slightly different timeline though. I see it like this: Emma at thirteen was an affectionate daughter, clever and probably delightfully cheeky with him, a precursor to the mostly amiable sparring they engage in as adults. I think Mr. Knightley was amused and charmed by her but loved her more as a little sister since he makes the remark along the lines of 'we are not so much sister and brother' when they agree to dance for the first time.. I feel that around 18, 19 or so when Emma was grown, the seeds of adult love, began to grow, tiny tendrils, so quietly, so slowly that Mr. Knightley wasn't aware of it. I'm more inclined to think that while his love had been there for some time, the jealousy is what actually brought about his realization that he loved Emma. It's possible I could tweak my view of this with further thought but for now...

]Thank you again for allowing me to share my selfish point of view!

Not selfish at all---thanks for sharing and welcome to the group read! :)