We're told that, "his affection originated in nothing better than gratitude, or, in other words, that a persuasion of her partiality for him had been the only cause of giving her a serious thought."

Was Henry really so hard up for a woman before meeting Catherine that this could be adequate motivation to fall in love? I'd think that with his wit, charm, and professional prospects, she couldn't have been the first to be partial to him. Or was his brand of humor too outside-the-box to have been well received by most women?