It seemed to me that she might, by merely sitting quietly at his side, saying little and looking less, get nigher his heart. I have seen in his face a far different expression from that which hardens it now while she is so vivaciously accosting him; but then it came of itself: it was not elicited by meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres.
Chapter 18 · Narrator
Context
Jane reflects on how Blanche could win Rochester's affection if she used different methods. She contrasts Blanche's theatrical flirtation with the quiet authenticity she has observed Rochester respond to in the past.
Analysis
The paradoxical prescription—"saying little and looking less, get nigher his heart"—inverts conventional courtship, proposing that restraint rather than display creates intimacy. Jane's phrase "meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres" uses the language of prostitution and military strategy to condemn Blanche's approach as both transactional and aggressive. The contrast between an expression that "came of itself" and one "elicited" distinguishes authentic response from manufactured effect, with Jane positioning herself as the connoisseur of Rochester's genuine versus performed emotions—a claim to knowledge that crosses class boundaries.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Brontë champions a feminine style based on authenticity over performance—Jane's vision of successful courtship rejects the era's expectation that women should actively charm, proposing instead that real connection requires honest restraint.