Kindness is the visible expression of a feeling and merciful heart; it is the going forth of a tender and susceptible mind; it claims kindred with the human race; it is all ear to listen-all heart to feel-all eye to examine and to weep-all hand and foot to relieve; it invites the sufferer with kind words, and sends him not empty away.

Christian Charity explained..., in an exposition of the thirteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (ed. 1828)