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I don't think that Howard Belsey is capable of seeing beauty. I think that might be way he wants to describe Rembrandt in such mechanistic terms, because he couldn't describe how or why it was beautiful. Or even if it was, because he wouldn't know. I don't recall Howard describing anything as having beauty. Almost everytime Kiki's physical appearance is described, she is said to have beauty and a beautiful face. She is described this way by the narrator, Mrs. Kipps, and Victoria. However, when Victoria mentions Kiki's beauty, Howard shrugs it off. When Howard talks about Kiki's appearance, he calls her fat. I think a large void in their relationship is Howard's failure to see Kiki's beauty. I think he often mistakes sexual desire for beauty. Claire and Victoria are desirably women but they aren't beautiful people and aren't described in the way Kiki is. I think he may have, just may have, seen beauty at the very end of the book.

There is a definite sense of respect that Smith has for Forster. However, I think she has a totally different writing style than him. On Beauty is extremely detailed, especially with the descriptions of the characters. Smith makes you develop feelings about each one of them for their distinct characteristics. Personally, I grew to dislike everyone, except maybe Carl. I didn't feel strongly one way or another about the characters in Howard's End. I do, however, find Mr. Wilcox and Howard to be big jerks.