Dickens isn't simply saying kindness beats cleverness—he's arguing that wisdom itself *is* fundamentally an act of affection, not a collection of facts or logical prowess. A person might memorize philosophy or master rhetoric, yet lack the discernment to know when severity hurts more than honesty, or when silence comforts better than advice. Consider the parent who stays up through a child's fever, learning nothing from books but understanding something true about what matters—that's the wisdom Dickens means. It's the kind that can't be taught in school precisely because it requires your heart to be in it.