De Filippi felt overawed by her intellect and by the high society she kept. Nixon said that the students "were not unfriendly" to him, but "seemed somewhat overawed". Tongans are still overawed by those of higher rank. Overawed by his august surroundings, he delivers a somewhat incoherent maiden speech. He is overawed by her attractiveness and the knowledge that she understands him. It was evident that the people were not to be easily overawed. "I was overawed by the event and skied too carefully," he said later. He was overawed by being in the presence of such an important figure.