In this analogy from little women by louisa may alcott, which element is analogous to "sweet herbs"?

these attributes, in spite of poverty and the strict integrity which shut him out from the more worldly successes, attracted to him many admirable persons, as naturally as sweet herbs draw bees, and as naturally he gave them the honey into which fifty years of hard experience had distilled no bitter drop.

a.) attributes
b.) admirable persons
c.) hard experience
d.) honey