Soft-hearted type’s feeling about first of many top people? (14)
I believe the answer is:
sentimentalist
'soft-hearted type's feeling about first of many top people?' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'feeling about first of many top people?' is the wordplay.
'feeling' becomes 'sentient' (synonyms).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'first of many' becomes 'm' (sst letter of 'many').
'top people?' becomes 'alist' (A-list).
'sentient' enclosing 'm' is 'sentiment'.
'sentiment'+'alist'='SENTIMENTALIST'
(Other definitions for sentimentalist that I've seen before include "Being overemotional" , "Romantic" , "Soppy person" , "Nostalgic chap" , "One who's sloppy" .)