TO THE EDITOR OF THE ‘DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.’

‘October 6th, 1846.

‘Sirs,—I thank you in my own name and that of my brothers, Ellis and Acton, for the indulgent notice that appeared in your last number of our first humble efforts in literature; but I thank you far more for the essay on modern poetry which preceded that notice—an essay in which seems to me to be condensed the very spirit of truth and beauty. If all or half your other readers shall have derived from its perusal the delight it afforded to myself and my brothers, your labours have produced a rich result.

‘After such criticism an author may indeed be smitten at first by a sense of his own insignificance—as we were—but on a second and a third perusal he finds a power and beauty therein which stirs him to a desire to do more and better things. It fulfils the right end of criticism: without absolutely crushing, it corrects and rouses. I again thank you heartily, and beg to subscribe myself,—Your constant and grateful reader,

‘Currer Bell.’

The reception which it met with from the public may be gathered from the following letter which accompanied De Quincey’s copy. [330]

TO THOMAS DE QUINCEY.

‘June 16th, 1847.

‘Sirs,—My relatives, Ellis and Acton Bell, and myself, heedless of the repeated warnings of various respectable publishers, have committed the rash act of printing a volume of poems.

‘The consequences predicted have, of course, overtaken us: our book is found to be a drug; no man needs it or heeds it. In the space of a year our publisher has disposed but of two copies, and by what painful efforts he succeeded in getting rid of these two, himself only knows.

‘Before transferring the edition to the trunkmakers, we have decided on distributing as presents a few copies of what we cannot sell; and we beg to offer you one in acknowledgment of the pleasure and profit we have often and long derived from your works.—I am, sir, yours very respectfully,

‘Currer Bell.’

Charlotte Brontë could not have carried out the project of distribution to any appreciable extent, as a considerable ‘remainder’ appear to have been bound up with a new title-page by Smith & Elder. With this Smith & Elder title-page, the book is not uncommon, whereas, with the Aylott & Jones title-page it is exceedingly rare. Perhaps there were a dozen review copies and a dozen presentation copies, in addition to the two that were sold, but only three or four seem to have survived for the pleasure of the latter-day bibliophile.

Here is the title-page in question:

POEMS

by

CURRER, ELLIS
and
ACTON BELL

london
Aylott & Jones, 8 Paternoster Row
1846

We see by the letter to Aylott & Jones the first announcement of Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey, and The Professor. It would not seem that there was much, or indeed any, difficulty in disposing of Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey. They bear the imprint of Newby of Mortimer Street, and they appeared in three uniform volumes, the two first being taken up by Wuthering Heights, and the third

by Agnes Grey, [332a] which is quaintly marked as if it were a three-volumed novel in itself, having ‘Volume III’ on title-page and binding. I have said that there were no travels before the manuscripts of Emily and Anne. That is not quite certain. Mrs. Gaskell implies that there were; but, at any rate, there is no definite information on the subject. Newby, it is clear, did not publish them until all the world was discussing Jane Eyre. The Professor, by Currer Bell, had, however, travel enough! It was offered to six publishers in succession before it came into the hands of Mr. W. S. Williams, the ‘reader’ for Smith & Elder. The circumstance of its courteous refusal by that firm, and the suggestion that a three-volumed novel would be gladly considered, are within the knowledge of all Charlotte Brontë’s admirers. [332b]

One cannot but admire the fearless and uncompromising honesty with which Charlotte Brontë sent the MSS. round with all its previous journeys frankly indicated.

It is not easy at this time of day to understand why Mr. Williams refused The Professor. The story is incomparably superior to the average novel, and, indeed, contains touches which are equal to anything that Currer Bell ever wrote. It seems to me possible that Charlotte Brontë rewrote the story after its rejection, but the manuscript does not bear out that impression. [332c]