CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| Brontë Genius—Patrick Brontë—His Birthplace—His earlyEndeavours—Ordained—Presented to Hartshead—High Town—HisCourtship and Marriage—Removes to Thornton—His House—ThorntonChapel—Mrs. Brontë's failing Health—Mr. Brontë Accepts the Livingof Haworth—Rudeness of the Inhabitants—Local Fights betweenHaworth and Heptonstall—Description of Haworth—Mrs. Brontë dies | 1 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| The Mother of the Brontës—Her Character and Personal Appearance—Her Literary Taste—Penzance, her Native Place—Descriptionof Penzance—The Branwell Family—Personal Traits of MariaBranwell—Her Virtues—Her Letters to Mr. Brontë—Her DomesticExperiences | 33 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| Character of the Rev. P. Brontë—Charges against Him—SeriousAllegations of Biographers—Injustice of the Charges—Mr. Brontë'sindignant Denial of the Imputations—Testimony of Nancy Garrs—Mrs.Brontë and the Silk-Dress Episode—Mr. Brontë, the supposedPrototype of Mr. Helstone—The Pistol-shots Theory—Mr. Brontëon Science Knowledge—Miss Branwell | 41 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| Girlhood—Gravity of Character—Charlotte's Description of theElf-land of Childhood—The Still and Solemn Moors of Haworthinfluence their Writings—The Present of Toys—The Plays whichthey Acted—Mr. Brontë on a Supposed Earthquake—The Evidenceof his Care for his Children—Grammar School at Haworth—HisChildren under the Tuition of the Master—The Character of theSchool—Cowan Bridge School—Charlotte's View of Mr. CarusWilson's Management—Deaths of Maria and Elizabeth | 57 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| Reunion of the Brontë Family—Branwell is the supposed Prototypeof Victor Crimsworth—That Character not a complete Portrait ofBranwell—His Friendships—His Visit to the Keighley Feast—ItsEffect on Branwell's Nerves—The Wrestle—The Lost Spectacles—Fearof his Father's Displeasure—Mrs. Gaskell's Story of the 'BlackBull' Incident Questioned—Miss Branwell and her Nephew | 81 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| The youthful Compositions of the Brontës—Their Character—Branwell's Share in them—'The Secret,' a Fragment—The Readingof the Brontë Children—Branwell's Character at this Period | 93 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| Charlotte goes to Roe Head—Return Home—Branwell at the Time—TheCompanion of his Sisters—Escorts Charlotte on a Visit—He becomesInterested in Pugilism—His Education—His Love for Music—HisRetentive Memory—His Personal Appearance—His Spirit | 109 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| Love of Art in the Youthful Brontës—Their elaborate Drawings—J. B. Leyland, Sculptor—Spartacus—Mr. George Hogarth'sOpinion—Art Exhibition at Leeds—Mr. William Robinson, theirDrawing-Master—Branwell aims at Portrait-Painting—J. B.Leyland in London—Branwell and the Royal Academy—He visitsLondon | 123 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| Charlotte returns as a Teacher, with Emily as a Pupil, to RoeHead—Their Determination to Maintain themselves—Charlotte'sFears respecting Emily—Charlotte's religious Melancholy—Accusesherself of Flippancy—She is on the Borders of Despair—Anxietyto Know more of the World—Emily at Law Hill, Halifax, as aTeacher—Charlotte's Excitability—She returns Home out ofHealth | 147 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| The Light in which Biographers have regarded Branwell—Bibliography—Mrs. Gaskell—The Causes which led her intoError—Resentment of Branwell's Friends—Mr. George SearlePhillips—Branwell as Depicted by Mr. T. Wemyss Reid—Mr. F. H.Grundy's Notice of Branwell—Miss A. Mary F. Robinson's Portraitof Branwell | 159 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| Branwell becomes a Freemason—His love of Art undiminished—HasInstruction in Oil-Painting—Commences Portrait-Painting atBradford—His Commissions—His Letter to Mr. Thompson, theArtist—Miss Robinson's Charges of Misconduct—Her ErroneousStatements—Branwell's true Character and Conduct at Bradford—Remarks on his alleged Opium-eating there | 172 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| New Inspiration of Poetry—Wordsworth—Southey, Scott, andByron—Southey to Charlotte Brontë—Hartley Coleridge—HisWorthies of Yorkshire—Poets of the West-Riding—Alaric A.Watts—Branwell's Literary Abilities | 184 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| Branwell's Letter to Wordsworth, with Stanzas—Remarks uponit—No Reply—He Tries Again—His Interest in the Manchesterand Leeds Railway—Branwell's Literary and Artistic Friendsat Bradford and Halifax—Leyland's Works there—Branwell'sgreat Interest in them—Early Verses—Mrs. Gaskell's Judgmenton his Literary Abilities | 193 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| The Poetical bent of Branwell's Genius—'Caroline's Prayer'—'OnCaroline'—'Caroline'—Spirit of these Early Effusions | 210 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Charlotte's first Offer of Marriage—Her Remarks concerning it—A second Offer Declined—Anne a Governess—She Moralizes uponit—Charlotte obtains a Situation—Unsuited to Her—She Leavesit—Branwell takes Pleasure in Scenery—He Visits Liverpool withhis Friends—Charlotte goes to Easton—Curates at Haworth—TheirVisits to the Parsonage—Public Meetings on Church Rates—Charlotte's Attempt at a Richardsonian Novel—She sends theCommencement of it to Wordsworth for his Opinion—Branwellreceives an Appointment as Private Tutor | 228 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| The District of Black Comb—Branwell's Sonnet—Wordsworth andHartley Coleridge—Branwell's Letter to the 'Old Knave ofTrumps'—Its Publication by Miss Robinson in her 'EmilyBrontë'—Branwell's familiar Acquaintance with the People ofHaworth—He could Paint their Characters with Accuracy—HisKnowledge of the Human Passions—Emily's Isolation | 249 |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
| Branwell's Appointment at Ulverston ends—He gets a Situationon the Railroad at Sowerby Bridge—Branwell at Luddenden Foot—His Friends' Reminiscences of him—Charlotte and Emily readingFrench Novels—Charlotte obtains a Situation—Anxious aboutAnne—School Project of the Sisters—Charlotte's keen Desireto visit Brussels—Her Letter to her Aunt Branwell | 264 |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] | |
| Situation of Luddenden Foot—Branwell visits Manchester—TheSultry Summer—He visits the Picturesque Places adjacent—Hisimpromptu Verses to Mr. Grundy—He leaves the Railway Company—Miss Robinson's unjust Comments—His three Sonnets—Hispoem, 'The Afghan War'—Branwell's letter to Mr. Grundy—HisSelf-depreciation | 287 |
THE BRONTË FAMILY.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BRONTËS.
Brontë Genius—Patrick Brontë—His Birthplace—His early Endeavours—Ordained—Presented to Hartshead—High Town—His Courtship and Marriage—Removes to Thornton—His House—Thornton Chapel—Mrs. Brontë's failing Health—Mr. Brontë Accepts the Living of Haworth—Rudeness of the Inhabitants—Local Fights between Haworth and Heptonstall—Description of Haworth—Mrs. Brontë dies.
Not many stories of literary success have attracted so much interest, and are in themselves so curious and enthralling, as that of the Brontë sisters. The question has often been asked how it came about that these children, who were brought up in distant solitude, and cut off, in a manner, from intellectual life, who had but a partial opportunity of studying mankind, and scarcely any knowledge of the ways of the outside world, were enabled, with searching hands, to dissect the finest meshes of the passions, to hold up in the clearest light the springs of human action, and to depict, with nervous power, the most masculine and forcible aspects of character. The solution has been sought in the initiatory strength and inherent mental disposition of the sisters, framed and moulded by the weird and rugged surroundings of their youth, and tinged with lurid light and vivid feeling by the misfortunes and sins of their unhappy brother. To illustrate these several points, the biographers of Charlotte and Emily Brontë have explained, as the matter admitted of explanation, the intellectual beginnings and capability of the sisters, have painted in sombre colours the story of their friendless childhood, and lastly, with no lack of honest condemnation, have told us as much as they knew of the sad history of Patrick Branwell Brontë, their brother. It is a curious fact that this brother, who was looked upon by his family as its brightest ornament and hope, should be named in these days only in connection with his sisters, and then but with apology, condemnation, or reproach. In the course of this work, in which Branwell Brontë will be traced from his parentage to his death, we shall find the explanation of this circumstance; but we shall find, also, that, despite his failings and his sins, his intellectual gifts, as they are testified by his literary promise and his remains, entitle him to a high place as a worthy member of that extraordinary family. It will be seen, moreover, that his influence upon Charlotte, Emily, and Anne was not what has been generally supposed, and that other circumstances, besides their own domestic troubles, inspired them to write their masterpieces.