CONTENTS
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| The Sojourn in Brussels Resolved upon—Why Charlotte fixed onBrussels for Higher Education—Charlotte and Emily take uptheir Residence with Madame Héger—A Picture of the Prospectin 'Villette'—At the Pensionnat—Madame Héger—MonsieurHéger—Charlotte likes Brussels—Her Contrast between theBelgians and the English—Death of Miss Branwell—Return toHaworth | 1 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| Branwell at the Parsonage: his Loneliness—'The Epicurean'sSong'—'Song'—Northangerland—'Noah's Warning over Methusaleh'sGrave'—Letter to Mr. Grundy—Miss Branwell's Death—Her Will—HerNephew Remembered—Injustice done to Him in this Matter by theBiographers of his Sisters | 20 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| Christmas, 1842—Branwell is Cheerful—Charlotte goes to Brusselsfor another Year—Branwell receives Appointment as Tutor—Branwellvisits Halifax, and meets Mr. Grundy there—Charlotte's MentalDepression in Brussels—Mrs. Gaskell attributes it to Branwell'sConduct—Proofs that it was Not so—Charlotte's 'Disappointment'at Brussels—She returns to Haworth—Branwell's MisplacedAttachment—He is sent away to New Scenes | 33 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| Branwell after his Disappointment—Parallel for his State of Mindin that of Lady Byron—Mrs. Gaskell's Misconceptions—True State ofthe Case—Charlotte Illustrates it in her Poem of 'Preference'—She alludes to Branwell's Condition in 'The Professor'—Mrs.Gaskell Compelled to Omit her Account in the Later Editions ofher Work—Branwell's Prostration and Ill-health at the Time | 53 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| Review of Branwell's past Experiences of Life—He seeks Reliefin Literary Occupation—He Proposes to Write a Three-volumeNovel—His Letter on the Subject—One Volume Completed—HisCapability of Writing a Novel—His Letter to Mr. Grundy on hisDisappointment | 78 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| 'Real Rest'—Comments—Spirit of Branwell and Emily Identical—Letter to Leyland—Branwell Broods on his Sorrows—'Penmaenmawr'—Comments—He still Searches and Hopes for Employment—Charlotte'ssomewhat Overdrawn Expressions—The Alleged Elopement Proposal—Probable Origin of the Story | 94 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| The Sisters as Writers of Poetry—They Decide to Publish—Eachbegins a Novel—The Spirit under which the Work was Undertaken—'The Professor'—'Agnes Grey'—'Wuthering Heights'—Branwell'sCondition—A Touching Incident—'Epistle from a Father to a Childin her Grave'—Letter with Sonnet—Publication of the Sisters'Poems | 113 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| Death of Branwell's late Employer—Branwell's Disappointment—HisLetters—His Delusion—Leyland's Medallion of Him—Mr. Brontë'sBlindness—Branwell's Statement to Mr. Grundy in Reference to'Wuthering Heights'—The Sisters Relinquish the Intention ofOpening a School | 138 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| Branwell's Sardonic Humour—Mr. Grundy's Visit to him atHaworth—Errors regarding the Period of it—Tragic Description—Probable Ruse of Branwell—Correspondence between him andMr. Grundy ceases—Writes to Leyland—A Plaintive Verse—Another Letter | 160 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| 'Wuthering Heights'—Reception of the Book by the Public—Itis Misunderstood—Its Authorship—Mr. Dearden's Account—Statements of Mr. Edward Sloane and Mr. Grundy—Remarks by Mr.T. Wemyss Reid—Correspondences between 'Wuthering Heights'and Branwell's Letters—The 'Carving-knife Episode'—FurtherCorrespondences—Resemblances of Thought in Branwell andEmily | 178 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| Statement of Charlotte that her Sister Anne wrote the Book inconsequence of her Brother's Conduct—Supposition of Some thatBranwell was the Prototype of Huntingdon—The Characters areEntirely Distinct—Real Sources of the Story—Anne Brontë atPains to Avoid a Suspicion that Huntingdon was a Portrait ofBranwell | 216 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| Novel-writing—The Sisters' Method of Work—Branwell's FailingHealth and Irregularities—'Jane Eyre'—Its Reception andCharacter—It was not Influenced by Branwell—Letter and Sketchesof Branwell, 1848 | 229 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| Branwell's Poetical Work—Sketch of the Materials which heintended to use in the Poem of 'Morley Hall'—The Poem—TheSubject left Incomplete—Branwell's Poem, 'The End of All'—HisLetter to Leyland asking an Opinion on his Poem, 'Percy Hall'—Observations—The Poem | 242 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| Charlotte Corresponds on Literary Subjects—Novels—Confessionof Authorship—Branwell's Failing Health—He Writes to Leyland—Branwell and Mr. George Searle Phillips—Branwell's IntellectRetains its Power—His Description of 'Professor LeonidasLyon'—The latter Gentleman's Account of his Reading of 'JaneEyre'—Branwell's Remarks on Charlotte and the Work | 264 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Branwell's failing Health—Chronic Bronchitis and Marasmus—HisDeath—Charlotte's allusions to it—Correction of some Statementsrelating to it—Summary of the subsequent History of the BrontëFamily | 277 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| Branwell's Character in his Poetry—The Pious and Tender Toneof Mind which it Displays—Branwell's Tendency to Dwell on thePast rather than on the Future—Illustrated—The Sad Tone of hisMind—He is Inclined to be Morbid—The Way in which Branwellregarded Nature—Observations on the Character Displayed inhis Works | 287 |
THE BRONTË FAMILY.
CHAPTER I.
CHARLOTTE AND EMILY IN BRUSSELS.
The Sojourn in Brussels Resolved upon—Why Charlotte fixed on Brussels for Higher Education—Charlotte and Emily take up their Residence with Madame Héger—A Picture of the Prospect in 'Villette' —At the Pensionnat—Madame Héger—Monsieur Héger—Charlotte likes Brussels—Her Contrast between the Belgians and the English—Death of Miss Branwell—Return to Haworth.
It was more than a month before Charlotte received the reply from her Aunt Branwell. Meanwhile she had waited patiently, pending the anxious discussions at the parsonage, and she breathed not a single word of the great project to her friend. It was her way to work in obscurity, and to let her efforts 'be known by their results.' But at last, as I have said, consent was given to her plan; the necessary money was forthcoming; and it only remained for her to make the arrangements for her journey, and Emily had arrangements to make also. There was much of letter-writing to do, letters to Brussels—whither Charlotte would of all cities prefer to go,—and to many other places; and there were clothes to make, and farewells to be said.