Delphi Complete Works of the Brontes Charlotte, Emily, Anne Brontë (Illustrated) (602 page)

‘Miss Kavanagh’s view of the maniac coincides with Leigh Hunt’s.  I agree with them that the character is shocking, but I know that it is but too natural.  There is a phase of insanity which may be called moral madness, in which all that is good or even human seems to disappear from the mind, and a fiend-nature replaces it.  The sole aim and desire of the being thus possessed is to exasperate, to molest, to destroy, and preternatural ingenuity and energy are often exercised to that dreadful end.  The aspect, in such cases, assimilates with the disposition — all seem demonized.  It is true that profound pity ought to be the only sentiment elicited by the view of such degradation, and equally true is it that I have not sufficiently dwelt on that feeling: I have erred in making
horror
too predominant.  Mrs. Rochester, indeed, lived a sinful life before she was insane, but sin is itself a species of insanity — the truly good behold and compassionate it as such.

‘
Jane Eyre
has got down into Yorkshire, a copy has even
 
penetrated into this neighbourhood.  I saw an elderly clergyman reading it the other day, and had the satisfaction of hearing him exclaim, “Why, they have got — - School, and Mr. — - here, I declare! and Miss — -” (naming the originals of Lowood, Mr. Brocklehurst and Miss Temple).  He had known them all.  I wondered whether he would recognise the portraits, and was gratified to find that he did, and that, moreover, he pronounced them faithful and just.  He said, too, that Mr. — - (Brocklehurst) “deserved the chastisement he had got.”

‘He did not recognise Currer Bell.  What author would be without the advantage of being able to walk invisible?  One is thereby enabled to keep such a quiet mind.  I make this small observation in confidence.

‘What makes you say that the notice in the
Westminster Review
is not by Mr. Lewes?  It expresses precisely his opinions, and he said he would perhaps insert a few lines in that periodical.

‘I have sometimes thought that I ought to have written to Mr. Lewes to thank him for his review in
Fraser
; and, indeed, I did write a note, but then it occurred to me that he did not require the author’s thanks, and I feared it would be superfluous to send it, therefore I refrained; however, though I have not
expressed
gratitude I have
felt
it.

‘I wish you, too,
many many
happy new years, and prosperity and success to you and yours. — Believe me, etc.,

‘Currer Bell.

‘I have received the
Courier
and the
Oxford Chronicle
.’

TO W. S. WILLIAMS

‘
January
22
nd
, 1848.

‘Dear Sir, — I have received the
Morning Herald
, and was much pleased with the notice, chiefly on account of the reference made to that portion of the preface which concerns Messrs. Smith & Elder.  If my tribute of thanks can benefit my publishers, it is desirable that it should have as much publicity as possible.

 
‘I do not know if the part which relates to Mr. Thackeray is likely to be as well received; but whether generally approved of and understood or not, I shall not regret having written it, for I am convinced of its truth.

‘I see I was mistaken in my idea that the
Athenæum
and others wished to ascribe the authorship of
Wuthering Heights
to Currer Bell; the contrary is the case,
Jane Eyre
is given to Ellis Bell; and Mr. Newby, it appears, thinks it expedient so to frame his advertisements as to favour the misapprehension.  If Mr. Newby had much sagacity he would see that Ellis Bell is strong enough to stand without being propped by Currer Bell, and would have disdained what Ellis himself of all things disdains — recourse to trickery.  However, Ellis, Acton, and Currer care nothing for the matter personally; the public and the critics are welcome to confuse our identities as much as they choose; my only fear is lest Messrs. Smith & Elder should in some way be annoyed by it.

‘I was much interested in your account of Miss Kavanagh.  The character you sketch belongs to a class I peculiarly esteem: one in which endurance combines with exertion, talent with goodness; where genius is found unmarred by extravagance, self-reliance unalloyed by self-complacency.  It is a character which is, I believe, rarely found except where there has been toil to undergo and adversity to struggle against: it will only grow to perfection in a poor soil and in the shade; if the soil be too indigent, the shade too dank and thick, of course it dies where it sprung.  But I trust this will not be the case with Miss Kavanagh.  I trust she will struggle ere long into the sunshine.  In you she has a kind friend to direct her, and I hope her mother will live to see the daughter, who yields to her such childlike duty, both happy and successful.

‘You asked me if I should like any copies of the second edition of
Jane Eyre
, and I said — no.  It is true I do not want any for myself or my acquaintances, but if the request be not unusual, I should much like one to be given to Miss Kavanagh.  If you would have the goodness, you might write on the fly-leaf that the book is presented with the author’s best
 
wishes for her welfare here and hereafter.  My reason for wishing that she should have a copy is because she said the book had been to her a
suggestive
one, and I know that suggestive books are valuable to authors.

‘I am truly sorry to hear that Mr. Smith has had an attack of the prevalent complaint, but I trust his recovery is by this time complete.  I cannot boast entire exemption from its ravages, as I now write under its depressing influence.  Hoping that you have been more fortunate, — I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,

‘C. Bell.’

TO W. S. WILLIAMS

‘
March
3
rd
, 1848.

‘My dear Sir, — I have received the
Christian Remembrancer
, and read the review.  It is written with some ability; but to do justice was evidently not the critic’s main object, therefore he excuses himself from performing that duty.

‘I daresay the reviewer imagines that Currer Bell ought to be extremely afflicted, very much cut up, by some smart things he says — this however is not the case.  C. Bell is on the whole rather encouraged than dispirited by the review: the hard-wrung praise extorted reluctantly from a foe is the most precious praise of all — you are sure that this, at least, has no admixture of flattery.  I fear he has too high an opinion of my abilities and of what I can do; but that is his own fault.  In other respects, he aims his shafts in the dark, and the success, or, rather, ill-success of his hits makes me laugh rather than cry.  His shafts of sarcasm are nicely polished, keenly pointed; he should not have wasted them in shooting at a mark he cannot see.

‘I hope such reviews will not make much difference with me, and that if the spirit moves me in future to say anything about priests, etc., I shall say it with the same freedom as heretofore.  I hope also that their anger will not make
me
angry.  As a body, I had no ill-will against them to begin with, and I feel it would be an error to let opposition engender such ill-will.  A few individuals may possibly be called upon to sit for their portraits
 
some time; if their brethren in general dislike the resemblance and abuse the artist —
tant pis
! — Believe me, my dear sir, yours sincerely,

‘C. Bell.’

It seems that Mr. Williams had hinted that Charlotte might like to emulate Thackeray by illustrating her own books.

TO W. S. WILLIAMS

‘
March
11
th
, 1848.

‘Dear Sir, — I have just received the copy of the second edition, and will look over it, and send the corrections as soon as possible; I will also, since you think it advisable, avail myself of the opportunity of a third edition to correct the mistake respecting the authorship of
Wuthering Heights
and
Agnes Grey
.

‘As to your second suggestion, it is, one can see at a glance, a very judicious and happy one; but I cannot adopt it, because I have not the skill you attribute to me.  It is not enough to have the artist’s eye, one must also have the artist’s hand to turn the first gift to practical account.  I have, in my day, wasted a certain quantity of Bristol board and drawing-paper, crayons and cakes of colour, but when I examine the contents of my portfolio now, it seems as if during the years it has been lying closed some fairy had changed what I once thought sterling coin into dry leaves, and I feel much inclined to consign the whole collection of drawings to the fire; I see they have no value.  If, then,
Jane Eyre
is ever to be illustrated, it must be by some other hand than that of its author.  But I hope no one will be at the trouble to make portraits of my characters.  Bulwer and Byron heroes and heroines are very well, they are all of them handsome; but my personages are mostly unattractive in look, and therefore ill-adapted to figure in ideal portraits.  At the best, I have always thought such representations futile.  You will not easily find a second Thackeray.  How he can render, with a few black lines and dots, shades of expression so fine, so real; traits of character so minute, so subtle, so difficult to seize and fix, I cannot tell — I
 
can only wonder and admire.  Thackeray may not be a painter, but he is a wizard of a draughtsman; touched with his pencil, paper lives.  And then his drawing is so refreshing; after the wooden limbs one is accustomed to see pourtrayed by commonplace illustrators, his shapes of bone and muscle clothed with flesh, correct in proportion and anatomy, are a real relief.  All is true in Thackeray.  If Truth were again a goddess, Thackeray should be her high priest.

‘I read my preface over with some pain — I did not like it.  I wrote it when I was a little enthusiastic, like you, about the French Revolution.  I wish I had written it in a cool moment; I should have said the same things, but in a different manner.  One may be as enthusiastic as one likes about an author who has been dead a century or two, but I see it is a fault to bore the public with enthusiasm about a living author.  I promise myself to take better care in future. 
Still
I will
think
as I please.

‘Are the London republicans, and
you
amongst the number, cooled down yet?  I suppose not, because your French brethren are acting very nobly.  The abolition of slavery and of the punishment of death for political offences are two glorious deeds, but how will they get over the question of the organisation of labour!  Such theories will be the sand-bank on which their vessel will run aground if they don’t mind.  Lamartine, there is not doubt, would make an excellent legislator for a nation of Lamartines — but where is that nation?  I hope these observations are sceptical and cool enough. — Believe me, my dear sir, yours sincerely,

‘C. Bell.’

TO W. S. WILLIAMS

‘
November
16
th
, 1848.

‘My dear Sirs, — I have already acknowledged in a note to Mr. Smith the receipt of the parcel of books, and in my thanks for this well-timed attention I am sure I ought to include you; your taste, I thought, was recognisable in the choice of some of the volumes, and a better selection it would have been difficult to make.

 
‘To-day I have received the
Spectator
and the
Revue des deux Mondes
.  The
Spectator
consistently maintains the tone it first assumed regarding the Bells.  I have little to object to its opinion as far as Currer Bell’s portion of the volume is concerned.  It is true the critic sees only the faults, but for these his perception is tolerably accurate.  Blind is he as any bat, insensate as any stone, to the merits of Ellis.  He cannot feel or will not acknowledge that the very finish and
labor limæ
which Currer wants, Ellis has; he is not aware that the “true essence of poetry” pervades his compositions.  Because Ellis’s poems are short and abstract, the critics think them comparatively insignificant and dull.  They are mistaken.

‘The notice in the
Revue des deux Mondes
is one of the most able, the most acceptable to the author, of any that has yet appeared.  Eugène Forçade understood and enjoyed
Jane Eyre
.  I cannot say that of all who have professed to criticise it.  The censures are as well-founded as the commendations.  The specimens of the translation given are on the whole good; now and then the meaning of the original has been misapprehended, but generally it is well rendered.

‘Every cup given us to taste in this life is mixed.  Once it would have seemed to me that an evidence of success like that contained in the
Revue
would have excited an almost exultant feeling in my mind.  It comes, however, at a time when counteracting circumstances keep the balance of the emotions even — when my sister’s continued illness darkens the present and dims the future.  That will seem to me a happy day when I can announce to you that Emily is better.  Her symptoms continue to be those of slow inflammation of the lungs, tight cough, difficulty of breathing, pain in the chest, and fever.  We watch anxiously for a change for the better — may it soon come. — I am, my dear sir, yours sincerely,