the life of charlotte bronte-1-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
violence and irregularity of nature did not exist。 They were Methodists； and； as far as I can gather； a gentle and sincere piety gave refinement and purity of character。 Mr。 Branwell； the father； according to his descendants' account； was a man of musical talent。 He and his wife lived to see all their children grown up； and died within a year of each otherhe in 1808； she in 1809； when their daughter Maria was twenty…five or twenty…six years of age。 I have been permitted to look over a series of nine letters； which were addressed by her to Mr。 Bronte； during the brief term of their engagement in 1812。 They are full of tender grace of expression and feminine modesty； pervaded by the deep piety to which I have alluded as a family characteristic。 I shall make one or two extracts from them； to show what sort of a person was the mother of Charlotte Bronte： but first； I must state the circumstances under which this Cornish lady met the scholar from Ahaderg； near Loughbrickland。 In the early summer of 1812； when she would be twenty…nine； she came to visit her uncle； the Reverend John Fennel； who was at that time a clergyman of the Church of England； living near Leeds； but who had previously been a Methodist minister。 Mr。 Bronte was the incumbent of Hartshead； and had the reputation in the neighbourhood of being a very handsome fellow； full of Irish enthusiasm； and with something of an Irishman's capability of falling easily in love。 Miss Branwell was extremely small in person； not pretty； but very elegant； and always dressed with a quiet simplicity of taste； which accorded well with her general character； and of which some of the details call to mind the style of dress preferred by her daughter for her favourite heroines。 Mr。 Bronte was soon captivated by the little； gentle creature； and this time declared that it was for life。 In her first letter to him； dated August 26th； she seems almost surprised to find herself engaged； and alludes to the short time which she has known him。 In the rest there are touches reminding one of Juliet's …
〃But trust me； gentleman； I'll prove more true； Than those that have more cunning to be strange。〃
There are plans for happy pic…nic parties to Kirkstall Abbey； in the glowing September days； when 〃Uncle； Aunt； and Cousin Jane；〃 the last engaged to a Mr。 Morgan； another clergymanwere of the party； all since dead； except Mr。 Bronte。 There was no opposition on the part of any of her friends to her engagement。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Fennel sanctioned it； and her brother and sisters in far…away Penzance appear fully to have approved of it。 In a letter dated September 18th； she says：…
〃For some years I have been perfectly my own mistress； subject to no control whatever； so far from it； that my sisters； who are many years older than myself； and even my dear mother； used to consult me on every occasion of importance； and scarcely ever doubted the propriety of my opinions and actions： perhaps you will be ready to accuse me of vanity in mentioning this； but you must consider that I do not boast of it。 I have many times felt it a disadvantage； and although； I thank God； it has never led me into error； yet； in circumstances of uncertainty and doubt； I have deeply felt the want of a guide and instructor。〃 In the same letter she tells Mr。 Bronte； that she has informed her sisters of her engagement； and that she should not see them again so soon as she had intended。 Mr。 Fennel； her uncle； also writes to them by the same post in praise of Mr。 Bronte。
The journey from Penzance to Leeds in those days was both very long and very expensive； the lovers had not much money to spend in unnecessary travelling； and； as Miss Branwell had neither father nor mother living； it appeared both a discreet and seemly arrangement that the marriage should take place from her uncle's house。 There was no reason either why the engagement should be prolonged。 They were past their first youth； they had means sufficient for their unambitious wants； the living of Hartshead is rated in the Clergy List at 202L。 per annum； and she was in the receipt of a small annuity （50L。 I have been told） by the will of her father。 So； at the end of September； the lovers began to talk about taking a house； for I suppose that Mr。 Bronte up to that time had been in lodgings； and all went smoothly and successfully with a view to their marriage in the ensuing winter； until November； when a misfortune happened； which she thus patiently and prettily describes：…
〃I suppose you never expected to be much the richer for me； but I am sorry to inform you that I am still poorer than I thought myself。 I mentioned having sent for my books； clothes； &c。 On Saturday evening； about the time when you were writing the description of your imaginary shipwreck； I was reading and feeling the effects of a real one； having then received a letter from my sister giving me an account of the vessel in which she had sent my box being stranded on the coast of Devonshire； in consequence of which the box was dashed to pieces with the violence of the sea； and all my little property； with the exception of a very few articles； being swallowed up in the mighty deep。 If this should not prove the prelude to something worse I shall think little of it； as it is the first disastrous circumstance which has occurred since I left my home。〃
The last of these letters is dated December the 5th。 Miss Branwell and her cousin intended to set about making the wedding… cake in the following week； so the marriage could not be far off。 She had been learning by heart a 〃pretty little hymn〃 of Mr。 Bronte's composing； and reading Lord Lyttelton's 〃Advice to a Lady；〃 on which she makes some pertinent and just remarks； showing that she thought as well as read。 And so Maria Branwell fades out of sight； we have no more direct intercourse with her； we hear of her as Mrs。 Bronte； but it is as an invalid； not far from death； still patient； cheerful； and pious。 The writing of these letters is elegant and neat； while there are allusions to household occupationssuch as making the wedding…cake； there are also allusions to the books she has read； or is reading； showing a well…cultivated mind。 Without having anything of her daughter's rare talents； Mrs。 Bronte must have been； I imagine； that unusual character； a well…balanced and consistent woman。 The style of the letters is easy and good； as is also that of a paper from the same hand； entitled 〃The Advantages of Poverty in Religious Concerns；〃 which was written rather later； with a view to publication in some periodical。
She was married from her uncle's house in Yorkshire； on the 29th of December； 1812； the same day was also the wedding…day of her younger sister； Charlotte Branwell； in distant Penzance。 I do not think that Mrs。 Bronte ever revisited Cornwall； but she has left a very pleasant impression on the minds of those relations who yet survive； they speak of her as 〃their favourite aunt； and one to whom they； as well as all the family； looked up； as a person of talent and great amiability of disposition；〃 and； again； as 〃meek and retiring； while possessing more than ordinary talents； which she inherited from her father； and her piety was genuine and unobtrusive。〃
Mr。 Bronte remained for five years at Hartshead； in the parish of Dewsbury。 There he was married； and his two children； Maria and Elizabeth； were born。 At the expiration of that period； he had the living of Thornton； in Bradford Parish。 Some of those great West Riding parishes are almost like bishoprics for their amount of population and number of churches。 Thornton church is a little episcopal chapel of ease； rich in Nonconformist monuments； as of Accepted Lister and his friend Dr。 Hall。 The neighbourhood is desolate and wild； great tracts of bleak land； enclosed by stone dykes； sweeping up Clayton heights。 The church itself looks ancient and solitary； and as if left behind by the great stone mills of a flourishing Independent firm； and the solid square chapel built by the members of that denomination。 Altogether not so pleasant a place as Hartshead； with its ample outlook over cloud…shadowed； sun…flecked plain； and hill rising beyond hill to form the distant horizon。
Here； at Thornton； Charlotte Bronte was born； on the 21st of April； 1816。 Fast on her heels followed Patrick Branwell； Emily Jane； and Anne。 After the birth of this last daughter； Mrs。 Bronte's health began to decline。 It is hard work to provide for the little tender wants of many young children where the means are but limited。 The necessaries of food and clothing are much more easily supplied than the almost equal necessaries of attendance； care； soothing； amusement； and sympathy。 Maria Bronte； the eldest of six； could only have been a few months more than six years old； when Mr。 Bronte removed to Haworth； on February the 25th； 1820。 Those who knew her then； describe her as grave； thoughtful； and quiet； to a degree far beyond her years。 Her childhood was no childhood； the cases are rare in which the possessors of great gifts have known the blessings of that careless happy time； THEIR unusual powers stir within them； and； instead of the natural life of perceptionthe objective； as the Germans call itthey begin the deeper life of reflectionthe subjective。
Little Maria Bronte was delicate and small in appearance； which seemed to give greater effect to her wonderful precocity of intellect。 She must have been her mother's companion and helpmate in many a household and nursery experience； for Mr。 Bronte was； of course； much engaged in his study； and besides； he was not naturally fond of children； and felt their frequent appearance on the scene as a drag both on his wife's strength； and as an interruption to the comfort of the household。
Haworth Parsonage isas I mentioned in the first chapteran oblong stone house； facing down the hill on which the village stands； and with the front door right opposite to the western door of the church； distant about a hundred yards。 Of this space twenty yards or so in depth are occupied by the grassy garden； which is scarcely wider than the house。 The graveyard lies on two sides of the house and garden。 The house consists of four rooms on each floor； and is two stories high。 When the Brontes took possession； they made the larger parlour； to the left of the entrance； the family sitting…room； while that on the right was appropriated to Mr。 Bronte as a study。 Behind this was the kitchen； behind the former； a sort of flagged store…room。 Up… stairs were four bed…chambers of similar size； with the addition of a small apartment over the passage； or 〃lobby〃 as we call it in the north。 This was to the front； the staircase going up right opposite to the entrance。 There is the pleasant old fashion of window seats all through the house； and one can see that the parsonage was built in the days when wood was plentiful； as the massive stair…banisters； and the wainscots； and the heavy window… frames testify。
This little extra up…stairs room was appropriated to the children。 Small as it was； it was not called a nursery； indeed； it had not the comfort of a fire…place in it； the servantstwo affectionate； warm…hearted sisters； who cannot now speak of the family without tearscalled the
