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Reminiscences of Charlotte Brontë Brontë Society Transactions ISSN: 0309-7765 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ybst19 Reminiscences of Charlotte Brontë Miss Ellen Nussey To cite this article: Miss Ellen Nussey (1899) Reminiscences of Charlotte Brontë, Brontë Society Transactions, 2:10, 58-83, DOI: 10.1179/030977699798899712 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/030977699798899712 Published online: 18 Jul 2013. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 14 View related articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ybst19 Download by: [UNSW Library] Date: 23 April 2016, At: 14:10 58 REMINISCENCES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE, By MISS ELLEN NUSSEY. Reprinted by permission from "Scrzoner's Monthly," May, I87I, nclw the" Century Magazine." To THE EDITOR: You with much urgency beg me to give you some reminiscences of the Bronte family. The life of Charlotte Bronte, viewed apart from her high gifts and genius as an authoress, was a very unsen- sational life; for the most part it was a life of domestic duty, self-sacrifice. fidelity to whatever she believed to be right, fortitude in ~uffering, and patient resignation under all inevitable trials; and these are not elements of attrac- tion to readers who care for excitement. What is said of Charlotte may, with almost equal truth, be said of Emily and Anne; though they differed greatly in many points of character and disposition, they were each and all on common ground if a prindple had to be maintained or a sham to be detected. They were all jealous of anything- hollow or unreal. All were resolutely single-minded, eminently courageous, eminently simple in their habits, and eminently tender-hearted. For many years past I have from time to time received urgent requests from your countrymen (who have at all times evinced the highest appreciation of Charlotte Bronte's writings) for a further publication of her letters. In 1867 some communication arose on the subject with your now la.mented countryman, Henry J. Raymond. He wrote to intimate he should possibly see me on this subject in England, while on his way to join some members of his family in Europe. He advised a further publication of C.B.'s letters, said "they would in any case be a considerable success," and begged to assure me that" he should be glad to aid in the enterprise as far as it might be in his power." Downloaded by [UNSW Library] at 14:10 23 April 2016 I had entertained strong doubts as to the desirability of adding (at least for some time to come) to the letters already given in the l\lemoir (which were many more than were at first anticipated), when close upon Mr. Raymond's advice another kind of urgency rose up, which has often been very active among some of C B.'s warmest admirers. With painful frequency it has been said to me, ., Why do you not defend your friend's memory from the oft-made charge of irreligion? " Every chord of affection vibrated in response to such an appeal, soothed however, for the time, by the promise to one's self that, on some future day, her own letters should be her defence, after (as I thought) my own web of life had run its course. But a series of 59 events (which I need not specify) seemed to call, and to call so repeatedly, I could no longer refuse or delay to set about giving, as a tribute of justice to herself, a few more of her own words, the words of her heart and fielings, as they were elicited by the common accidents and incidents of daily life. The doing of this involves some sacrifice; but to shrink from possible annoyance or discomfort when duly called upon in defence of one we have loved, is indeed to be cowardly and craven-hearted, and unworthy of Charlotte Bronte's faithful love and friendship. It is hoped the few more letters now given'" will not fail to show with deep truth that her religion, though it did not manifest itself in phraseology and shibboleth, yet existed in a higher and better sense, finding its expression in the thought and action which springs from trustful obedient faith. Why should she be condemned on points of doctrine upon which she had no call to pronounce? Why question her faith in our Saviour when her whole life was a practical illustration of His teachings,-her constant attendance at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, a declar- ation of her faith in His atonement,-her self· sacrifice to duty, offered so freely and entirely without one thought of merit or of praise to be won, and this, too, when tempted by a combination of circumstance and affection which none of less religious principle could have resisted ;-when she never shirked a duty because it was irksome, or advised another to do what she herself did not fully count the cost of doing,-above all, when her goodness was not of the stand-still order,-when there was new beauty, when there were new developments and growths of goodness to admire and attract in every succeeding renewal of intercourse,- when daily she was a Christian heroine, who bore her cross with the firmness of a martyr-saint. E. Downloaded by [UNSW Library] at 14:10 23 April 2016 SCHOOL DAYS AT ROE HEAD. ARRIVING at school about a week after the general assembling- of the pupils, I was not expected to accompany them when the time came for their daily exercise, but while they were out, I was led into the school-room, and quietly left to make my observations. I had come to the con- clusion it was very nice and comfortable for a school-room, though I had little knowledge of school-rooms in general, when, turning to the window to observe the look-out I became aware for the first time that I was not alone; there • The letters referred to appe-ared in the last volume of Hours at Home, although many of great interest still remain uDpublished.-ED. 60 was a silent, weeping, dark little figure in the larg-e bay- window; she must, I thought, have risen from the floor. As soon as I had recovered from my surprise, I went from the far end of the room, where the book-shelves were, the contents of which I must have contemplated with a little awe in anticipation of coming studies. A crimson cloth covered the long table down the center of the room, which helped, no doubt to hide the shrinking little figure from my view. I was touched and troubled at once -to see her so sad and so tearful. I said shrinking, because her attitude, when I saw her, was that of one who wished to hide both herself and her grief. She did not shrink, however, when spoken to, but in very few words confessed she was "home-sick." After a little of such comfort as could be offered, it was suggested to her that there was a possibility of her too having to comfort the speaker by and by for the same cause. A faint quivering- smile then lighted her face; the tear-drops fell ; we silently took each other's hands, and at once we felt that genuine sympathy which always consoles, even though it be unexpressed. We did not talk or stir till we heard the approaching footsteps of other pupils coming in from their play; it had been a game called "French and English," which was always very vigorously played, but in which Charlotte Bronte never could be induced to join. Perhaps the merry. voices contesting for victory, which reached our ears in the school-room, jarred upon her then sensitive misery, and caused her ever (lfter to dislike the game; but she was physically unequal to that exercise of muscle which was keen enjoyment to strong, healthy girls, both older and younger than herself. Miss Wooler's system of education required that a good deal of her pupils' work should be done in classes, and to effect this, new pupils had generally a season of solitary study; but Charlotte's Downloaded by [UNSW Library] at 14:10 23 April 2016 fervent aplication made this period a very short one to her, ~she was quickly up to the needful standard, and ready for the daily routine and arrangement of studies, and as quickly did she outstrip her companions, rising from the bottom of the classes to the top, a position which, when she had once gained, she never had to regain. She was first in everything but play, yet never was a word heard of envy or jealousy from her companions; everyone felt she had won her laurels by an amount of diligence and hard labor of which they were incapable. She never exulted in her successes or seemed conscious of them; her mind wa~ so wholly set on attaining knowledge that she apparently forgot all else. ~ O ~O L> CI) Downloaded by [UNSW Library] at 14:10 23 April 2016 62 Charlotte's appearance did not strike me at first as it did others. I saw her grief, not herself particularly, till afterwards. She never seemed to me the unattractive little person others designated her, but certainly she was at this time anything but pretty,. even her good points were lost. Her naturally beautiful hair of soft silky brown being then dry and frizzy-looking, screwed up in tight little curls, showing- features that were all the plainer from her exceed- ing thinness and want of complexion, she looked "dried in." A dark, rusty green stuff dress of old-fashioned make detracted still more from her appearance; but let her wear what she might, or do what she would, she had ever the demeanour of a born g~ntlewoman; vulgarity was an element that never won the slightest affinity with her nature.
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