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！
let； and Julius Caesar。 Scott's sweet； wild； romantic poetry can do you no harm。 Nor can Wordsworth's； nor Campbell's； nor Southey'sthe greatest part at least of his； some is certainly objectionable。 For history； read Hume； Rollin； and the Universal History； if you can； I never did。 For fiction； read Scott alone； all novels after his are worthless。 For biography； read Johnson's Lives of the Poets； Boswell's Life of Johnson； Southey's Life of Nelson； Lockhart's Life of Burns； Moore's Life of Sheridan； Moore's Life of Byron； Wolfe's Remains。 For natural history； read Bewick and Audubon； and Goldsmith and White's history of Selborne。 For divinity； your brother will advise you there。 I can only say； adhere to standard authors； and avoid novelty。〃
From this list； we see that she must have had a good range of books from which to choose her own reading。 It is evident； that the womanly consciences of these two correspondents were anxiously alive to many questions discussed among the stricter religionists。 The morality of Shakspeare needed the confirmation of Charlotte's opinion to the sensitive 〃E。；〃 and a little later； she inquired whether dancing was objectionable； when indulged in for an hour or two in parties of boys and girls。 Charlotte replies； 〃I should hesitate to express a difference of opinion from Mr。 …； or from your excellent sister； but really the matter seems to me to stand thus。 It is allowed on all hands； that the sin of dancing consists not in the mere action of 'shaking the shanks' （as the Scotch say）； but in the consequences that usually attend it； namely； frivolity and waste of time； when it is used only； as in the case you state； for the exercise and amusement of an hour among young people （who surely may without any breach of God's commandments be allowed a little light…heartedness）； these consequences cannot follow。 Ergo （according to my manner of arguing）； the amusement is at such times perfectly innocent。〃
Although the distance between Haworth and B… was but seventeen miles； it was difficult to go straight from the one to the other without hiring a gig or vehicle of some kind for the journey。 Hence a visit from Charlotte required a good deal of pre… arrangement。 THE Haworth gig was not always to be had； and Mr。 Bronte was often unwilling to fall into any arrangement for meeting at Bradford or other places； which would occasion trouble to others。 The whole family had an ample share of that sensitive pride which led them to dread incurring obligations； and to fear 〃outstaying their welcome〃 when on any visit。 I am not sure whether Mr。 Bronte did not consider distrust of others as a part of that knowledge of human nature on which he piqued himself。 His precepts to this effect； combined with Charlotte's lack of hope； made her always fearful of loving too much； of wearying the objects of her affection； and thus she was often trying to restrain her warm feelings； and was ever chary of that presence so invariably welcome to her true friends。 According to this mode of acting； when she was invited for a month； she stayed but a fortnight amidst 〃E。's〃 family； to whom every visit only endeared her the more； and by whom she was received with that kind of quiet gladness with which they would have greeted a sister。
She still kept up her childish interest in politics。 In March； 1835； she writes： 〃What do you think of the course politics are taking？ I make this enquiry； because I now think you take a wholesome interest in the matter； formerly you did not care greatly about it。 B。； you see； is triumphant。 Wretch！ I am a hearty hater； and if there is any one I thoroughly abhor； it is that man。 But the Opposition is divided； Red…hots； and Luke… warms； and the Duke （par excellence THE Duke） and Sir Robert Peel show no signs of insecurity； though they have been twice beat； so 'Courage； mon amie；' as the old chevaliers used to say； before they joined battle。〃
In the middle of the summer of 1835； a great family plan was mooted at the parsonage。 The question was； to what trade or profession should Branwell be brought up？ He was now nearly eighteen； it was time to decide。 He was very clever； no doubt； perhaps to begin with； the greatest genius in this rare family。 The sisters hardly recognised their own； or each others' powers； but they knew HIS。 The father； ignorant of many failings in moral conduct； did proud homage to the great gifts of his son； for Branwell's talents were readily and willingly brought out for the entertainment of others。 Popular admiration was sweet to him。 And this led to his presence being sought at 〃arvills〃 and all the great village gatherings； for the Yorkshiremen have a keen relish for intellect； and it likewise procured him the undesirable distinction of having his company recommended by the landlord of the Black Bull to any chance traveller who might happen to feel solitary or dull over his liquor。 〃Do you want some one to help you with your bottle； sir？ If you do； I'll send up for Patrick〃 （so the villagers called him till the day of his death； though in his own family he was always 〃Branwell〃）。 And while the messenger went； the landlord entertained his guest with accounts of the wonderful talents of the boy； whose precocious cleverness； and great conversational powers； were the pride of the village。 The attacks of ill health to which Mr。 Bronte had been subject of late years； rendered it not only necessary that he should take his dinner alone （for the sake of avoiding temptations to unwholesome diet）； but made it also desirable that he should pass the time directly succeeding his meals in perfect quiet。 And this necessity； combined with due attention to his parochial duties； made him partially ignorant how his son employed himself out of lesson…time。 His own youth had been spent among people of the same conventional rank as those into whose companionship Branwell was now thrown； but he had had a strong will； and an earnest and persevering ambition； and a resoluteness of purpose which his weaker son wanted。
It is singular how strong a yearning the whole family had towards the art of drawing。 Mr。 Bronte had been very solicitous to get them good instruction； the girls themselves loved everything connected with itall descriptions or engravings of great pictures； and； in default of good ones； they would take and analyse any print or drawing which came in their way； and find out how much thought had gone to its composition； what ideas it was intended to suggest； and what it DID suggest。 In the same spirit； they laboured to design imaginations of their own； they lacked the power of execution； not of conception。 At one time； Charlotte had the notion of making her living as an artist； and wearied her eyes in drawing with pre…Raphaelite minuteness； but not with pre… Raphaelite accuracy； for she drew from fancy rather than from nature。
But they all thought there could be no doubt about Branwell's talent for drawing。 I have seen an oil painting of his； done I know not when； but probably about this time。 It was a group of his sisters； life…size； three…quarters' length； not much better than sign…painting； as to manipulation； but the likenesses were； I should think； admirable。 I could only judge of the fidelity with which the other two were depicted； from the striking resemblance which Charlotte； upholding the great frame of canvas； and consequently standing right behind it； bore to her own representation； though it must have been ten years and more since the portraits were taken。 The picture was divided； almost in the middle； by a great pillar。 On the side of the column which was lighted by the sun； stood Charlotte； in the womanly dress of that day of gigot sleeves and large collars。 On the deeply shadowed side； was Emily； with Anne's gentle face resting on her shoulder。 Emily's countenance struck me as full of power； Charlotte's of solicitude； Anne's of tenderness。 The two younger seemed hardly to have attained their full growth； though Emily was taller than Charlotte； they had cropped hair； and a more girlish dress。 I remember looking on those two sad； earnest； shadowed faces； and wondering whether I could trace the mysterious expression which is said to foretell an early death。 I had some fond superstitious hope that the column divided their fates from hers； who stood apart in the canvas； as in life she survived。 I liked to see that the bright side of the pillar was towards HERthat the light in the picture fell on HER： I might more truly have sought in her presentmentnay； in her living facefor the sign of deathin her prime。 They were good likenesses； however badly executed。 From thence I should guess his family augured truly that； if Branwell had but the opportunity； and； alas！ had but the moral qualities； he might turn out a great painter。
The best way of preparing him to become so appeared to be to send him as a pupil to the Royal Academy。 I dare say he longed and yearned to follow this path； principally because it would lead him to that mysterious Londonthat Babylon the greatwhich seems to have filled the imaginations and haunted the minds of all the younger members of this recluse family。 To Branwell it was more than a vivid imagination； it was an imp