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y； law； or physic； the second son was perhaps apprenticed to a surgeon or apothecary； or a solicitor； the third to a pewterer or watchmaker； the fourth to a packer or mercer； and so on； were there more to be provided for。
〃After their apprenticeships were finished； the young men almost invariably went to London to perfect themselves in their respective trade or art： and on their return into the country； when settled in business； they were not excluded from what would now be considered genteel society。 Visiting then was conducted differently from what it is at present。 Dinner…parties were almost unknown； excepting at the annual feast…time。 Christmas； too； was then a season of peculiar indulgence and conviviality； and a round of entertainments was given； consisting of tea and supper。 Excepting at these two periods； visiting was almost entirely confined to tea…parties； which assembled at three o'clock； broke up at nine； and the amusement of the evening was commonly some round game at cards； as Pope Joan； or Commerce。 The lower class was then extremely ignorant； and all classes were very superstitious； even the belief in witches maintained its ground； and there was an almost unbounded credulity respecting the supernatural and monstrous。 There was scarcely a parish in the Mount's Bay that was without a haunted house； or a spot to which some story of supernatural horror was not attached。 Even when I was a boy； I remember a house in the best street of Penzance which was uninhabited because it was believed to be haunted； and which young people walked by at night at a quickened pace； and with a beating heart。 Amongst the middle and higher classes there was little taste for literature； and still less for science； and their pursuits were rarely of a dignified or intellectual kind。 Hunting； shooting； wrestling； cock…fighting； generally ending in drunkenness； were what they most delighted in。 Smuggling was carried on to a great extent； and drunkenness； and a low state of morals； were naturally associated with it。 Whilst smuggling was the means of acquiring wealth to bold and reckless adventurers； drunkenness and dissipation occasioned the ruin of many respectable families。〃
I have given this extract because I conceive it bears some reference to the life of Miss Bronte； whose strong mind and vivid imagination must have received their first impressions either from the servants （in that simple household； almost friendly companions during the greater part of the day；） retailing the traditions or the news of Haworth village； or from Mr。 Bronte； whose intercourse with his children appears to have been considerably restrained； and whose life； both in Ireland and at Cambridge； had been spent under peculiar circumstances； or from her aunt； Miss Branwell； who came to the parsonage； when Charlotte was only six or seven years old； to take charge of her dead sister's family。 This aunt was older than Mrs。 Bronte； and had lived longer among the Penzance society； which Dr。 Davy describes。 But in the Branwell family itself； the 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。