The Brontë Family, with special reference to Patrick Branwell Brontë. Vol. 1 of 2Leyland, Francis A.
History
The Brontë Family, with special reference to Patrick Branwell Brontë. Vol. 1 of 2
Leyland, Francis A.
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Biography; Brontë family; Brontë, Patrick Branwell, 1817-1848
The family of Brontë appears, about this time, to have been in perfect
peace. Charlotte had corresponded with Branwell when she was at Roe
Head, as a pupil of Miss Wooler; and Mrs. Gaskell has published
portions of a letter sent from that place to him on May 17th, 1832,
when he was in his fifteenth year, in which she showed her old
political leanings wherein Branwell shared. It runs: 'Lately I had
begun to think that I had lost all interest which I used formerly to
take in politics; but the extreme pleasure I felt at the news of the
Reform Bill's being thrown out by the House of Lords, and of the
expulsion, or resignation, of Earl Grey, &c., convinced me that I have
not as yet lost all my penchant for politics. I am extremely glad that
aunt has consented to take in "Fraser's Magazine;" for though I know
from your description of its general contents it will be rather
uninteresting when compared with "Blackwood," still it will be better
than remaining the whole year without being able to obtain a sight of
any periodical whatever; and such would assuredly be the case, as, in
the little wild moorland village where we reside, there would be no
possibility of borrowing a work of this description from a circulating
library. I hope with you that the present delightful weather may
contribute to the perfect restoration of our dear papa's health; and
that it may give aunt pleasant reminiscences of the salubrious climate
of her native place.'[16]
[16] 'Life of Charlotte Brontë,' chap. vi.
Charlotte's political principles were strongly Conservative, as were
those of her father, brother, and sisters, and these principles were
intensified in them all by their religious opinions. They held,
consistently enough, the cherished political convictions of their
party, and they looked upon every concession made to liberal clamour as
an inroad on the very vitals of the Constitution. Hence the jubilation
of Charlotte when the Reform Bill was rejected by the House of Lords on
October 7th, 1831. But the march of events, in after-years, modified
their political opinions considerably.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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