In his letter Branwell expresses himself as still anxious for employment; and wise in the direction in which he seeks it. A total change of scene and circumstance would have been, at this time, his best cure and greatest blessing. Unhappily, he failed in the attempt; and we find him again writing to Mr. Grundy, inquiring for some kind of occupation. CHAPTER VIII. DESPONDENCY.--BRANWELL'S LETTERS. Death of Branwell's late Employer--Branwell's Disappointment--His Letters--His Delusion--Leyland's Medallion of Him--Mr. Brontë's Blindness--Branwell's Statement to Mr. Grundy in Reference to 'Wuthering Heights'--The Sisters Relinquish the Intention of Opening a School. An event occurred, in the early summer of 1846, which plunged Branwell into a despair, wilder, and more distracting than the one from which he had partially recovered. This resulted from the death of his late employer. No doubt, during the interval which had elapsed between his dismissal from his tutorship, and the event last named, he had encouraged himself, it might be unconsciously for the most part, with the hope that, on the death of her husband, the lady on whom he doted would marry him. In this frame of mind, when his illusion was intensified by the clearance of the path before him, and his self-control unbridled, it may not be a subject of wonder, if he became troublesome to the inmates of the dwelling afflicted by death. The following story, with variations, has been told as having reference to some actual or intended act of indiscretion of Branwell's at the time. It has been said that, at this juncture, a messenger was sent over to Haworth by Mrs. ----, forbidding Branwell 'ever to see her again, as, if he did, she would forfeit her fortune.'[26] It will be seen shortly that no such provision was made in her husband's will, and that the fortune she had secured to her could not be forfeited by any such act of Branwell's. The whole story, therefore, to which Mrs. Gaskell and Miss Robinson have devoted so much space may well be discredited. But Mrs. Gaskell says absolutely that Mrs. ---- 'despatched _a_ servant in hot haste to Haworth. He stopped at the "Black Bull," and a messenger was sent up to the parsonage for Branwell. He came down, &c.'[27] Miss Robinson, twenty-five years later, amplifies the story. She says: '_two_ men came riding to the village post haste. They sent for Branwell, and when he arrived, in a great state of excitement, one of the riders dismounted and went with him into the "Black Bull."'[28] Without inquiring into Branwell's excitement, or into the variations in the two accounts--for there is but one point in the story on which the two authors are perfectly agreed, _viz._, that Branwell, on the occasion, 'bleated like a calf!'--there can be little doubt that this case, on such evidence, could not get upon its legs before any country jury impanelled to try petty causes. But Branwell himself, in his letter to Mr. Grundy, given