The Brontë Family, with special reference to Patrick Branwell Brontë. Vol. 2 of 2Leyland, Francis A.
History
The Brontë Family, with special reference to Patrick Branwell Brontë. Vol. 2 of 2
Leyland, Francis A.
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Biography; Brontë family; Brontë, Patrick Branwell, 1817-1848
'Is the medallion cracked that Thorwaldsen executed of AUGUSTUS
CÆSAR?' To this question is appended a drawing of a coin, about
the size of an ordinary penny, with the head of Branwell--an
excellent likeness--around which the name of the emperor is
placed. He continues:
'I wish I could see you; and, as Haworth fair is held on Monday
after the ensuing one, your presence there would gratify one of
the FALLEN.' Here he represents himself as plunging head foremost
into a gulf.
'In my own register of transactions during my nights and days, I
find no matter worthy of extraction for your perusal. All is yet
with me clouds and darkness. I hope you have, at least, blue sky
and sunshine.
'Constant and unavoidable depression of mind and body sadly
shackle me in even trying to go on with any mental effort, which
might rescue me from the fate of a dry toast, soaked six hours in
a glass of cold water, and intended to be given to an old maid's
squeamish cat.'
Here is a sketch of the cat, distracted between a tumbler on each
side held by an attenuated hand.
'Is there really such a thing as the _Risus Sardonicus_--the
sardonic laugh? Did a man ever laugh the morning he was to be
hanged?'
The tail-piece to this letter is a drawing of a gallows, a hand
holding forth the halter to the culprit, who is John Brown, and an
excellent portrait, grinning at the rope that is to terminate his
existence!
Mr. Grundy--'very soon'--visited Haworth again. But I must premise,
to the account of his visit which Mr. Grundy has published, some
observations respecting the period at which it occurred. Mr. Grundy,
having attributed the later letters, which Branwell Brontë addressed
to him, to the year 1848--though they really belong to 1846--has, with
some appearance of consistency, produced the following picture of his
friend, under the impression that 'a few days afterwards he died.' But
the circumstances that Mr. Grundy's journey to Haworth arose out of
the wish to see him, which Branwell had expressed in a letter written
at the time when his father was 'quite blind,' and that, as Mr. Grundy
says his visits followed shortly after Branwell had failed to go to
Skipton, are themselves sufficient evidence as to the question of
date.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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