The Life of Charlotte Brontë — Volume 2Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn
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The Life of Charlotte Brontë — Volume 2
Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn
Brontë, Charlotte, 1816-1855; Novelists, English -- 19th century -- Biography
"What does it matter that part of your pleasure in such beings has its
source in the poetry of your own youth rather than in any magic of
theirs? What, that perhaps, ten years hence, you may smile to remember
your present recollections, and view under another light both 'Currer
Bell' and his writings? To me this consideration does not detract from
the value of what you now feel. Youth has its romance, and maturity its
wisdom, as morning and spring have their freshness, noon and summer
their power, night and winter their repose. Each attribute is good in
its own season. Your letter gave me pleasure, and I thank you for it.
"CURRER BELL."
Miss Brontë went up to town at the beginning of June, and much enjoyed
her stay there; seeing very few persons, according to the agreement she
made before she went; and limiting her visit to a fortnight, dreading
the feverishness and exhaustion which were the inevitable consequences
of the slightest excitement upon her susceptible frame.
"June 12th.
"Since I wrote to you last, I have not had many moments to myself,
except such as it was absolutely necessary to give to rest. On the
whole, however, I have thus far got on very well, suffering much less
from exhaustion than I did last time.
"Of course I cannot give you in a letter a regular chronicle of how my
time has been spent. I can only--just notify. what I deem three of its
chief incidents: a sight of the Duke of Wellington at the Chapel Royal
(he is a real grand old man), a visit to the House of Commons (which I
hope to describe to you some day when I see you), and last, not least,
an interview with Mr. Thackeray. He made a morning call, and sat above
two hours. Mr. Smith only was in the room the whole time. He described
it afterwards as a 'queer scene,' and--I suppose it was. The giant sate
before me; I was moved to speak to him of some of his short-comings
(literary of course); one by one the faults came into my head, and one
by one I brought them out, and sought some explanation or defence. He
did defend himself, like a great Turk and heathen; that is to say, the
excuses were often worse than the crime itself. The matter ended in
decent amity; if all be well, I am to dine at his house this evening.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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