19. 



clergyman. Still greater was the similarity between Charlotte 

 and Fanny Burney. There were many points of resemblance 

 and some of contrast between Charlotte Bronte and Mrs. 

 Browning. Swinburne had remarked that Charlotte and her 

 sister Emily with Mrs. Browning make up " the perfect trinity 

 for England of highest female fame." 



One of the servants, Nancy Garr, who accompanied the Bronte 

 family when they left Thornton (near Bradford) for Haworth, in 

 1820 was living at the time the paper was read. She had given 

 the essayist some interesting facts relating to the family history. 



Mrs. Gaskell, in her anxiety to increase the renown of Charlotte, 

 quite unnecessarily detracts from the fame of her sisters. She 

 admits that she " had not a pleasant impression of Emily." Tt 

 is quite clear that she never fully recognised the greatness of the 

 mind that produced " Wuthering Heights." In the same way 

 Miss Eobinson in her sketch of Emily, exalts her heroine at the 

 expense of Charlotte. The value of Miss Eobinsou's judgment 

 may be estimated by her statement, more than once repeated, 

 that " Villette " was Currer Bell's masterpiece. PerJiaps these 

 one-sided criticisms may be accounted for — they may certainly 

 be excused — by the fact that in each case the writer belonged to 

 the sex which is admitted to be deficient in the science of pro- 

 portion. Who praises Lesbia's form and feature need not of 

 necessity call her sister awkward creature. Each of the sisters 

 had her own peculiar gifts and a distinct individuality ; like the 

 three spires of some fair cathedral, each has her special beauty 

 and grace, and the whole make up a wondrous trio. 



The moors around Haworth exercised a great influence on the 

 minds of the sisters and proved " meet nurse for a poetic child." 

 They loved the moors and drank from their weird lonehness 

 infinite delights. To many Burnley folk these moors are entirely 

 unknown, while others are as unobservant of their beauties as the 

 Rev. Peter Malone in "Shirley." Emily especially loved the 

 moors. When away from them she pined for their sweet frag- 

 rance. That is a touching story of Charlotte's going on the 

 moors the day before Emily's death — it was in Christmas week — 

 and searching every glen and hollow to find a sprig of heather 

 to place on the pillow of her fading sister. In what spirit Emily 

 was prepared to meet death, may be gathered fi-om certain hnes 

 afterwards found in her desk : — 



" No coward soul is mine, 

 " No trembler in the world's storm troubled sphere; 



" I see heaven's glories shine 

 "And faith shines equal, arming me from fear. 



Surely this was such a song as that spoken of in eloquent prose 

 by one of our greatest poets: — "the song of evening and rest 

 from trouble, and prayer in sorrow and hope in death — the song 



