Moral Influence of Charlotte Bronte's Writings [pp. 113-119]

1876.] MORAL IVNFLUEATCE OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE'S WRITINGS. II9
to be but common accompaniments of
geniuis. We see the sister composing
"Jane Eyre" when Branwell is at his
worst; and we no longer wonder that
these girls shut up in seclusion among
the hills, and to the lonely life of a country clergyman's daughters, should be so
familiar with strange forms of guilt; they
painted vice unblushing and rampant,
because as such they saw it in the "only
man, except their father, with whom they
were br-ought into close contact, whose
minds they could read." All three of the
girls wrote books; but the "Tenant of
Wildfell Hall," by Anne, and "W\Vuthering Heights," by Emily, unredeemed by
the rare genius of Charlotte, and blotted
by her faults of coarseness, soon sunk
into oblivion.
Thus admitted to the private life of
this much suffering woman, is it strange
that when we learn that a suggestion of
evil is the one thing that pains her in the
criticisms of her works, the last drop to
the cup of bitterness she is called to
drink,-is it strange, that critics grow
sympathetic, drop their objections, and
dwell rather upon that which admits of
praise? Who could resist such an appeal as this, written by the author herself, which I copy from an old numbler
of the Christian Rezmemzbrancer, dated
July, I857?
"HAWORTH, NEAR KE.IGHLY, YORKSHIRE,
July 8, x853.
"To the Editor of the Christian Remnembrancer:
"SIR,-I think I can not be doing wrong
in calling your attention to a few remarks
respecting an article which appeared in
the C. R. for April. I mean an article
noticing'Villette.'
"When first I read that article, I
thought only of its ability, which seemed
to me considerable; of its acumen, which
I felt to be penetrating, and I smiled at
certain passages from which evils have
since arisen so heavy as to lead me to
revert to their origin...
"The passage to which I particularly
allude characterizes me as an'alien, it
might seem, from society and amenable
to none of its laws.'
"Who my reviewer may be I know
not, but I am convinced he is no narrowminded person nor unjust thinker...
[Here follows a long explanation in regard to the circumstances of her life.]
Will you kindly show this note to my reviewer? Perhaps he can not now find
an antidote for the poison into which he
dipped the shaft he shot at me, but when
again tempted to take aim at other prey,
let him refrain his hand a moment till
he has considered consequences to the
wounded, and recalled the Golden Rule.
"I am, sir, yours respectfully,
C. BRONTE."
But life grows broader to Miss Bront6;
the literary world opens its arms to receive her; the horror drops out of her
own home, for Branwell dies. For her
sake, we thank God for the lucid interval,
the few days ere life departs, when natural affection reasserts itself, and the sinworn, burdened man is the loving brother
again. With fresh experiences of men,
she draws purer ideals. "Shirley" is a
better book; and yet, does it invigorate?
Do we feel that we are in the atmosphere
of breezy, moral heights? Is the book a
tonic? Alas! no. The trail of the serpent is still perceptible. I have no space
to deduce illustrations; I only give the
general impression. But there was a
purifying influence at work.
We all know the history of George
Sands' novels,-at first, so impure that
only their rare genius enabled them to
live; but toward the last, gentle, pure
tales to which the sternest moralist needs
offer no objection, and not only thus
negatively good, but with a positive element which moved the reader to holier
purposes and higher aspirations.
Such, we feel sure, must have been
Miss Bront6's career had it not been cut
short by death. Peace tg her memory.
Remembering that no criticism hurt her
but those which struck at the moral quality of her work, we yet feel sure that
with her large brain and good heart, the
time would have come when she herself
would have condemned those first attempts. V. C. PHEBUS.