the life of charlotte bronte-1-第10节
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er husband； who warmly repaid her affection； and suffered no one else to take the night… nursing； but； according to my informant； the mother was not very anxious to see much of her children； probably because the sight of them； knowing how soon they were to be left motherless； would have agitated her too much。 So the little things clung quietly together； for their father was busy in his study and in his parish； or with their mother； and they took their meals alone； sat reading； or whispering low； in the 〃children's study；〃 or wandered out on the hill…side； hand in hand。
The ideas of Rousseau and Mr。 Day on education had filtered down through many classes； and spread themselves widely out。 I imagine； Mr。 Bronte must have formed some of his opinions on the management of children from these two theorists。 His practice was not half so wild or extraordinary as that to which an aunt of mine was subjected by a disciple of Mr。 Day's。 She had been taken by this gentleman and his wife； to live with them as their adopted child； perhaps about five…and…twenty years before the time of which I am writing。 They were wealthy people and kind hearted； but her food and clothing were of the very simplest and rudest description； on Spartan principles。 A healthy； merry child； she did not much care for dress or eating； but the treatment which she felt as a real cruelty was this。 They had a carriage； in which she and the favourite dog were taken an airing on alternate days； the creature whose turn it was to be left at home being tossed in a blanketan operation which my aunt especially dreaded。 Her affright at the tossing was probably the reason why it was persevered in。 Dressed…up ghosts had become common； and she did not care for them； so the blanket exercise was to be the next mode of hardening her nerves。 It is well known that Mr。 Day broke off his intention of marrying Sabrina； the girl whom he had educated for this purpose； because； within a few weeks of the time fixed for the wedding； she was guilty of the frivolity； while on a visit from home； of wearing thin sleeves。 Yet Mr。 Day and my aunt's relations were benevolent people； only strongly imbued with the crotchet that by a system of training might be educed the hardihood and simplicity of the ideal savage； forgetting the terrible isolation of feelings and habits which their pupils would experience in the future life which they must pass among the corruptions and refinements of civilization。
Mr。 Bronte wished to make his children hardy； and indifferent to the pleasures of eating and dress。 In the latter he succeeded； as far as regarded his daughters。
His strong； passionate； Irish nature was； in general； compressed down with resolute stoicism； but it was there notwithstanding all his philosophic calm and dignity of demeanour； though he did not speak when he was annoyed or displeased。 Mrs。 Bronte； whose sweet nature thought invariably of the bright side； would say； 〃Ought I not to be thankful that he never gave me an angry word？〃
Mr。 Bronte was an active walker； stretching away over the moors for many miles； noting in his mind all natural signs of wind and weather； and keenly observing all the wild creatures that came and went in the loneliest sweeps of the hills。 He has seen eagles stooping low in search of food for their young； no eagle is ever seen on those mountain slopes now。
He fearlessly took whatever side in local or national politics appeared to him right。 In the days of the Luddites； he had been for the peremptory interference of the law； at a time when no magistrate could be found to act； and all the property of the West Riding was in terrible danger。 He became unpopular then among the millworkers； and he esteemed his life unsafe if he took his long and lonely walks unarmed； so he began the habit； which has continued to this day； of invariably carrying a loaded pistol about with him。 It lay on his dressing…table with his watch； with his watch it was put on in the morning； with his watch it was taken off at night。
Many years later； during his residence at Haworth； there was a strike； the hands in the neighbourhood felt themselves aggrieved by the masters； and refused to work： Mr。 Bronte thought that they had been unjustly and unfairly treated； and he assisted them by all the means in his power to 〃keep the wolf from their doors；〃 and avoid the incubus of debt。 Several of the more influential inhabitants of Haworth and the neighbourhood were mill…owners； they remonstrated pretty sharply with him； but he believed that his conduct was right and persevered in it。
His opinions might be often both wild and erroneous； his principles of action eccentric and strange； his views of life partial； and almost misanthropical； but not one opinion that he held could be stirred or modified by any worldly motive： he acted up to his principles of action； and； if any touch of misanthropy mingled with his view of mankind in general； his conduct to the individuals who came in personal contact with him did not agree with such view。 It is true that he had strong and vehement prejudices； and was obstinate in maintaining them； and that he was not dramatic enough in his perceptions to see how miserable others might be in a life that to him was all…sufficient。 But I do not pretend to be able to harmonize points of character； and account for them； and bring them all into one consistent and intelligible whole。 The family with whom I have now to do shot their roots down deeper than I can penetrate。 I cannot measure them； much less is it for me to judge them。 I have named these instances of eccentricity in the father because I hold the knowledge of them to be necessary for a right understanding of the life of his daughter。
Mrs。 Bronte died in September； 1821； and the lives of those quiet children must have become quieter and lonelier still。 Charlotte tried hard； in after years； to recall the remembrance of her mother； and could bring back two or three pictures of her。 One was when； sometime in the evening light； she had been playing with her little boy； Patrick Branwell； in the parlour of Haworth Parsonage。 But the recollections of four or five years old are of a very fragmentary character。
Owing to some illness of the digestive organs； Mr。 Bronte was obliged to be very careful about his diet； and； in order to avoid temptation； and possibly to have the quiet necessary for digestion； he had begun； before his wife's death； to take his dinner alonea habit which he always retained。 He did not require companionship； therefore he did not seek it； either in his walks； or in his daily life。 The quiet regularity of his domestic hours was only broken in upon by church…wardens； and visitors on parochial business； and sometimes by a neighbouring clergyman； who came down the hills； across the moors； to mount up again to Haworth Parsonage； and spend an evening there。 But； owing to Mrs。 Bronte's death so soon after her husband had removed into the district； and also to the distances； and the bleak country to be traversed； the wives of these clerical friends did not accompany their husbands； and the daughters grew up out of childhood into girlhood bereft； in a singular manner； of all such society as would have been natural to their age； sex； and station。
But the children did not want society。 To small infantine gaieties they were unaccustomed。 They were all in all to each other。 I do not suppose that there ever was a family more tenderly bound to each other。 Maria read the newspapers； and reported intelligence to her younger sisters which it is wonderful they could take an interest in。 But I suspect that they had no 〃children's books；〃 and that their eager minds 〃browzed undisturbed among the wholesome pasturage of English literature；〃 as Charles Lamb expresses it。 The servants of the household appear to have been much impressed with the little Brontes' extraordinary cleverness。 In a letter which I had from him on this subject； their father writes：… 〃The servants often said that they had never seen such a clever little child〃 （as Charlotte）； 〃and that they were obliged to be on their guard as to what they said and did before her。 Yet she and the servants always lived on good terms with each other。〃
These servants are yet alive； elderly women residing in Bradford。 They retain a faithful and fond recollection of Charlotte； and speak of her unvarying kindness from the 〃time when she was ever such a little child！〃 when she would not rest till she had got the old disused cradle sent from the parsonage to the house where the parents of one of them lived； to serve for a little infant sister。 They tell of one long series of kind and thoughtful actions from this early period to the last weeks of Charlotte Bronte's life； and； though she had left her place many years ago； one of these former servants went over from Bradford to Haworth on purpose to see Mr。 Bronte； and offer him her true sympathy； when his last child died。 I may add a little anecdote as a testimony to the admirable character of the likeness of Miss Bronte prefixed to this volume。 A gentleman who had kindly interested himself in the preparation of this memoir took the first volume； shortly after the publication； to the
