the life of charlotte bronte-1-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


claims　greater　antiquity　than　any　other　in　that　part　of　the　kingdom；　but　there　is　no　appearance　of　this　in　the　external　aspect　of　the　present　edifice；　unless　it　be　in　the　two　eastern　windows；　which　remain　unmodernized；　and　in　the　lower　part　of　the　steeple。　Inside；　the　character　of　the　pillars　shows　that　they　were　constructed　before　the　reign　of　Henry　VII。　　It　is　probable　that　there　existed　on　this　ground；　a　〃field…kirk；〃　or　oratory；　in　the　earliest　times；　and；　from　the　Archbishop's　registry　at　York；　it　is　ascertained　that　there　was　a　chapel　at　Haworth　in　1317。　　The　inhabitants　refer　inquirers　concerning　the　date　to　the　following　inscription　on　a　stone　in　the　church　tower：…


〃Hic　fecit　Caenobium　Monachorum　Auteste　fundator。　　A。　D。　sexcentissimo。〃


That　is　to　say；　before　the　preaching　of　Christianity　in　Northumbria。　　Whitaker　says　that　this　mistake　originated　in　the　illiterate　copying　out；　by　some　modern　stone…cutter；　of　an　inscription　in　the　character　of　Henry　the　Eighth's　time　on　an　adjoining　stone：…


〃Orate　pro　bono　statu　Eutest　Tod。〃

〃Now　every　antiquary　knows　that　the　formula　of　prayer　'bono　statu'　always　refers　to　the　living。　　I　suspect　this　singular　Christian　name　has　been　mistaken　by　the　stone…cutter　for　Austet；　a　contraction　of　Eustatius；　but　the　word　Tod；　which　has　been　mis…　read　for　the　Arabic　figures　600；　is　perfectly　fair　and　legible。　On　the　presumption　of　this　foolish　claim　to　antiquity；　the　people　would　needs　set　up　for　independence；　and　contest　the　right　of　the　Vicar　of　Bradford　to　nominate　a　curate　at　Haworth。〃


I　have　given　this　extract；　in　order　to　explain　the　imaginary　groundwork　of　a　commotion　which　took　place　in　Haworth　about　five　and　thirty　years　ago；　to　which　I　shall　have　occasion　to　allude　again　more　particularly。

The　interior　of　the　church　is　commonplace；　it　is　neither　old　enough　nor　modern　enough　to　compel　notice。　　The　pews　are　of　black　oak；　with　high　divisions；　and　the　names　of　those　to　whom　they　belong　are　painted　in　white　letters　on　the　doors。　　There　are　neither　brasses；　nor　altar…tombs；　nor　monuments；　but　there　is　a　mural　tablet　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　communion…table；　bearing　the　following　inscription：…


HERE　LIE　THE　REMAINS　OF　MARIA　BRONTE；　WIFE　OF　THE　REV。　P。　BRONTE；　A。B。；　MINISTER　OP　HAWORTH。　HER　SOUL　DEPARTED　TO　THE　SAVIOUR；　SEPT。　15TH；　1821；　IN　THE　39TH　YEAR　OF　HER　AGE。

〃Be　ye　also　ready：　　for　in　such　an　hour　as　ye　think　not　the　Son　of　Man　cometh。〃　　MATTHEW　xxiv。　44。

ALSO　HERE　LIE　THE　REMAINS　OF　MARIA　BRONTE；　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　AFORESAID；　SHE　DIED　ON　THE　6TH　OF　MAY；　1825；　IN　THE　12TH　YEAR　OF　HER　AGE；　AND　OF　ELIZABETH　BRONTE；　HER　SISTER；　WHO　DIED　JUNE　15TH；　1825；　IN　THE　11TH　YEAR　OF　HER　AGE。

〃Verily　I　say　unto　you；　Except　ye　be　converted；　and　become　as　little　children；　ye　shall　not　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　heaven。〃　MATTHEW　xviii。　3。

HERE　ALSO　LIE　THE　REMAINS　OF　PATRICK　BRANWELL　BRONTE；　WHO　DIED　SEPT。　24TH；　1848；　AGED　3O　YEARS；　AND　OF　EMILY　JANE　BRONTE；　WHO　DIED　DEC。　19TH；　1848；　AGED　29　YEARS；　SON　AND　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　REV。　P。　BRONTE；　INCUMBENT。

THIS　STONE　IS　ALSO　DEDICATED　TO　THE　MEMORY　OF　ANNE　BRONTE；　｛1｝　YOUNGEST　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　REV。　P。　BRONTE；　A。B。　SHE　DIED；　AGED　27　YEARS；　MAY　28TH；　1849；　AND　WAS　BURIED　AT　THE　OLD　CHURCH；　SCARBORO。'


At　the　upper　part　of　this　tablet　ample　space　is　allowed　between　the　lines　of　the　inscription；　when　the　first　memorials　were　written　down；　the　survivors；　in　their　fond　affection；　thought　little　of　the　margin　and　verge　they　were　leaving　for　those　who　were　still　living。　　But　as　one　dead　member　of　the　household　follows　another　fast　to　the　grave；　the　lines　are　pressed　together；　and　the　letters　become　small　and　cramped。　　After　the　record　of　Anne's　death；　there　is　room　for　no　other。

But　one　more　of　that　generationthe　last　of　that　nursery　of　six　little　motherless　childrenwas　yet　to　follow；　before　the　survivor；　the　childless　and　widowed　father；　found　his　rest。　　On　another　tablet；　below　the　first；　the　following　record　has　been　added　to　that　mournful　list：…


ADJOINING　LIE　THE　REMAINS　OF　CHARLOTTE；　WIFE　OF　THE　REV。　ARTHUR　BELL　NICHOLLS；　A。B。；　AND　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　REV。　P。　　BRONTE；　A。B。；　INCUMBENT　SHE　DIED　MARCH　31ST；　1855；　IN　THE　39TH　YEAR　OF　HER　AGE。　｛2｝


This　tablet；　which　corrects　the　error　in　the　former　tablet　as　to　the　age　of　Anne　Bronte；　bears　the　following　inscription　in　Roman　letters；　the　initials；　however；　being　in　old　English。

In　Memory　of　Maria；　wife　of　the　Rev。　P。　Bronte；　A。B。；　Minister　of　Haworth；　She　died　Sept。　15th；　1821；　in　the　39th　year　of　her　age。　Also；　of　Maria；　their　daughter；　who　died　May　6th；　1825；　in　the　12th　year　of　her　age。　Also；　of　Elizabeth；　their　daughter；　who　died　June　15th；　1825；　in　the　11th　year　of　her　age。　Also；　of　Patrick　Branwell；　their　son；　who　died　Sept。　24th；　1848；　aged　31　years。　Also；　of　Emily　Jane；　their　daughter；　who　died　Dec。　19th；　1848；　aged　30　years。　Also；　of　Anne；　their　daughter；　who　died　May　28th；　1849；　aged　29　years。　　She　was　buried　at　the　Old　Church；　Scarborough。　Also；　of　Charlotte；　their　daughter；　wife　of　the　Rev。　A。　B。　Nicholls；　B。A。　　She　died　March　31st；　1855；　in　the　39th　year　of　her　age。　〃The　sting　of　death　is　sin；　and　the　strength　of　sin　is　the　law；　but　thanks　be　to　God　which　giveth　us　the　victory　through　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃1　Cor。　xv。　56；　57。



CHAPTER　II



For　a　right　understanding　of　the　life　of　my　dear　friend；　Charlotte　Bronte；　it　appears　to　me　more　necessary　in　her　case　than　in　most　others；　that　the　reader　should　be　made　acquainted　with　the　peculiar　forms　of　population　and　society　amidst　which　her　earliest　years　were　passed；　and　from　which　both　her　own　and　her　sisters'　first　impressions　of　human　life　must　have　been　received。　　I　shall　endeavour；　therefore；　before　proceeding　further　with　my　work；　to　present　some　idea　of　the　character　of　the　people　of　Haworth；　and　the　surrounding　districts。

Even　an　inhabitant　of　the　neighbouring　county　of　Lancaster　is　struck　by　the　peculiar　force　of　character　which　the　Yorkshiremen　display。　　This　makes　them　interesting　as　a　race；　while；　at　the　same　time；　as　individuals；　the　remarkable　degree　of　self…　sufficiency　they　possess　gives　them　an　air　of　independence　rather　apt　to　repel　a　stranger。　　I　use　this　expression　〃self…sufficiency〃　in　the　largest　sense。　　Conscious　of　the　strong　sagacity　and　the　dogged　power　of　will　which　seem　almost　the　birthright　of　the　natives　of　the　West　Riding；　each　man　relies　upon　himself；　and　seeks　no　help　at　the　hands　of　his　neighbour。　　From　rarely　requiring　the　assistance　of　others；　he　comes　to　doubt　the　power　of　bestowing　it：　　from　the　general　success　of　his　efforts；　he　grows　to　depend　upon　them；　and　to　over…esteem　his　own　energy　and　power。　He　belongs　to　that　keen；　yet　short…sighted　class；　who　consider　suspicion　of　all　whose　honesty　is　not　proved　as　a　sign　of　wisdom。　The　practical　qualities　of　a　man　are　held　in　great　respect；　but　the　want　of　faith　in　strangers　and　untried　modes　of　action；　extends　itself　even　to　the　manner　in　which　the　virtues　are　regarded；　and　if　they　produce　no　immediate　and　tangible　result；　they　are　rather　put　aside　as　unfit　for　this　busy；　striving　world；　especially　if　they　are　more　of　a　passive　than　an　active　character。　The　affections　are　strong　and　their　foundations　lie　deep：　　but　they　are　notsuch　affections　seldom　arewide…spreading；　nor　do　they　show　themselves　on　the　surface。　　Indeed；　there　is　little　display　of　any　of　the　amenities　of　life　among　this　wild；　rough　population。　　Their　accost　is　curt；　their　accent　and　tone　of　speech　blunt　and　harsh。　　Something　of　this　may；　probably；　be　attributed　to　the　freedom　of　mountain　air　and　of　isolated　hill…side　life；　something　be　derived　from　their　rough　Norse　ancestry。　　They　have　a　quick　perception　of　character；　and　a　keen　sense　of　humour；　the　dwellers　among　them　must　be　prepared　for　certain　uncomplimentary；　though　most　likely　true；　observations；　pithily　expressed。　　Their　feelings　are　not　easily　roused；　but　their　duration　is　lasting。　Hence　there　is　much　close　friendship　and　faithful　service；　and　for　a　correct　exemplification　of　the　form　in　which　the　latter　frequently　appears；　I　need　only　refer　the　reader　of　〃Wuthering　Heights〃　to　the　character　of　〃Joseph。〃

From　the　same　cause　come　also　enduring　grudges；　in　some　cases　amounting　to　hatr