the life of charlotte bronte-1-第28章

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let；　and　Julius　Caesar。　　Scott's　sweet；　wild；　romantic　poetry　can　do　you　no　harm。　　Nor　can　Wordsworth's；　nor　Campbell's；　nor　Southey'sthe　greatest　part　at　least　of　his；　some　is　certainly　objectionable。　　For　history；　read　Hume；　Rollin；　and　the　Universal　History；　if　you　can；　I　never　did。　　For　fiction；　read　Scott　alone；　all　novels　after　his　are　worthless。　　For　biography；　read　Johnson's　Lives　of　the　Poets；　Boswell's　Life　of　Johnson；　Southey's　Life　of　Nelson；　Lockhart's　Life　of　Burns；　Moore's　Life　of　Sheridan；　Moore's　Life　of　Byron；　Wolfe's　Remains。　　For　natural　history；　read　Bewick　and　Audubon；　and　Goldsmith　and　White's　history　of　Selborne。　　For　divinity；　your　brother　will　advise　you　there。　　I　can　only　say；　adhere　to　standard　authors；　and　avoid　novelty。〃

From　this　list；　we　see　that　she　must　have　had　a　good　range　of　books　from　which　to　choose　her　own　reading。　　It　is　evident；　that　the　womanly　consciences　of　these　two　correspondents　were　anxiously　alive　to　many　questions　discussed　among　the　stricter　religionists。　The　morality　of　Shakspeare　needed　the　confirmation　of　Charlotte's　opinion　to　the　sensitive　〃E。；〃　and　a　little　later；　she　inquired　whether　dancing　was　objectionable；　when　indulged　in　for　an　hour　or　two　in　parties　of　boys　and　girls。　　Charlotte　replies；　〃I　should　hesitate　to　express　a　difference　of　opinion　from　Mr。　…；　or　from　your　excellent　sister；　but　really　the　matter　seems　to　me　to　stand　thus。　　It　is　allowed　on　all　hands；　that　the　sin　of　dancing　consists　not　in　the　mere　action　of　'shaking　the　shanks'　（as　the　Scotch　say）；　but　in　the　consequences　that　usually　attend　it；　namely；　frivolity　and　waste　of　time；　when　it　is　used　only；　as　in　the　case　you　state；　for　the　exercise　and　amusement　of　an　hour　among　young　people　（who　surely　may　without　any　breach　of　God's　commandments　be　allowed　a　little　light…heartedness）；　these　consequences　cannot　follow。　　Ergo　（according　to　my　manner　of　arguing）；　the　amusement　is　at　such　times　perfectly　innocent。〃

Although　the　distance　between　Haworth　and　B…　was　but　seventeen　miles；　it　was　difficult　to　go　straight　from　the　one　to　the　other　without　hiring　a　gig　or　vehicle　of　some　kind　for　the　journey。　Hence　a　visit　from　Charlotte　required　a　good　deal　of　pre…　arrangement。　　THE　Haworth　gig　was　not　always　to　be　had；　and　Mr。　Bronte　was　often　unwilling　to　fall　into　any　arrangement　for　meeting　at　Bradford　or　other　places；　which　would　occasion　trouble　to　others。　　The　whole　family　had　an　ample　share　of　that　sensitive　pride　which　led　them　to　dread　incurring　obligations；　and　to　fear　〃outstaying　their　welcome〃　when　on　any　visit。　　I　am　not　sure　whether　Mr。　Bronte　did　not　consider　distrust　of　others　as　a　part　of　that　knowledge　of　human　nature　on　which　he　piqued　himself。　　His　precepts　to　this　effect；　combined　with　Charlotte's　lack　of　hope；　made　her　always　fearful　of　loving　too　much；　of　wearying　the　objects　of　her　affection；　and　thus　she　was　often　trying　to　restrain　her　warm　feelings；　and　was　ever　chary　of　that　presence　so　invariably　welcome　to　her　true　friends。　　According　to　this　mode　of　acting；　when　she　was　invited　for　a　month；　she　stayed　but　a　fortnight　amidst　〃E。's〃　family；　to　whom　every　visit　only　endeared　her　the　more；　and　by　whom　she　was　received　with　that　kind　of　quiet　gladness　with　which　they　would　have　greeted　a　sister。

She　still　kept　up　her　childish　interest　in　politics。　　In　March；　1835；　she　writes：　　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　course　politics　are　taking？　　I　make　this　enquiry；　because　I　now　think　you　take　a　wholesome　interest　in　the　matter；　formerly　you　did　not　care　greatly　about　it。　　B。；　you　see；　is　triumphant。　　Wretch！　　I　am　a　hearty　hater；　and　if　there　is　any　one　I　thoroughly　abhor；　it　is　that　man。　　But　the　Opposition　is　divided；　Red…hots；　and　Luke…　warms；　and　the　Duke　（par　excellence　THE　Duke）　and　Sir　Robert　Peel　show　no　signs　of　insecurity；　though　they　have　been　twice　beat；　so　'Courage；　mon　amie；'　as　the　old　chevaliers　used　to　say；　before　they　joined　battle。〃

In　the　middle　of　the　summer　of　1835；　a　great　family　plan　was　mooted　at　the　parsonage。　　The　question　was；　to　what　trade　or　profession　should　Branwell　be　brought　up？　　He　was　now　nearly　eighteen；　it　was　time　to　decide。　　He　was　very　clever；　no　doubt；　perhaps　to　begin　with；　the　greatest　genius　in　this　rare　family。　The　sisters　hardly　recognised　their　own；　or　each　others'　powers；　but　they　knew　HIS。　　The　father；　ignorant　of　many　failings　in　moral　conduct；　did　proud　homage　to　the　great　gifts　of　his　son；　for　Branwell's　talents　were　readily　and　willingly　brought　out　for　the　entertainment　of　others。　　Popular　admiration　was　sweet　to　him。　And　this　led　to　his　presence　being　sought　at　〃arvills〃　and　all　the　great　village　gatherings；　for　the　Yorkshiremen　have　a　keen　relish　for　intellect；　and　it　likewise　procured　him　the　undesirable　distinction　of　having　his　company　recommended　by　the　landlord　of　the　Black　Bull　to　any　chance　traveller　who　might　happen　to　feel　solitary　or　dull　over　his　liquor。　　〃Do　you　want　some　one　to　help　you　with　your　bottle；　sir？　　If　you　do；　I'll　send　up　for　Patrick〃　（so　the　villagers　called　him　till　the　day　of　his　death；　though　in　his　own　family　he　was　always　〃Branwell〃）。　　And　while　the　messenger　went；　the　landlord　entertained　his　guest　with　accounts　of　the　wonderful　talents　of　the　boy；　whose　precocious　cleverness；　and　great　conversational　powers；　were　the　pride　of　the　village。　　The　attacks　of　ill　health　to　which　Mr。　Bronte　had　been　subject　of　late　years；　rendered　it　not　only　necessary　that　he　should　take　his　dinner　alone　（for　the　sake　of　avoiding　temptations　to　unwholesome　diet）；　but　made　it　also　desirable　that　he　should　pass　the　time　directly　succeeding　his　meals　in　perfect　quiet。　　And　this　necessity；　combined　with　due　attention　to　his　parochial　duties；　made　him　partially　ignorant　how　his　son　employed　himself　out　of　lesson…time。　　His　own　youth　had　been　spent　among　people　of　the　same　conventional　rank　as　those　into　whose　companionship　Branwell　was　now　thrown；　but　he　had　had　a　strong　will；　and　an　earnest　and　persevering　ambition；　and　a　resoluteness　of　purpose　which　his　weaker　son　wanted。

It　is　singular　how　strong　a　yearning　the　whole　family　had　towards　the　art　of　drawing。　　Mr。　Bronte　had　been　very　solicitous　to　get　them　good　instruction；　the　girls　themselves　loved　everything　connected　with　itall　descriptions　or　engravings　of　great　pictures；　and；　in　default　of　good　ones；　they　would　take　and　analyse　any　print　or　drawing　which　came　in　their　way；　and　find　out　how　much　thought　had　gone　to　its　composition；　what　ideas　it　was　intended　to　suggest；　and　what　it　DID　suggest。　　In　the　same　spirit；　they　laboured　to　design　imaginations　of　their　own；　they　lacked　the　power　of　execution；　not　of　conception。　　At　one　time；　Charlotte　had　the　notion　of　making　her　living　as　an　artist；　and　wearied　her　eyes　in　drawing　with　pre…Raphaelite　minuteness；　but　not　with　pre…　Raphaelite　accuracy；　for　she　drew　from　fancy　rather　than　from　nature。

But　they　all　thought　there　could　be　no　doubt　about　Branwell's　talent　for　drawing。　　I　have　seen　an　oil　painting　of　his；　done　I　know　not　when；　but　probably　about　this　time。　　It　was　a　group　of　his　sisters；　life…size；　three…quarters'　length；　not　much　better　than　sign…painting；　as　to　manipulation；　but　the　likenesses　were；　I　should　think；　admirable。　　I　could　only　judge　of　the　fidelity　with　which　the　other　two　were　depicted；　from　the　striking　resemblance　which　Charlotte；　upholding　the　great　frame　of　canvas；　and　consequently　standing　right　behind　it；　bore　to　her　own　representation；　though　it　must　have　been　ten　years　and　more　since　the　portraits　were　taken。　　The　picture　was　divided；　almost　in　the　middle；　by　a　great　pillar。　　On　the　side　of　the　column　which　was　lighted　by　the　sun；　stood　Charlotte；　in　the　womanly　dress　of　that　day　of　gigot　sleeves　and　large　collars。　　On　the　deeply　shadowed　side；　was　Emily；　with　Anne's　gentle　face　resting　on　her　shoulder。　Emily's　countenance　struck　me　as　full　of　power；　Charlotte's　of　solicitude；　Anne's　of　tenderness。　　The　two　younger　seemed　hardly　to　have　attained　their　full　growth；　though　Emily　was　taller　than　Charlotte；　they　had　cropped　hair；　and　a　more　girlish　dress。　　I　remember　looking　on　those　two　sad；　earnest；　shadowed　faces；　and　wondering　whether　I　could　trace　the　mysterious　expression　which　is　said　to　forete