The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-27

a. to the authorship Of this popular novel, are now
set at rect by the preface TO edition, just pub
hshed in London, which contains biographical
account Of the writers OF those books, by the au-
thor OF Jane Eyre. IL seems that the Bells are
three sisters, two Of whom are now dead The
survivor describes their home as village parson
age among the hills, bordering Yorkshire and Lam
| cashire. The scenery of these hills is not grand
il is not romantic; II is scarcely striking Long,
low moors, dark with heath, shut in little valleys,
where stream waters, here and there. fringe OF
siunttd copse. Mills and scattered cottages chase
romance from these valleys; it is only higher up,
deep in among the ridges Of the moors that imagi
nation can find rest tor the sole of her foot; and
even il she finds il there, she must be solitude
loving raven-no gentle dove. If she demand
beauty TO inspire her, she must bring it INFORM;
these moors are too stern 10 yield any product SO
delicate. The eye OF the gazer must itself brim
with purple light intense enough to perpetuate
the brief flower flush OF August on the heather or
| the rare sunset-smile of June; out of his heart
| must well the freshness that in later spring and
early summer brehtens the bracken, nurtures the
moss and cherishes the starry flowers that spangle
tor a few weeks The pasture of the moor sheep
Unless that light and freshness are innate and self
sustained, The drear prospect OF Yorkshire moor
will be found as barren OF poetic of agricultural
interest; where the love Of wild nature is strong,
the locality will perhaps be chung 10 with the more
passionate constancy, because from the hlovers
self comes half its charm"
Thus much of the scene;-now as to the story OF
the authorship OF these singular books:
About hive years ago, my two sisters and my
sell, after somewhat prolonged period OF separa-
ton, found ourselves re- united and at home. Re
sident In a remote district where education had
made little progress, and where, consequently,
there was no inducement to seek social inter.
course beyond our own domestic circle, we were
wholly dependent on ourselves aud each other, on
books !. and study for the enjoyment: and occupa,
of 1916, accidentally lighted on MS volume of
! was not surprised, knowing that she could and
did write verse; looked it over, and some thing
more than surprise seized me-a deep conviction
that these were not common illusions, nor at all
like the poetry women generally write
Meantime, my young sister quietly produced some
Of her own composition, inmating that since
Emily's had given me pleasure, mig bit like to look
at hers. could not but be partial judge, yet
pathos of their own. We had very early cherished
the dream of one day becoming authors. This
dream, never relnquished, even when distance di.
vided, and absorbing tasks occupied us, now sud-
denly acquired strength and consistency; II took
the character of resolve. We agreed to arrange
small selection of our poems aud, if possible, get
them printed. Averse TO personal dspiicly, we
veiled our names under those Of Currer, Ellis, and
Acton Bell; the ambiguous choice being dictated
by a sort of conscientious scrupe at assuming
christian names positively masculine, while we
did not like to declare ourselves women, because
without at that time suspecng that our mode of
writing and thinking was not what is called femi-
nine we had vague impression that authoresses
are liable TO be looked on with prejudice; We
chastse ment, the Weapon of personality, and for
their reward, fattery, which is not true praise.
The bringing out OF our little book as hard work.
- III success failed to crush US; the mere
effort to succeed had given wonderful zes to ex-
istence; it must be pursued. We each set to work
on prose tale; Ellis Bell produced "Wuthering
Heights" Acton Bell, "Agnes Grey" and Currer
Bell also wrote narrative in one volume. These
MSS were perseveripgly obtruded upon various
publishers for the space OF year and half usual
ly their fate was an ignominious and abrupt dis
missal. AT last "WutheriDg Heights" and "Agnes
Grey were accepted, on terms somewhat impo.
yerlshing TO the two authors.
The MS of one volume tale by Currer Bell
had been thought ) by Messrs. Smith & Elder so
fol of promise, that its writer was asked Tor a
longer story in more saleable form
! was then just completing Jane Eyre, at
which had been working, while the one-volume
tale was Flooding It's weary round in London in
three weeks ! sent 1t off; friendly and skillful
hands took i, in. This was in the commencement
OF September, 1917 it came out before the close
of October following, while 'Wurthering Heights
and Agnes Gre, my sisters works, which had
already been in the press for months, still fingered
under different management They appeared at
last. Critics failed to do them justice.
The narrative may be best concluded in the
writers own words.
Neither Ellis nor Acton allowed herself for one
moment to sink under want of encouragement : en-
erpy neryed the one, and endurance upheld the
other. They were both prepared 10 try again
would fain think that hope and the sense of power
were yet strong within them. But a great change
approached ,tfliction came in that shape which
TO anticipate is dread TO look back On, grief In
the every heat ard burden Of the day, the labor
ers failed over their work. My sister Emily first
declined The details Of her illness are deep
branded on my me mory, but TO dwell on them,
either n thought or narrative, is not Ia my power.
Never, in all her life, had she fingered over any
task that lay before her, and she did not linger
now. She sank rapidly. She made haste 10 leave
Us. Yet while physically she persisted, mentally
she grew stronger than We had yet known her.
IAxs lax -. r.Fk rAar.
met suffering, / looked on her with an anguish
OF wonder and love. ! have seen nothing like
IT but, indeed. have never seen her paralleed
in nyihirg. Stronger than man: simpler han
child, her nature stood alone. The awful point
was, that, while full OF truth for others, herself
she had Lo pity; the spirit was iaexorable to the
tiesh; from the trembling hand, the unnered
limbs, the faded eyes, the service was exaced
as they had rendered in health To stand by and
witness this, aud not dare 10 demonstrate, was
pain no words cen render Two cruel months OF
hope and fear .pas,ed painfully by, and the day
came al last when the terrors and pains Of death
were 10 be undergone by this treasure, which had
grown deareT and dearer 70 our hearts as wasted
before our eyes. Towards the decline Of that day
we had nothing OF Lmi but her mortal remains
a. consumption left them. She died December 10,
| lsiS. We thought this enough; but 1--WE were
utterly end presumptuously wrong She was not
buried efe Anne fell Ill she bad not been CON
rnilie6 70 the grave fortnight before we received
dsiiIct animation that il was necessary TO prepare
our MINDS to see the youngest sister go after the
elder Accordingly, che followed in the same
path with slower step, and with patience that
tqualltd the others fOrttude. have said that
she was religious; and il was BY leaning on those
Christian doctrines, in which she firmly believed,
tbet she found support through her most painful
ioumty I witnessed their efficacy in her l4tes,
hour and greatest trial, ard must bear my testi.
mony TO the calm triumph with which they brought
her through. She died My %, lSt9. What
more shall say about them cannot aud aeed
not say much more ia ex;crrals, they were too
unohtfuaiye; a perfectly secluded life gaze ihem