Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-25
AMERICAN ORGAN.
From the London News.
Death OF Currer Bell.

From the London News.
Death OF Currer Bell. 40
"Currer Bell" is dead The early death OF the
large family Of whom she was the sole survivor,
prepared all who knew the circumstances TO expect
the loss of this gifted creature at any time but
not the less deep viii be the grief Of society that
her genius viii yield US nothing more. We have
three works from her which win hold their place
in the literature of century; and, but for her
frail health, there might have been three times
three; for she was under forty and her genius
was not Of an exhausible kind. II it had been
exhaustible, it would have been exhausted some
time since.
Though passion occupies too prominent q place
In her pictures Of life, though women have TO COM
plain that she represents love as the whole ana
sole concern of their lives and though goyernesses
especially have reason TO remonstrate ana 90 re-
monstrate that their share Of human conflict Is
laid open somewhat rudely and Internationally and
very sweepingly TO social observation, 1t Is true
social blessing that we have had female writer
who has discountenanced sentimentalism and fee
BILE egotism, with such practical force as is appa
rent in the works Of Currer Bell Her heroines
love too readily too vehemently, and sometimes
after fashion which their female readers may re-
sent but they do their duty through everything,
and are healthy in action however morbid in pas
sion. hslaia5
How admirable this strength is--how wonderful
by any but the few who know the story Of this re-
inarkable woman's life. The account OF the school
in Jane Eyre" is only too true. The" Helen" Of
that tale is--not precisely the eldest sister, who
died there, but more like her than any other real
person. She is that sister, with difference"
Another sister died at home after leaving the
school, and In consequence Of its hardships; and
"Currer Bell' Charlotte BrontD was never free
while there flor year and half from the gnaw-
t;n of
right hunger; and shc never grew an inch from
that time.
She was the smallest Of women and II was that
school which stunted her growth. As she tells u.s.
in "Jane Eyre" the visitation Of an epidemic
caused total change and radical reform in the es
tablishment, which was even removed to another
site. But the reform came too late to reverse the
destiny Of the doomed family Of the Brontis n
These wonderful girls were the daughters of a
clergyman, who, now very aged and infrm, sur
wives his wife and all his many children. The name
Bronti ian abbrevation of Bronterre) is Irish, and
very ancient The mother died many years ago,
and several of her children.
When the reading world began to have an in
tcrest in their existence, there were three sisters
and brother living with their father at Haworth,
near Keghley, in Yorkshire. The girls had been
out as povernesses Charlotte, at Brussels, as is
no secret to the readers Of liette. They rejoiced
to meet again at home--Charlotte, Emily, and
Ann. e. Currern Ellis" and /" Acton.") In her
obituary notice of her two sisters, "Currer" re-
yeals something Of their process Of authorship,
and their experience Of failure and success.
How terrible some Of their experience Of life was
in the midst of the domestic freedom and indul-
cence afforded them by the studous father, may
be seen by the fearful representations Of mascu-
line nature and character found in the novels and
tales Of Emily and Ann. They considered 1t their
duty, they told us to present life they knew it
and they gave us "Wuthering Heights" and
1.-THE Tenant Of Wildfell Hall.
"Jane Eyre" was naturally and universally sup
posed to be Charlotte herself; but she always de-
MED IT, calmly cheerfully and with the obvious sin
cerity which characterized all she said. She de.
clared that there was no more ground for the as
sertion than this She once told her sisters that
they we're wrong--even morally wrong-in making
their heroines beautiful, as matter Of course.
They replied that ii was impossible TO make hero
inc interesting on other terms. Her answer was,
Il win prove to you that you are wrong. will
show You heroine as small and US plain as myself
who ehall be as interesting as any OF yours"
Hence, Jane Eyre said she, in telling the
anecdote "but she is not myself, any further than
that"
As the work went on, the interest deepened to
the writer. When she came to Thornfeld,' she
could not stop. Being short-sghted to excess, she
wrote in little square paper books, held close to
her eyes, and 1.-THE first copy in pencil On SHE
went writing necessarily for three weeks by which
time she carried her heroine away from Thornfeld,
and was herself in fever, which compelled her TO
pause The rest was written with less vehemence,
and with more anxious care. The world adds,
with less vigor and interest She could crafty hor
singular reserve, in regard 10 the publication of
this remarkable book.
We well remember how long il was before we
could learn who wrote il, and any particulars OF
a. H.. ~ lad Gha MN
living among the wild Yorkshire hills, with father
who was too much absorbed In his studies TO no
tice her occupations; in place where newspapers
were never SEEN Tor where she never any, and
In A house where the servants knew nothing about
books, manuscripts, proofs, or the post. When
she told her secret TO her father, she carried her
book in one hand, and an adverse review in the
other TO save bis simple and unworldy mind from
rash expectations of fame and fortune which she
was determined should never be the aims Of her
life. That we have had only two novels since shows
how deeply grounded was this resolve.
"Shirieyn was conceived and wrought out In
tho midst Of fearful domestic griefs. Her only
brother, young man of once splendid promise
which was early bighted, and both her remaining
sisters, died in one year. There was something
iuexpressbly affecting in the aspect of the frail
little creature who had done such wonderful things
and was able TO bear up with SO bright an eye and
so composed a countensnce, under such weight
Of sorrow and such prospect Of solitude. In her
deep mourning dress meat as Quakers) with her
beautiful hair smooth and brown, her fine eyes
blazing with meaning, and her sensible face indi-
eating habit o. selfcontrol II not Of silence, she
seemed perfect household imagc--irresistibly re-
calling Wadsworth's description Of that domestic
treasure. And she was this. She was able at the
needle as the pen. The household knew the en-
cellence of her cookery before they heard Of that
Of her books
In 80 utter seclusion as she lived in-in those
dreary wilds, where she was not strong enough to
roam over the hills In that retreat where her stu
dious father rarely broke the silence--and there
was no one else TO do II in that forlorn house.
planted on the very clay Of the churchyard, where
the graves Of her sisters we're before her window
in such living sepulchre, her mind could not but
prey upon ITSELF and how IL did suffer, we see In
the more painful portions Of her last noysl--"Vil
lette" She said, with change in her steady
countenance, that she should feel very lonely when
her aged father died. But she formed new ties
after that. She married; and IL Is the old father
who survives to mourn her. =.