The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1857-09-04
HerOiSm All Around lis.

1t is the cant OF the day that the age other
oism has past. Men talk Of Leonidas and Tell
with kndllng eyes and lament that no such no
bic souls survive in modern days. If need were.
however, we could show that hearts as bold as
ever marched TO Thprmopyle still exist, and
that lnkerTnann and Maakof proved it, to say
nothing OF Lexington and Bunker Hill But It
IS d radically false notion TO look only TO war
Tor hprosm. The tIuast courage, perhaps, is
that which fights the battle of life under adverse
circumstances, day by day, month by month,
and year BY year, rather than that which rush
IS to the assault, or defends the imminent
breach. And of such heroisrn modern times is
full. One of the most prominent examples of
such life has come to light since the death of
Charlotte Brontr, the author of 'tJane Eyre,''
woman. who, from her childhood, was called
to struggle with grief and care, ho had but
| little hope con$ttutionallv, and from whom that
little was taken away by the saddest experience,
yet who went through all uncomplaininglv,
doing her duty in straight forward, honest
manner, that ought to shame those who senti-
mentaIizr about the license that ought, as they
say, be allowed 10 genius.
Charlotte Bronte was the eldest surviving
child OF an eccentric, though strong minded clrr-
gyman, who held a curacy at Haworth, York
shire, in the midst Of bleak, wild, lonely moors
Left motherlesS when quite young, she grew up
with her sisters apart from ali the world. Her
writings show how remarkable was her genius;
vet she did not consider this as exempting her
from the duties of her LOT and she performed
even comparatively menial servicrs without
complaint, as the family circumstances we're
narrow. One by one, her sisters died.
They were preceded by her brother, young
man originally of great promise, but who fell
at last into evil courses. He came home to
live confirmed sot, and filled the house for
years with shame and terror. She bore bravey,
however, against all this, cheering her aged and
hall-blInd father, writing Shirley and VilIrtte,
and denying even the lover OF her choice TO
please her parent and all this without mur-
mur, because it was in the line of her duly
An eloquent critic we'll says of her biography
sit depicts poor, plain, dependent woman,
sore beset by social scorn and suspicion, fighting
her little battle of life, which was greater in
the history of her soul than Marathon and Wa
terloo in the history OF the world ana the sto-
ry is so told, that the little battle becomes as
poetic and pathetic as those greater combatS,
and every honest heart cries ont, God sp1edn'
Yes while two continents are wondering
who wrote ''Jane Eyre" while every newspa-
per that reached her rung with acknowledge
ments of her genius, Charlotte Bronte was quI-
etIy waiting on the sick brother, nursing the &C.
centric father, doing what her hand found to do,
! like any other true woman. She listened TO
no suggestions ofthe pardonable morbidness of
genius, though her own constitutional selfish
ness had been developed 10 excess, by her soli-
/ tary mode of life but went straight on with
the beroism of martyr, and clinging 10 her IA
miy because it was her family, and resisting
every temptation TO desert it for more brill
liant destiny elsewhere. For eight and thirty
years she waged its battle Increasingly and hope
! Iessly sadder life, indeed, is not on record:
! AT last with her fathers consent, she married,
| bat, in less than year afterwards, she died
| The gleam Of brightness was the prophetic sun
set of brighter day but that day dawned 10
another world. We have been so happy she
! said to her husband Just before she expired
A las it was the only happy year she had ever
! behpd 1t would almost seem as ii she was sent
TO strive and suffer thus, with all her resPlend-
ent genius, to shame those who, with vastly less
excuse, seek to evade the duties of life when re-
| pulsivp or hard. I(there ever was hero Char
| lotte Bronte was one