The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-19
THE BRONTE FAMILY.


Mr. T. Wemyss Reid, his Charlotte Bronte
Amonograph," asserts positively that ting name Of
Bronte Was originally Prunty. he says there IL no
doubt upon ono point the mbent OF Aaworlh
In eury lilo bore tho OF Prunty, and 1t not
until very shortly before he left Ireland for England
that no changed II tho request Of his patron, Mr.
Tighe, Tor the euphonious appcllation Of
Bronte." This assertion is Ha;y denied by member
of The Bronl6 family in the following letter. which Will
DO read with interest by the many admirers
of the Brontcs this country. The writer also has
something 10 say about the severity with which Pat
rick Bront6 mas dealt with by the biogrsphers OF
his daughter
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
copy OF your widely circulating journal OF the 18th
Of June ut having been put INTO my hands ny An NC
Quainlance who receives Them occasionally from New
York, beg to say that IN u Obst rye review OF
book upon tho Ito Ut charlotte Bronte, and
very much surprised TO find 1t asserted hat the
Rev Mr. Bronte's family (my grandiathers) had un-
dergone a cnange OF The suggestion instigI-
lon OF the late Rev. Mr. Tlghe, the then rector Of
Bally roney and Drumgo0land churches, IN whose
family Mr. Patrick Bronte had acted as tutor Tor some
alter he had received great part OF his educa.
ton; aud certainly Mr. lighc beircndcd hun US one oil
his parshioners. whom ho took crest
OF his clcverncss and perseverance, Now, as The re-
view in question contains at least one assertion which
has foundation in truth, ! respectfully ask
you 10 give this letter AN insertion IN JUS
tco to tho living relatives ana representatives
OF the late Rev. Patrick Bronte. First. then,
az init with pleasure that Patrick Bront6 was Irish
man by birth, but descended from hugpcnot family,
hts iather was undoubtedly oil French extracton,
but that the other than what II Is to-day
unhesiI atnsiy dony, and nowcnal!enge Mr. Reid 10
prove his assertion, which has no foundation IN acL
He may try TO create sensation Tor the purpose
doubt OI selling hs book, but although nave not
it, believe safely say with your reviewer, II
certainly IS not an Improvement on Mrs. Gsske's.
That lady NO doubt wrolc While Mr.. Bronte yet
alive, but Notwithstanding that can assure MT Reid
that she wrote ~ spirit Of enlre ,ndcpendcnce and
iarty-namey, that OF strict disciphnarian
at times. perhaps almost Purianical, as many
doubt by strict sense OF duty-yct
not~ Outstanding dutiul husband ana kind parent
| 1t is not likely mat Mr.. Reid could possibly know
more about the cccoascd tnan his own brothers and
sisters dd, one OF whom Is still alive, two oil his
brothers having lived till within the last two years
single act or 80 OF mans lie told without the
companyipg circumstances may be mado ~ appear
harsh and Iucxcusable. whiie II the whole tale wcfo
told II certainly might very much modify and cxtcn-
uatc the seeming Inconsistency Alter the death of
poor Lord Byron there those found who upon
the authority oil tho gossip OF jeaomaniac, tried
suny his iano by an assertion from which the
most degenerate natures must shrink. Char
| lotto Bronic AUD her sisters were, l would
almost say bv constitutional dialhesis, taciturn,
studous and retiring In fact their dispos
such To make thcm shrink aud Oc III ~ case IN
society except that Of few intimate lrends and IT
certainty was not their fathers fault that such
case. Ihoy had moro real onJoy nenL studying ma
In their solitary wanucrings around their paicrnal
homo than they bly ccud have had the society
OF sh0ss with whom .hcr CONVERSATIONS must havo
consisted OF the gossip OF tho neighbour hood They
The part Spectators and from characters real
lie they were able TO paint tho leading pcrsona,cs
ia their wrlngr. Poor Charlotte IN particular appears
TO have been OF melancholy. realistic turn OF niLJ
! able TO look INTO human nature entirely Invested
OF artificial restraint sentimental polish. But
her earthly vol npn Iun before she cxcltcd
any great interest IN the public mind Twas pity
che uid live years longer, but, alas arc
some OF the most charmed phascs Of human hic
Even their father who assisted them IN reviewing
manuscript did not iuy app cciat0 their clever
ness uni!i the grave had closed over them forever
But am, perhaps already trcspassng on your space,
anu III conclude by saying that nc!osc my address
ami am prepared 10 prove what ! have herein set
forth, tne publication Of which VIII very much o6lgs,
respectfully yours, JOHN BRoNFE:
DRoMoEB county Down, Ireland.