New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-08
THACKERAY AT HOME.
A GLIMPSE OF CHARLOTTE BRoNTE.
"REMINISCENCES BY THAcKERAY,s p,UGurpp,


1t happily does not always follow that one cares IN,
an author IN exact proportion to the sale OF his books
or even ~ INC desfee Oi their merit otherwise some VI
us mght be oyeipoWered by friends, and Others re-
main solitary all our lives long. also does moi al
ways follow that people who write books are those Who
most OF one another on tho contrary authors "a
rule think prefer paymates Of other profes slons
than their OWL and don't keep together IN the same
way that soldiers DO for instance, dandies or law
ycrs or members OF Parliament, though perhaps this
last Illustration Is scarcely happy one in this par
ticular year OF grace Lawyers politicians soldiers
ana even doctors, do great dea OF tneir WORK To-
eether IN one anohcrs company but The hours don't
six authors sitting down in row T. write books
they are generally shut up apart in different studies
with strict orders given that nobody i 10 Oe shown in
This was my fathers rule, only It constantly
broken; and many people used 70 pass in and OUT
during his working times, and OF course one way and
lnO,hcr we saw great many people OF different sorts
coming 20 consult him Or 10 make suggestions; some
csmc TO call. Others brought little poems and articles
for the Cornhill.'
/ remember visit from another hero of those
times. We were walking acro-s KensingtOn square
carly one morning VITA my father, when we heard
some one hurTying after Us and calling him by his
name. This also OF ByrOns friends. \ blight
cy ed, active old man, Will; long, way white hair and
picturesque cloak hung over one shoulder can SO
him still. hc crossed the of the square and
followed ls with light, rapid step. Ny father, stop
ping short, turned back To meet him, greeting him
kindly and Bringing him nome with Us 10 the Old brown
house at the corner, where We were then living.
There sort Of cagerneSs and vividness Of manner
could not help watching him and his cloak, which
kept slipping from It's place ana whch ne cangm al
again f agai b We a wSei ad az br i eager w
Aftcrward we were told thas this Leigh Hunt.
We knew his name very we'll for the drawngroom
table i'm company with vanou, Rushins and Punches
lay a pretty, shining book, called " jar Oh money
from Mount Iyba from Mc IN ta Gstae'
and search for something else We had contfived 70
cxtract our own allowance Of honey. II was still an
event 10 see real author in those days specially
author with long cloak hlms over M shoHu'F'
though for the matter Of mat IL !, sun ai" a.,
WAYS Will be an event 20 see the faces ana
hear the voices Of those whose thoughts nave aaed
something delightful 10 our i've NHt Eed! iyhs
same company of people. ! had thrown open The
dining-room door and come IN hurried, 1oAtns tpr
rg I,, Wi Iooi"o ncr.on stood alone by the fire
%iace Win folded arms dark impressveoohing man.
not tall but broad, and brown ana wedlisr-Dttalen
gazing with sort Of ,cGw a, M own Tgneot ve ma ia
shoulder. This time 1t was Irenwn', Srons
hioeapher and companion VINO had conc 10 q my
from tne IVo' The talk o. nv kind neighbor John
to rise before ones Imagination. once Jaw III q
crystal lochet the lock OF hair which ne wore upon ms
forehead. once Mr.. browning showed ne a plctuie
Of him taken I'm his carly days. more hkc tat on
young divinity than of any mortal peer. Ihc nneleys
and familiar 10 us that 1t scarcely possible 10
believe they have never known OF 9sr eNiste.ee, Uns
hensiye way showed me the beautiful portraits II
Goiwln and Mary Wost9necrait hanEnE IN S.r iery
thing Of his own nobility The mother Of Mary shelley
was born noble, as generous and devoted as Nslg
Of all the things l ever heard Of Mary shelley Mrs.
Kemble's pathetic story hannts one WIN smucst PIT
sstencc. and seems 10 sigh hack the curtain Oh ue
Bring mp hoy 70 h gy f %rs n Fasnr Ks SF,
herself in her early Youth ara 10 'lS Gse b ,a
mothers passionate answer; A. no. no. Drhs HIN
UP one Of fhe most notable persons who cams
into our old bow-window drawingroom IN louhg st. IS
A quest never 10 be forgotten by me. tny delcate.
little person. whose small hand nevertheless gIye,pF
a mighty lever which set all the literary word 81
a.. ,f,,y
plainly the hot summer evening. the open windows,
tho carriage driving 10 the door as we all SAT silent
ard eXpectant my father who rarely waited waiting
with us orr Governess and my sister ard all IN a
row. and prepared for the great event We saw mo
knit figure Of Young Mr.. George smith, who was
bringing Miss Br,nte to see Our father. MY iatner,
ont into the hall t. meet his guests. and then after
a moments delay the door opens wide and the two
ilttc lady pale. with fair straight hair and steady
eyes. she may be little over thlrty ne t !, arSsr
moss She enters in mtens' IN sesG enc IN
ness orr hearts are heating win wid exci,er1eit
books have set al London talking resding specuiat,
bSo,s-the wonderful books To say that we little
yirs had been given Jane Eyre 10 read scarcelv
represents the facts Of the case to say that we had
taken II without leave read bits here and read bits
Hitherto oe nnimarlrcd whirwind into things times
places all utterly absorbing and AZ the same time
absolutely un'nt"cibe T. Us. would more accurately
describe our states of mind that summers evcn-
Ing a. look at Jane Eyre-the great Jane Eyre-the
tiny little llIy. Tho moment : 50 breaihless tht
occasion and all smile as my father stoopS 10
offer his arm for. genius though She may be. Mss
broge can barely ran An Gs eo SomowS, g%n s
stern. specially t. forward little girls who wish n
chater Mr. Gcors smith has n Fsn ,Gd me E9I
forbearance and g,ncucs' with orr uncalod for IN;
him Win klndl!ne ewes Of interest; lighting up with
sort % illumination every now and thcn as $40 an,
Sverod him. | can her bending fprv ard over tls
bnf list % what he SAID as n9
carved the dish before him. ... ....-,,,
that liy ltAcg myIted sJnc Of his friends IN ths
eHIns 10 meet Hiss BIOAte-iOr every D0dy was III
terestcu and anxious 10 see her Als. tro~c'
neld Cars le, Mr.. Carlyle himself was there, 81
tod, railing at the appearance OF coc"neys upon
American, IUg ms TASTE, Dut te Americans were IS
compared 10 the c"cknoys says tne philosopher.
re!ry, Ms. Proctor and ncr daughter. most OF my
Iatncrs hiDltua ulcnds and cOYdlo.s. III the IeceA.
IN wnIcn LOru IiOushton ai,O VA, convened. "oala
that Had ueen present perhaps Tie party "oGid
evening. Every one waited Tor the brilliant con-
NcrsatiOn when never began AZ all. MISS broate
word and tnen 10 ON hid sOvprnes>, Mss iF1e
locA. Thc room loOAed very darA the lamp teela -
dim, the ladies' sat around suA eApcctdt, my lAlaeP
va, too mueh peltGroed Dy the gioo'n 'l'a tha
nod, who was IN the doorway by tne study, near
the corner in winch Miss Bionte was sitting, leans
not to be the order OF Tue evenlng " DO you AA1
London Miss Brontc . she said another silence, .
pause, then Miss BlOnte answers Yes aud No" very
.raveiy and there the conversation drops. My sister
and / much TOO yOune To be bored IA those
days: alarmed, impressed We might be, but not yes
bored. \ parry was a party, a hOness was a Homes,
and-shall confess it.-dt that time extra Dish
OF biscuits was enough to mara the evening. We
lclt all the importance of The occasion tea spreI
IN the dining room, ladies in the drawingrOOm,
We r0amcd about ncOnycn.enty, doubt. and ex-
ctcdy, and In one of my excursions crossing the
hall, | surprised 10 see my father open
ina
lie put his fingers To his lips walked QUO
into the darkness and shut the door quietly behind
him. When went back to the drawing room again
the ladies asked where he / vaguely an
swcred that | thought he coming back. ! was
puzzled al the time nor IL all made clear % me
ill long years aftcrward, when one day Mrs. Proctor
asked me If | knew what had happened once when my
father had invited party 10 meet Jane Eyre az DS
house IL was one of the dul.es evening, she had
ever ,ppnt I'm her life. she SAID. And then, with
good deal of humor She described the situation tho
ladies' who had all come expecting much delightful
conversation ana the gloom ana the c1nstrint, and