New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-17

> any society SAID that Charlotte Bronte was the
most difficult woman 10 talk 10 she hao ever M
q That evening at Thackeray's house she uleu
hard to enter into conversation with her az
BroOkheld used 10 relate with some humor %n .
she called my conversation with Charlotte
Bronte" She said. Il opened IL 10y saying
hoped she liked London; TO which Charlotte
Bronte replied CURLY. I do and don Natu-
rally, Mrs Brookhelds audience used 70 "a. io
moIe but said Mrs. Brookheld. that is all
IL Miss Bronte did not talk much, as was usuAi
with her. she kept her eyes open one OF MI
Thackeray's guests Miss Adelaide Proctor
and those who remember that lady-s charming
{ personality will not be surprised to learn that
was greatly attracted by her During our drive
homo / seated opposite 10 Miss Bronte anu
vas startled by her leaning forward, putting her
hands on my knees and saying. she woulu
make YOU a very nice wife" whom 40 you
mean?" replied. ''oh! you know whom mean,
she said; and relapsed into silence. Thoush
/ admired Miss Proctor very much. II was not
case Of love at first sight as Miss Bronte sup
posed -.
Charlotte Bronte. he offended her by railing 20
respect the anonymity BEHIND Whlch, az ne
time she was very anxious TO screen herself
on another occasion Thackeray reused the ma
den fire in Charlotte Bronte's soul. and was
badly scorched himself as the result My mother
and / had taken her to one of Thackerays lect-
ures on The English HumoTists Atter the
lecture Thackeray came down from the platform
and shook hands with many of the audience
receiving their congratulations and compliments
He was in high spirits and rather thought!essly
said TO his mother-Mrs. Carmichael Smyth-
Mother. you must allow me to introduce you 10
Jane Eyre" This was uttered in loud voice.
audible over half of the ROOM everybody hcdl
turned round and stared at the dlscohceTleu
little lady who grew confused and angry When
she realized that every eye was f1xed upon her'
My mother got her away as quickly as posSioie,
on the next afternoon Thackeray called
arrived home shortly afterward, and When
entered the drawing room found scene in full
progress. Only these two were in the ROOM
Thackeray standing on the hearth rug LOOK,
ing anything but happy Charlotte Bronte St sa
close to him. witt head thrown back and race
white with anger. The first words heard We're
'No. sir! II you had come 10 our part OF the
thought of me If ] had introduced you to my
father before mixed company OF strangers
as Mr. Warrington" Thackeray replied, NO:
you mean Arthur Pendennis.' NO, don
mean Arthur Pendennis! retorted Miss Bronte;
Il mean Mr.. Warrington. and Mr. Warrington
would not have behaved as you behaved 10 me
hardly reaching to Thackerays eloo". put
somehow. looking stronger and mercer than NM
self and casting her incisive words at his heao,
resembled the dropping Of shells INTO a tort
ress.
BY this time had recovered my presence OF
mind, and FASTENED TO interpose. Thackeray
made the necessary and half humorous apologies
and the parting was friendly one
Thackeray shocked Charlotte Bronte sadly by
the fashion of his talk on literary subjects. The
truth is Charlotte Bronte's heroics reused
TEackeray's antagonism He declined 10 pose
a pedestal for her admiration, and with
characteristic contrariety of nature he seemed
say the very things that set Charlotte
frOnted all he- ideals. He insisted on discussing
his books very much a clerk in bank would
discuss the ledgers he had 10 keep for salary.
But all this was, on Thackerays part an arec-
tation-an affectation into which he was pro
voked by what he considered Charlotte Bronte's
high falutin'. Miss Bronte wanted TO persuade
him shat he was a great man with a mission
and Thackeray with many wicked jests. de-
clined to recognize the mission
But. despite all this, Charlotte Bronte, much as
she scolded Thackeray. never doubted his great
ness. He was, she once said. "A Titan in mind
Before Thackeray went to America in the
autumn Of 1892 had portrait of him made
Laurence a
daughters. My mother took Charlotte Bronte 10
see it at the artists studio 1t was very me
and expressive rendering of Thackeray's power
full head. Charlotte Bront6 stood looking long
upon il in silence; and then. as If quoting the
words uncOnSciOuSly, she said: There came up
a lion out of Judah"
After Charlotte Brontes first visit to our house
her anonymity was dropped and people natur-
ally tried to draw her out. She shrank from this
or resented il, and seemed to place herself under
my mothers for protection. My mother
accepted the position, and was generally equal
to il, but sometimes, when accident left Char
lOtte Bronte exposed TO a direct attack, the fire
concealed beneath her mildness broke out. The
first time this happened l was not little sur
prised. G. H. Lewes, who was lunching with u.s.
had the indiscretion to say across the table.
There ought to be a bond of sympathy between
naughty booksr'' This fired the train with
vengeance, and an explosion followed. / listened
with mingled admiration and alarm to the in
dignant eloquence with which that impertnent
remark was answered.
BY way of parenthesis. I may say that Jane
many people TO be an immoral book My mother
told me one evening that Lady Herschel having
you leave such a book as his about, at the risk
of your daughters reading it?' Charlotte
Bronte herself was quite unconscious that the
book possessed. in any degree a reputation Of
this sort; and she was much surprised af-
fronted when Lady EastlaKe-then Miss Rigby-
Review" December. 1919 brutally said that
IF il were written by woman, II must be by
one who had forfeited the right to the society
OF her sex"
Charlotte Bronte had much nobility Of charac-
ter; she had an almost exaggerated sense of duty;
she was scrupulously honest and perfectly just.
When Sir James stephen, the father Of the
late Justice Stephen. said to me during a long
conversation I had with him at Cambridge
a very delicate subject, 81 have lived long and
not unohservant life. and have never yet met
with perfectly just woman" l could not help
thinking that he had never met Charlotte
Bronte. Miss Bronte was critical of character.
but not Of action; this she judged favorably and
kindly. Generally. thought. she put too kind
an Interpretation on the actions Of a friend.
"Nlette' is full of scenes which one can trace
10 incidents which occurred during Miss BrOntes
visits to US.
The scene at the theatre at Brussels in that
suggested by Rachel whom We took her to see
more than once The scene of the fire comes
from slight accident TO the scenery at Devon
shire House. where Charles Dickens, Mr.. Forster
and other men Of letters gave a performance.
l took Charlotte Bronte and one of my sisters
10 DeVonshire House, and when the perform
ance, which was for charity. repeated I
took another of my sisters. who had been too
unwell 10 go on the first occasion. and a Miss ID.
At one stage OF the second performance the
scenery caught fire. There was some risk of a
general panic. and took my sister and Miss D.
each by the wrist, and held them down till the
panic had ceased. seem to have written a
description Of the occurrence TO Miss Bronte
Tor / ind that she refers to II in one of her
letters. saying. 1T is easy TO realize the scene
In 'Nillette" my mother was the original OF
Mrs. Breton; several Of her expressions are
given verbatim. myself. as ! discovered. stood
/ Ter Dr. John. Charlotte Bronte admitted this
( TO Mrs. Gaskel to whom she wrote, Il was
kept waiting longer than usual for Mr. Smiths
opinion of the book and was rather uneasy