Evening star., 1929-12-01

There are strong indications that the
American people are to become the
principal preServers of European, and
particularly British. Shrines and relics
associated with historical persons. and
especially with literary figures of the
past. In the collections of rich Ameri-
cans are to be found large number of
invaluable first editions OF famous works
and of original manuscripts. The
manuscript division Of the Library Of
Congress has an important and steadily
increasing collection of rare originals
many either lent or donated by wealthy
individuals.
But American interest Is going be-
yond the acquisition of books and
papers. 1t has become concerned with
the places where important literary
people lived. The new Shakespeare
memorial at Stratford-on- Avon, to re-
place the old one DESTROYED by FIRE a
few years ago, was constructed largely
through donations of Americans, al
though contributions came from all over
the world. 1t Is said, however, that the
American contributions are equal to all
the others put together.
This seems to be an inevitable devel-
opment. From the beginning of his
tory younger and richer nations have
taken up the responsibility of preserv-
ing the valuable relics of older nations.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries England played leading part
in this respect, individuals of wealth
and the government itself gathering up
all manner Of relics. The Elgin Mar
bles, brought from the Acropolis at
Athens by the Earl OF Elgin, conSti-
tute a typical example.
/. The latest movement in which Amer
leans are. taking the leadership is the
preservation and establishment as a
literary museum of the parsonage at
Haworth, in England, which was
the home Of the Bronte sisters,
clergyman who distinguished them
selves by their writings. The Ha-
worth parsonage lends itself to the uses
OF a museum and shrine because of the
tragedy in the lives of the sisters and
the difficulties and handicaps under
which they carried on their work at
that place. The SiStcl cls-Charlotte
Emily and Anne-lived a closely Sc
queStered life at Haworth and with in
defatigable toll turned out their manu-
scripts.
The parsonage of Haworth is situated
in quiet part Of Yorkshire. Although
the advance Of industrial development
in the country has brought some
changes such as railroads and factories,
on the whole the countryside is much
as it was during the period of the sisters
literary labors some rs years ago.
The Bronte Household.
The Rev. Patrick Bronte, father of the
writer's, had three other children and
so numerous family meant straitened
living conditions, as the remuneration
Of an English clergyman a century ago
was not muniflcent. This meant a mini
mum of books and other educational IA
cilities for the girls. They worked at
different times as governesses in neigh
boring families, but chiefly their time
seems to have been spent in the lonely
parsonage. Their lack of funds was en-
phasized because their only brother
Branwen Bronte, aSpired to an artistic
career and all available cash was di-
verted to him in an effort to further
this ambition. Although he was entered
for the study of painting at the Royal
Academy, he quickly Squandered his
funds and came home. Very early he
took to drink and when about 80 years
Of age died chiefly as the result of his
eXceSSeS.
While the sisters were yet children