Brontës (216 page)

62.
CB to EN, 23 Apr 1851: MS Gr. E22 p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 608]. The date of the visit was fixed in CB to Mrs Smith, 20 May 1851: MS SG 11b p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 618]. Subsequently it was brought forward to 28 May so that Charlotte could attend a lecture by Thackeray: CB to EN, 2June [1851]: MS p.1, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 627].

63.
Ibid.; CB to EN, [?24 May 1851]: MS HM 24480 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 622].

64.
CB to PB, [31 May 1851]: MS pp.1–2, Harvard, [
LCB
, ii, 625]; CB to EN, 2June [1851]: MS p.1, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 627].

65.
Smith,
A Memoir
, 99; ECG,
Life
, 380–1; CB to PB, [31 May 1851]: MS p.2, Harvard, [
LCB
, ii, 625].

66.
Ibid, pp.2–3 [
LCB
, ii, 625]; CB to EN, 2June [1851]: MS p.3, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 627–8]; ECG,
Life
, 381. For Forbes' gifts to Charlotte see CB to WSW, 12 Apr 1850: MS HM 24394 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 382]; CB to GS, 19 Apr 1851: MS SG 48 pp.3–4, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 607]. As Gaskell points out, Charlotte later used this incident in
Villette
where Paul Emanuel confronts Lucy Snowe and demands to know her opinion of his lecture.

67.
CB to EN, 2June [1851]: MS p.3, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 627]; Smith,
A Memoir
, 99–100. George Warrington was the friend who shared Arthur Pendennis' chambers and was one of the few good influences on his life in Thackeray's novel
Pendennis
(1848).

68.
CB to PB, [31 May 1851]: MS pp.3–4, Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 625]; CB to EN, 2June [1851]: MS pp.3–4, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 628].

69.
CB to PB, 7 June [1851]: MS MA 2696 R-V pp.2–3, PM [
LCB
, ii, 630–1]; CB to Amelia Taylor, 7June 1851: MS pp.2–3, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 633].

70.
CB to PB, 14 June 1851: MS Ashley 167 p.2, BL [
LCB
, ii, 636]; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648]; CB to PB, 26 June 1851: MS BS 81.6 p.3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 650].

71.
CB to MW, 14 July 1851: MS FM 10 p.3, Fitzwilliam [
LCB
, ii, 666]. Charlotte qualified her remark by saying that she made an exception ‘in favour of those who possess a large range of scientific knowledge. Once I went with Sir David Brewster and perceived that he looked on objects with other eyes than mine.'

72.
CB to Amelia Taylor, 11 June [1851]; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

73.
CB to Sydney Dobell, [28 June 1851]: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 652]; CB,
Villette
, 322; CB to Amelia Taylor, 11 June [1851]: MS p.2, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 635]. Consciously playing on the biblical origin of the name Rachel, Charlotte called her fictional actress Vashti after the wilful queen of King Ahasuerus in Esther chs.1–2.

74.
CB to Amelia Taylor, 7June [1851]: MS p.3, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 633]; CB to PB, 14 June 1851: MS Ashley 167 pp.2–3, BL [
LCB
, ii, 636–7]; CB to Sydney Dobell, [28 June 1851]: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 651–2].

75.
CB to PB, [17 June 1851]: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 640–1].

76.
CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

77.
CB to EN, 11 June [1851]: MS pp.1–2, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 635]; CB to EN, 19 June [1851]: MS HM 24481 p.3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 643].

78.
CB to ECG, [?14 June 1851]: MS HM 26010 pp.2–3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 639]; CB to EN, 19 June [1851]: MS HM 24481 p.1, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 642]; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.1, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

79.
Ibid., pp.2–4 [
LCB
, ii, 648]. Charlotte was also invited to a private viewing of the Earl of Ellesmere's picture collection: CB to PB, 26 June 1851: MS BS 81.6 p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 650].

80.
CB to PB, 14 June 1851: MS Ashley 167 p.4, BL [
LCB
, ii, 637]; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.1, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

81.
CB to Richard Monckton Milnes, 17 June [1851]: MS pp.1–2, TCC [
LCB
, ii, 639]; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

82.
CB to Mrs Gore, 28 June [1851]: MS p.1, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 653]. See also CB to Mrs Gore, 21 June [1851]: MS Bon 237 p.1, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 644–5]; CB to Mrs Gore, 24 June [1851]: MS Berg [
LCB
, ii, 647]. For the gift of the book see CB to GS, [1 Aug 1850]: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 434].

83.
CB to EN, 2 June [1851]: MS p.5, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 628].

84.
Jenifer Glyn,
Prince of Publishers: A Biography of George Smith
(London, 1986), 45–57; CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.4, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648]; Smith,
A Memoir
, 15.

85.
CB to EN, 24 June [1851]: MS HM 24482 p.4, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 648].

86.
CB to GS, 2July 1851: MS SG 56 p.1, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 656–7]; Smith,
A Memoir
, 95.

87.
J.P. Browne, Phrenological Estimate of the talents and disposition of a Gentleman, 29 June 1851: MS SG 101 p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 661].

88.
J.P. Browne, Phrenological Estimate of the talents and disposition of a Lady, 29 June 1851: MS SG 100 pp.1–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 657–9].

89.
CB to GS, 8July 1851: MS SG 51 pp.5, 3–4, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 663].

90.
CB to ECG, [?14 June 1851]: MS HM 26010, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 638–9]; CB to ECG, 18 June [1851]: MS at Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 641–2].

91.
CB to GS, 1July 1851: MS SG 49 pp.1–2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 655]. The Gaskells rented Plymouth Grove for £150 a year – little short of Patrick's entire annual income: ECG to Eliza Fox, [?Apr 1850] [C&P, 107–8].

92.
CB to Mrs Smith, 1July 1851: MS p.2, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 654]; CB to ECG, 6 Aug 1851: MS EL fB91 p.6, Rylands [
LCB
, ii, 677].

93.
CB to Mrs Smith, 1July 1851: MS p.2, Brotherton [
LCB
, ii, 654].

94.
CB to PB, 14 June 1851: MS Ashley 167 p.4, BL [
LCB
, ii, 637].

95.
CB to GS, 8July 1851: MS SG 51 pp.6–7, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 663–4].

96.
CB to MW, 14 July 1851: MS FM 10 pp.1–2, Fitzwilliam [
LCB
, ii, 665–6].

97.
CB to EN, 31 Dec 1851: MS HM 24487 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 734];
LI
, 26 July 1851 p.7. The 2sermons raised £21 3s. 9d. for the Sunday schools.

98.
CB to EN, [?28 July 1851]: MS p.2, TCC [
LCB
, ii, 671]; Henry Robinson to CB, 23 July 1851: MS n.l., typescript in Brotherton [
L&L
, iii, 264–5]. Not for the first or last time, Ellen disobeyed Charlotte's injunction to burn the letter after she had read it.

99.
CB to EN, [?28 July 1851]: MS p.2, TCC [
LCB
, ii, 671].

100.
HG
, 2Aug 1851 p.5; CB to EN, 10 Sept 1851: MS BS 82.7 p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 689].

101.
CB to EN, [1Sept 1851]: MS HM 24484 p.3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 685].

102.
CB to EN, 17 Sept 1851: MS MA 4500, PM [
LCB
, ii, 692]; CB to EN, 10 Sept 1851: MS BS 82.7 pp.1–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 688–9]; CB to EN, [?20 Sept 1851]: MS BS 83 pp.1–2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 94].

103.
CB to EN, 25 Nov [1851]: MS BS 84 p.2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 723]; CB to EN, 8Dec 1851: MS BS 84.5 p.3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 726].

104.
CB to GS, 8Sept 1851: MS SG 55 pp.2–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 687]. Charlotte had already turned down the offer of a series from the
New York Tribune
: Charles A. Dana to CB, 11 Jan 1851: MS in private hands [
LCB
, ii, 551].

105.
CB to GS, 9 Aug 1851: MS SG 54 pp.1–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 680]. See also CB to GS, 31 July 1851: MS SG 52 pp.1–2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 672]; CB to GS, 4Aug 1851: MS SG 53 pp.1, 3–4, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 674–5].

106.
CB to EN, [1Sept 1851]: MS HM 24484 p.3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 685]; CB to EN, 5 May 1851: MS HM 24478 p.4, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 612]. Morgan was a great Tractarian: having once distributed among the poor of Haworth a Religious Tract Society's publication which had adopted William Grimshaw's letter ‘It is well with you' as a text, he was afterwards beset by people running after him for copies of the tract on his frequent visits to Haworth: Morgan,
The Parish Priest Pourtrayed
, 42.

107.
BO
, 4Sept 1851 p.5. The buildings had
cost £1600 and were also used as the church Sunday school: ibid., 30 Oct 1851 p.5;
HG
, 1 Nov 1851 p.5;
BO
, 6Nov 1851 p.5. Morgan was still rector of Hulcott when he died in Bath, aged 76, on 25 March 1858: ibid., 1Apr 1858 p.8.

108.
CB to MW, 22 Sept 1851: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 700]; CB to EN, 3 Oct 1851: MS p.1, Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 703]. The Ladies' Book Club in Penzance had been an assiduous supporter of Currer Bell, purchasing each of the novels as they were published: MS Record Book of the Ladies' Book Club, 1770–1912, TLP (3Dec 1847
Jane Eyre
; 8 Nov 1849
Shirley
; 29 Mar 1853
Villette
; 4 May 1857 ECG,
Life
).

109.
CB to MW, 22 Sept 1851: MS n.l. [
LCB
, ii, 700]; CB to EN, 3Oct 1851: MS pp.1–2, Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 703].

110.
CB to MW, 21 Oct 1851: MS FM 11 pp.2–3, Fitzwilliam [
LCB
, ii, 704–5]; CB to EN, 19 Nov 1851: MS HM 24485 pp.1–2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 719].

111.
CB to ECG, 6Nov 1851: MS EL fB91 p.2, Rylands [
LCB
, ii, 710]; CB to EN, [?6or 7 Nov 1851]: MS Bon 238 p.1, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 711]; CB to Mrs Forster, 28 Oct 1851: MS in private hands [
LCB
, ii, 706].

112.
CB to EN, [?11 Nov 1851]: MS pp.1–2, Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 715–6]; CB to James Taylor, 15 Nov 1851: MS MA 2696 R-V pp.2, PM [
LCB
, ii, 717].

113.
CB to EN, [?11 Nov 1851]: MS pp.1–2, Harvard [
LCB
, ii, 716]; CB to EN, 19 Nov 1851: MS 24485 pp.2–3, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 719]; CB to EN, 2 June [1851]: MS p.4, Berg [
LCB
, ii, 628]. For Williams' opinion of Taylor see CB to WSW, 1Jan 1852: MS n.l. [
LCB
, iii, 3–4].

114.
CB to GS, [?late Aug 1851]: MS SG 91 pp.1–2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 683–4]: ‘this speciality is perceptible only in the slightest degree – quite imperceptible for Miss M[artineau] but it is there – and more or less you have it always' Charlotte told Smith: ibid, p.2. [
LCB
, ii, 684].

115.
CB to GS, 15 Sept 1851: MS SG 56 pp.2–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 690–1]. The repeated phrase is evidence that Charlotte drafted this letter before replying and made an error in copying it.

116.
CB to GS, 22 Sept 1851: MS SG 57 pp.2–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 699–700].

117.
CB to GS, 20 Nov 1851: MS SG 60 pp.2–3, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 720].

118.
CB to GS, 28 Nov 1851: MS SG 61 p.5, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 724].

119.
CB to EN, [?6or 7Nov 1851]: MS Bon 238 p.1, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 711].

120.
CB to Mrs Smith, 29 Jan 1852: MS SG 12b pp.2–3, BPM [
LCB
, iii, 13–14].

121.
CB to EN, [?16] Dec 1851: MS HM 24486 pp.1–2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 730].

122.
CB to EN, 8Dec 1851: MS BS 84 pp.1–2, BPM [
LCB
, ii, 726].

123.
CB to EN, [?16] Dec 1851: MS HM 24486 p.2, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 730].

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: VILLETTE

1.
CB to EN, 31 Dec 1851: MS HM 24487 p.1, Huntington [
LCB
, ii, 734]. Charlotte later said Ellen could only be spared from home for a few days but mistakenly described the visit as taking place in early January: CB to Laetitia Wheelwright, 12 Apr 1852: MS p.1, Princeton [
LCB
, iii, 39].

2.
CB to MW, 20 Jan [1852]: MS FM 12 p.2, Fitzwilliam [
LCB
, iii, 10]. As she often did at the start of a new year, Charlotte wrongly wrote the date as 1851. William Ruddock (1814–60), had studied in Leeds and London and in 1837 became a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, ‘the basic legal qualification for a GP'; despite nearly killing his most famous patient he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1857. He lived in Keighley and is buried in the churchyard there: Ruddock Mackay, ‘Dr William Ruddock (1814–1860): A Brief Memoir',
BST
:27:1:76–8.

3.
CB to EN, [?14 Jan 1852]: MS Bon 240 p.1, BPM [
LCB
, iii, 6]; CB to EN, 16 Jan 1852: MS HM 24488 pp.2–3, Huntington [
LCB
, iii, 7].

4.
CB to Laetitia Wheelwright, 12 Apr 1852: MS p.2, Princeton [
LCB
, iii, 39].

5.
W.E. Forster to Richard Monckton Milnes, [Jan 1852] [James Pope-Hennessy,
Monckton Milnes: The Flight of Youth, 1851–1885
(London, 1951), 65–6].

6.
PB to Richard Monckton Milnes, 16 Jan 1852: MS pp.1–2, TCC [
LRPB
, 210–11].