Chapter I: Front Matter

THE BRONTE FAMILY

WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO

PATRICK BRANWELL BRONTE

VOL. II.

BY

FRANCIS A. LEYLAND.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1886.

_All rights reserved._

CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

The Sojourn in Brussels Resolved upon--Why Charlotte fixed on Brussels for Higher Education--Charlotte and Emily take up their Residence with Madame Heger--A Picture of the Prospect in 'Villette'--At the Pensionnat--Madame Heger--Monsieur Heger--Charlotte likes Brussels--Her Contrast between the Belgians and the English--Death of Miss Branwell--Return to Haworth 1

CHAPTER II.

Branwell at the Parsonage: his Loneliness--'The Epicurean's Song'--'Song'--Northangerland--'Noah's Warning over Methusaleh's Grave'--Letter to Mr. Grundy--Miss Branwell's Death--Her Will--Her Nephew Remembered--Injustice done to Him in this Matter by the Biographers of his Sisters 20

CHAPTER III.

Christmas, 1842--Branwell is Cheerful--Charlotte goes to Brussels for another Year--Branwell receives Appointment as Tutor--Branwell visits Halifax, and meets Mr. Grundy there--Charlotte's Mental Depression in Brussels--Mrs. Gaskell attributes it to Branwell's Conduct--Proofs that it was Not so--Charlotte's 'Disappointment' at Brussels--She returns to Haworth--Branwell's Misplaced Attachment--He is sent away to New Scenes 33

CHAPTER IV.

Branwell after his Disappointment--Parallel for his State of Mind in that of Lady Byron--Mrs. Gaskell's Misconceptions--True State of the Case--Charlotte Illustrates it in her Poem of 'Preference'-- She alludes to Branwell's Condition in 'The Professor'--Mrs. Gaskell Compelled to Omit her Account in the Later Editions of her Work--Branwell's Prostration and Ill-health at the Time 53

CHAPTER V.

Review of Branwell's past Experiences of Life--He seeks Relief in Literary Occupation--He Proposes to Write a Three-volume Novel--His Letter on the Subject--One Volume Completed--His Capability of Writing a Novel--His Letter to Mr. Grundy on his Disappointment 78

CHAPTER VI.

'Real Rest'--Comments--Spirit of Branwell and Emily Identical-- Letter to Leyland--Branwell Broods on his Sorrows--'Penmaenmawr' --Comments--He still Searches and Hopes for Employment--Charlotte's somewhat Overdrawn Expressions--The Alleged Elopement Proposal-- Probable Origin of the Story 94

CHAPTER VII.

The Sisters as Writers of Poetry--They Decide to Publish--Each begins a Novel--The Spirit under which the Work was Undertaken-- 'The Professor'--'Agnes Grey'--'Wuthering Heights'--Branwell's Condition--A Touching Incident--'Epistle from a Father to a Child in her Grave'--Letter with Sonnet--Publication of the Sisters' Poems 113

CHAPTER VIII.

Death of Branwell's late Employer--Branwell's Disappointment--His Letters--His Delusion--Leyland's Medallion of Him--Mr. Bronte's Blindness--Branwell's Statement to Mr. Grundy in Reference to 'Wuthering Heights'--The Sisters Relinquish the Intention of Opening a School 138

CHAPTER IX.

Branwell's Sardonic Humour--Mr. Grundy's Visit to him at Haworth--Errors regarding the Period of it--Tragic Description --Probable Ruse of Branwell--Correspondence between him and Mr. Grundy ceases--Writes to Leyland--A Plaintive Verse-- Another Letter 160

CHAPTER X.

'Wuthering Heights'--Reception of the Book by the Public--It is Misunderstood--Its Authorship--Mr. Dearden's Account-- Statements of Mr. Edward Sloane and Mr. Grundy--Remarks by Mr. T. Wemyss Reid--Correspondences between 'Wuthering Heights' and Branwell's Letters--The 'Carving-knife Episode'--Further Correspondences--Resemblances of Thought in Branwell and Emily 178

CHAPTER XI.

Statement of Charlotte that her Sister Anne wrote the Book in consequence of her Brother's Conduct--Supposition of Some that Branwell was the Prototype of Huntingdon--The Characters are Entirely Distinct--Real Sources of the Story--Anne Bronte at Pains to Avoid a Suspicion that Huntingdon was a Portrait of Branwell 216

CHAPTER XII.

Novel-writing--The Sisters' Method of Work--Branwell's Failing Health and Irregularities--'Jane Eyre'--Its Reception and Character--It was not Influenced by Branwell--Letter and Sketches of Branwell, 1848 229

CHAPTER XIII.

Branwell's Poetical Work--Sketch of the Materials which he intended to use in the Poem of 'Morley Hall'--The Poem--The Subject left Incomplete--Branwell's Poem, 'The End of All'--His Letter to Leyland asking an Opinion on his Poem, 'Percy Hall' --Observations--The Poem 242

CHAPTER XIV.

Charlotte Corresponds on Literary Subjects--Novels--Confession of Authorship--Branwell's Failing Health--He Writes to Leyland --Branwell and Mr. George Searle Phillips--Branwell's Intellect Retains its Power--His Description of 'Professor Leonidas Lyon'--The latter Gentleman's Account of his Reading of 'Jane Eyre'--Branwell's Remarks on Charlotte and the Work 264

CHAPTER XV.

Branwell's failing Health--Chronic Bronchitis and Marasmus--His Death--Charlotte's allusions to it--Correction of some Statements relating to it--Summary of the subsequent History of the Bronte Family 277

CHAPTER XVI.

Branwell's Character in his Poetry--The Pious and Tender Tone of Mind which it Displays--Branwell's Tendency to Dwell on the Past rather than on the Future--Illustrated--The Sad Tone of his Mind--He is Inclined to be Morbid--The Way in which Branwell regarded Nature--Observations on the Character Displayed in his Works 287

THE BRONTE FAMILY.