Chapter II

State of Charlotte Brontë's health at the commencement of 1847--Family trials--"Wuthering Heights" and "Agnes Grey" accepted by a publisher--"The Professor" rejected--Completion of "Jane Eyre", its reception and publication--The reviews of "Jane Eyre", and the author's comments on them--Her father's reception of the book--Public interest excited by "Jane Eyre"--Dedication of the second edition to Mr. Thackeray--Correspondence of Currer Bell with Mr. Lewes on "Jane Eyre"--Publication of "Wuthering Heights" and "Agnes Grey"--Miss Brontë's account of the authoress of "Wuthering Heights"--Domestic anxieties of the Brontë sisters--Currer Bell's correspondence with Mr. Lewes--Unhealthy state of Haworth--Charlotte Brontë on the revolutions of 1848--Her repudiation of authorship--Anne Brontë's second tale, "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall"--Misunderstanding as to the individuality of the three Bells, and its results--Currer and Acton Bell visit London--Charlotte Brontë's account of her visit--The Chapter Coffee House--The Clergy Daughters' School at Casterton--Death of Branwell Brontë--Illness and death of Emily Brontë.

CHAPTER III.

The Quarterly Review on "Jane Eyre"--Severe illness of Anne Brontë--Her last verses--She is removed to Scarborough--Her last hours, and death and burial there--Charlotte's return to Haworth, and her loneliness.

CHAPTER IV.

Commencement and completion of "Shirley"--Originals of the characters, and circumstances under which it was written--Loss on railway shares--Letters to Mr. Lewes and other friends on "Shirley," and the reviews of it--Miss Brontë visits London, meets Mr. Thackeray, and makes the acquaintance of Miss Martineau--Her impressions of literary men.

CHAPTER V.

"Currer Bell" identified as Miss Brontë at Haworth and the vicinity--Her letter to Mr. Lewes on his review of "Shirley"--Solitude and heavy mental sadness and anxiety--She visits Sir J. and Lady Kay Shuttleworth--Her comments on critics, and remarks on Thackeray's "Pendennis" and Scott's "Suggestions on Female Education"--Opinions of "Shirley" by Yorkshire readers.

CHAPTER VI.

An unhealthy spring at Haworth--Miss Brontë's proposed visit to London--Her remarks on "The Leader"--Associations of her walks on the moors--Letter to an unknown admirer of her works--Incidents of her visit to London--Her impressions of a visit to Scotland--Her portrait, by Richmond--Anxiety about her father.

CHAPTER VII.

Visit to Sir J. and Lady Kay Shuttleworth--The biographer's impressions of Miss Brontë--Miss Brontë's account of her visit to the Lakes of Westmoreland--Her disinclination for acquaintance and visiting--Remarks on "Woman's Mission," Tennyson's "In Memoriam," etc.--Impressions of her visit to Scotland--Remarks on a review in the "Palladium."

CHAPTER VIII.

Intended republication of "Wuthering Heights" and "Agnes Grey"--Reaction after her visit to Scotland--Her first meeting with Mr. Lewes--Her opinion of Balzac and George Sand--A characteristic incident--Account of a friendly visit to Haworth Parsonage--Remarks on "The Roman," by Sydney Dobell, and on the character of Dr. Arnold--Letter to Mr. Dobell.

CHAPTER IX.

Miss Brontë's visit to Miss Martineau, and estimate of her hostess--Remarks on Mr. Ruskin's "Stones of Venice"--Preparations for another visit to London--Letter to Mr. Sydney Dobell: the moors in autumn--Mr. Thackeray's second lecture at Willis's Rooms, and sensation produced by Currer Bell's appearance there--Her account of her visit to London--She breakfasts with Mr. Rogers, visits the Great Exhibition, and sees Lord Westminster's pictures--Return to Haworth and letter thence--Her comment on Mr. Thackeray's Lecture--Counsel on development of character.

CHAPTER X.

Remarks on friendship--Letter to Mrs. Gaskell on her and Miss Martineau's views of the Great Exhibition and Mr. Thackeray's lecture, and on the "Saint's Tragedy"--Miss Brontë's feelings towards children--Her comments on Mr. J. S. Mill's article on the Emancipation of Women--More illness at Haworth Parsonage--Letter on Emigration--Periodical returns of illness--Miss Wooler visits Haworth--Miss Brontë's impressions of her visit to London--Her account of the progress of Villette--Her increasing illness and sufferings during winter--Her letter on Mr. Thackeray's Esmond--Revival of sorrows and accessions of low spirits--Remarks on some recent books--Retrospect of the winter of 1851-2--Letter to Mrs. Gaskell on "Ruth."

CHAPTER XI.

Miss Brontë revisits Scarborough--Serious illness and ultimate convalescence of her father--Her own illness--"Villette" nearly completed--Further remarks on "Esmond" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin"--Letter respecting "Villette"--Another letter about "Villette"--Instance of extreme sensibility.

CHAPTER XII.

The biographer's difficulty--Deep and enduring attachment of Mr. Nicholls for Miss Brontë--Instance of her self-abnegation--She again visits London--Impressions of this visit--Letter to Mrs. Gaskell--Reception of the critiques on "Villette"--Misunderstanding with Miss Martineau--Letter on Mr. Thackeray's portrait--Visit of the Bishop of Ripon to Haworth Parsonage--Her wish to see the unfavourable critiques on her works--Her nervous shyness of strangers, and its cause--Letter on Mr. Thackeray's lectures.

CHAPTER XIII.

Letter to Mrs. Gaskell on writing fiction, etc.--The biographer's account of her visit to Haworth, and reminiscences of conversations with Miss Brontë--Letters from Miss Brontë to her friends--Her engagement to Mr. Nicholls, and preparations for the marriage--The marriage ceremony and wedding tour--Her happiness in the married state--New symptoms of illness, and their cause--The two last letters written by Mrs. Nicholls--An alarming change--Her death.

CHAPTER XIV.

Mourners at the funeral--Conclusion.