n　it　was　to　the　family　in　the　parsonage：　　their　usual　walks　obstructed　by　the　spongy　state　of　the　moorsthe　passing　and　funeral　bells　so　frequently　tolling；　and　filling　the　heavy　air　with　their　mournful　soundand；　when　they　were　still；　the　〃chip；　chip；〃　of　the　mason；　as　he　cut　the　grave…stones　in　a　shed　close　by。　　In　many；　living；　as　it　were；　in　a　churchyard；　and　with　all　the　sights　and　sounds　connected　with　the　last　offices　to　the　dead　things　of　every…day　occurrence；　the　very　familiarity　would　have　bred　indifference。　　But　it　was　otherwise　with　Charlotte　Bronte。　　One　of　her　friends　says：…　〃I　have　seen　her　turn　pale　and　feel　faint　when；　in　Hartshead　church；　some　one　accidentally　remarked　that　we　were　walking　over　graves。　Charlotte　was　certainly　afraid　of　death。　　Not　only　of　dead　bodies；　or　dying　people。　　She　dreaded　it　as　something　horrible。　　She　thought　we　did　not　know　how　long　the　'moment　of　dissolution'　might　really　be；　or　how　terrible。　　This　was　just　such　a　terror　as　only　hypochondriacs　can　provide　for　themselves。　　She　told　me　long　ago　that　a　misfortune　was　often　preceded　by　the　dream　frequently　repeated　which　she　gives　to　'Jane　Eyre；'　of　carrying　a　little　wailing　child；　and　being　unable　to　still　it。　　She　described　herself　as　having　the　most　painful　sense　of　pity　for　the　little　thing；　lying　INERT；　as　sick　children　do；　while　she　walked　about　in　some　gloomy　place　with　it；　such　as　the　aisle　of　Haworth　Church。　The　misfortunes　she　mentioned　were　not　always　to　herself。　　She　thought　such　sensitiveness　to　omens　was　like　the　cholera；　present　to　susceptible　people；some　feeling　more；　some　less。〃
  About　the　beginning　of　1834；　〃E。〃　went　to　London　for　the　first　time。　　The　idea　of　her　friend's　visit　seems　to　have　stirred　Charlotte　strangely。　　She　appears　to　have　formed　her　notions　of　its　probable　consequences　from　some　of　the　papers　in　the　〃British　Essayists；〃　〃The　Rambler；〃　〃The　Mirror；〃　or　〃The　Lounger；〃　which　may　have　been　among　the　English　classics　on　the　parsonage　bookshelves；　for　she　evidently　imagines　that　an　entire　change　of　character　for　the　worse　is　the　usual　effect　of　a　visit　to　〃the　great　metropolis；〃　and　is　delighted　to　find　that　〃E。〃　is　〃E。〃　still。　　And；　as　her　faith　in　her　friend's　stability　is　restored；　her　own　imagination　is　deeply　moved　by　the　idea　of　what　great　wonders　are　to　be　seen　in　that　vast　and　famous　city。
  〃Haworth；　February　20th；　1834。
  〃Your　letter　gave　me　real　and　heartfelt　pleasure；　mingled　with　no　small　share　of　astonishment。　　Mary　had　previously　informed　me　of　your　departure　for　London；　and　I　had　not　ventured　to　calculate　on　any　communication　from　you　while　surrounded　by　the　splendours　and　novelties　of　that　great　city；　which　has　been　called　the　mercantile　metropolis　of　Europe。　　Judging　from　human　nature；　I　thought　that　a　little　country　girl；　for　the　first　time　in　a　situation　so　well　calculated　to　excite　curiosity；　and　to　distract　attention；　would　lose　all　remembrance；　for　a　time　at　least；　of　distant　and　familiar　objects；　and　give　herself　up　entirely　to　the　fascination　of　those　scenes　which　were　then　presented　to　her　view。　　Your　kind；　interesting；　and　most　welcome　epistle　showed　me；　however；　that　I　had　been　both　mistaken　and　uncharitable　in　these　suppositions。　　I　was　greatly　amused　at　the　tone　of　nonchalance　which　you　assumed；　while　treating　of　London　and　its　wonders。　　Did　you　not　feel　awed　while　gazing　at　St。　Paul's　and　Westminster　Abbey？　　Had　you　no　feeling　of　intense　and　ardent　interest；　when　in　St。　James's　you　saw　the　palace　where　so　many　of　England's　kings　have　held　their　courts；　and　beheld　the　representations　of　their　persons　on　the　walls？　　You　should　not　be　too　much　afraid　of　appearing　COUNTRY…　BRED；　the　magnificence　of　London　has　drawn　exclamations　of　astonishment　from　travelled　men；　experienced　in　the　world；　its　wonders　and　beauties。　　Have　you　yet　seen　anything　of　the　great　personages　whom　the　sitting　of　Parliament　now　detains　in　London　the　Duke　of　Wellington；　Sir　Robert　Peel；　Earl　Grey；　Mr。　Stanley；　Mr。　O'Connell？　　If　I　were　you；　I　would　not　be　too　anxious　to　spend　my　time　in　reading　whilst　in　town。　　Make　use　of　your　own　eyes　for　the　purposes　of　observation　now；　and；　for　a　time　at　least；　lay　aside　the　spectacles　with　which　authors　would　furnish　us。〃
  In　a　postscript　she　adds：…
  〃Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　inform　me　of　the　number　of　performers　in　the　King's　military　band？〃
  And　in　something　of　the　same　strain　she　writes　on
  〃June　19th。　〃My　own　Dear　E。；
  〃I　may　rightfully　and　truly　call　you　so　now。　　You　HAVE　returned　or　ARE　returning　from　Londonfrom　the　great　city　which　is　to　me　as　apocryphal　as　Babylon；　or　Nineveh；　or　ancient　Rome。　　You　are　withdrawing　from　the　world　（as　it　is　called）；　and　bringing　with　youif　your　letters　enable　me　to　form　a　correct　judgmenta　heart　as　unsophisticated；　as　natural；　as　true；　as　that　you　carried　there。　　I　am　slow；　VERY　slow；　to　believe　the　protestations　of　another；　I　know　my　own　sentiments；　I　can　read　my　own　mind；　but　the　minds　of　the　rest　of　man　and　woman　kind　are　to　me　sealed　volumes；　hieroglyphical　scrolls；　which　I　cannot　easily　either　unseal　or　decipher。　　Yet　time；　careful　study；　long　acquaintance；　overcome　most　difficulties；　and；　in　your　case；　I　think　they　have　succeeded　well　in　bringing　to　light　and　construing　that　hidden　language；　whose　turnings；　windings；　inconsistencies；　and　obscurities；　so　frequently　baffle　the　researches　of　the　honest　observer　of　human　nature　。　。　。　I　am　truly　grateful　for　your　mindfulness　of　so　obscure　a　person　as　myself；　and　I　hope　the　pleasure　is　not　altogether　selfish；　I　trust　it　is　partly　derived　from　the　consciousness　that　my　friend's　character　is　of　a　higher；　a　more　steadfast　order　than　I　was　once　perfectly　aware　of。　　Few　girls　would　have　done　as　you　have　donewould　have　beheld　the　glare；　and　glitter；　and　dazzling　display　of　London　with　dispositions　so　unchanged；　heart　so　uncontaminated。　　I　see　no　affectation　in　your　letters；　no　trifling；　no　frivolous　contempt　of　plain；　and　weak　admiration　of　showy　persons　and　things。〃
  In　these　days　of　cheap　railway　trips；　we　may　smile　at　the　idea　of　a　short　visit　to　London　having　any　great　effect　upon　the　character；　whatever　it　may　have　upon　the　intellect。　　But　her　Londonher　great　apocryphal　citywas　the　〃town〃　of　a　century　before；　to　which　giddy　daughters　dragged　unwilling　papas；　or　went　with　injudicious　friends；　to　the　detriment　of　all　their　better　qualities；　and　sometimes　to　the　ruin　of　their　fortunes；　it　was　the　Vanity　Fair　of　the　〃Pilgrim's　Progress〃　to　her。
  But　see　the　just　and　admirable　sense　with　which　she　can　treat　a　subject　of　which　she　is　able　to　overlook　all　the　bearings。
  〃Haworth；　July　4th；　1834。
  〃In　your　last；　you　request　me　to　tell　you　of　your　faults。　　Now；　really；　how　can　you　be　so　foolish！　　I　WON'T　tell　you　of　your　faults；　because　I　don't　know　them。　　What　a　creature　would　that　be；　who；　after　receiving　an　affectionate　and　kind　letter　from　a　beloved　friend；　should　sit　down　and　write　a　catalogue　of　defects　by　way　of　answer！　　Imagine　me　doing　so；　and　then　consider　what　epithets　you　would　bestow　on　me。　　Conceited；　dogmatical；　hypocritical；　little　humbug；　I　should　think；　would　be　the　mildest。　Why；　child！　　I've　neither　time　nor　inclination　to　reflect　on　your　FAULTS　when　you　are　so　far　from　me；　and　when；　besides；　kind　letters　and　presents；　and　so　forth；　are　continually　bringing　forth　your　goodness　in　the　most　prominent　light。　　Then；　too；　there　are　judicious　relations　always　round　you；　who　can　much　better　discharge　that　unpleasant　office。　　I　have　no　doubt　their　advice　is　completely　at　your　service；　why　then　should　I　intrude　mine？　　If　you　will　not　hear　them；　it　will　be　vain　though　one　should　rise　from　the　dead　to　instruct　you。　　Let　us　have　no　more　nonsense；　if　you　love　me。　　Mr。is　going　to　be　married；　is　he？　　Well；　his　wife　elect　appeared　to　me　to　be　a　clever　and　amiable　lady；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　from　the　little　I　saw　of　her；　and　from　your　account。　Now　to　that　flattering　sentence　must　I　tack　on　a　list　of　her　faults？　　You　say　it　is　in　contemplation　for　you　to　leave　…。　　I　am　sorry　for　it。　is　a　pleasant　spot；　one　of　the　old　family　halls　of　England；　surrounded　by　lawn　and　woodland；　speaking　of　past　times；　and　suggesting　（to　me　at　least）　happy　feelings。　　M。　thought　you　grown　less；　did　she？　　I　am　not　grown　a　bit；　but　as　short　and　dumpy　as　ever。　　You　ask　me　to　recommend　you　some　books　for　your　perusal。　I　will　do　so　in　as　few　words　as　I　can。　　If　you　like　poetry；　let　it　be　first…rate；　Milton；　Shakspeare；　Thomson；　Goldsmith；　Pope　（if　you　will；　though　I　don't　admire　him）；　Scott；　Byron；　Campbell；　Wordsworth；　and　Southey。　　Now　don't　be　startled　at　the　names　of　Shakspeare　and　Byron。　　Both　these　were　great　men；　and　their　works　are　like　themselves。　　You　will　know　how　to　choose　the　good；　and　to　avoid　the　evil；　the　finest　passages　are　always　the　purest；　the　bad　are　invariably　revolting；　you　will　never　wish　to　read　them　over　twice。　　Omit　the　comedies　of　Shakspeare；　and　the　Don　Juan；　perhaps　the　Cain；　of　Byron；　though　the　latter　is　a　magnificent　poem；　and　read　the　rest　fearlessly；　that　must　indeed　be　a　depraved　mind　which　can　gather　evil　from　Henry　VIII。；　from　Richard　III。；　from　Macbeth；　and　Hamlet；　and　Julius　Caesar。　　Scott's　sweet；　wild；　romantic　poetry　can　do　you　no　harm。　　Nor　can　Wordswort