the life of charlotte bronte-1-第27部分

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e　likely　to　induce　a　distempered　state　of　mind；　and　in　proportion　as　all　the　ordinary　uses　of　the　world　seem　to　you　flat　and　unprofitable；　you　will　be　unfitted　for　them　without　becoming　fitted　for　anything　else。　Literature　cannot　be　the　business　of　a　woman's　life；　and　it　ought　not　to　be。　　The　more　she　is　engaged　in　her　proper　duties；　the　less　leisure　will　she　have　for　it；　even　as　an　accomplishment　and　a　recreation。　　To　those　duties　you　have　not　yet　been　called；　and　when　you　are　you　will　be　less　eager　for　celebrity。　　You　will　not　seek　in　imagination　for　excitement；　of　which　the　vicissitudes　of　this　life；　and　the　anxieties　from　which　you　must　not　hope　to　be　exempted；　be　your　state　what　it　may；　will　bring　with　them　but　too　much。

〃But　do　not　suppose　that　I　disparage　the　gift　which　you　possess；　nor　that　I　would　discourage　you　from　exercising　it。　　I　only　exhort　you　so　to　think　of　it；　and　so　to　use　it；　as　to　render　it　conducive　to　your　own　permanent　good。　　Write　poetry　for　its　own　sake；　not　in　a　spirit　of　emulation；　and　not　with　a　view　to　celebrity；　the　less　you　aim　at　that　the　more　likely　you　will　be　to　deserve　and　finally　to　obtain　it。　　So　written；　it　is　wholesome　both　for　the　heart　and　soul；　it　may　be　made　the　surest　means；　next　to　religion；　of　soothing　the　mind　and　elevating　it。　　You　may　embody　in　it　your　best　thoughts　and　your　wisest　feelings；　and　in　so　doing　discipline　and　strengthen　them。

〃Farewell；　madam。　　It　is　not　because　I　have　forgotten　that　I　was　once　young　myself；　that　I　write　to　you　in　this　strain；　but　because　I　remember　it。　　You　will　neither　doubt　my　sincerity　nor　my　good　will；　and　however　ill　what　has　here　been　said　may　accord　with　your　present　views　and　temper；　the　longer　you　live　the　more　reasonable　it　will　appear　to　you。　　Though　I　may　be　but　an　ungracious　adviser；　you　will　allow　me；　therefore；　to　subscribe　myself；　with　the　best　wishes　for　your　happiness　here　and　hereafter；　your　true　friend；　〃ROBERT　SOUTHEY。〃


I　was　with　Miss　Bronte　when　she　received　Mr。　Cuthbert　Southey's　note；　requesting　her　permission　to　insert　the　fore…going　letter　in　his　father's　life。　　She　said　to　me；　〃Mr。　Southey's　letter　was　kind　and　admirable；　a　little　stringent；　but　it　did　me　good。〃

It　is　partly　because　I　think　it　so　admirable；　and　partly　because　it　tends　to　bring　out　her　character；　as　shown　in　the　following　reply；　that　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　inserting　the　foregoing　extracts　from　it。


〃Sir；　March　16th。

〃I　cannot　rest　till　I　have　answered　your　letter；　even　though　by　addressing　you　a　second　time　I　should　appear　a　little　intrusive；　but　I　must　thank　you　for　the　kind　and　wise　advice　you　have　condescended　to　give　me。　　I　had　not　ventured　to　hope　for　such　a　reply；　so　considerate　in　its　tone；　so　noble　in　its　spirit。　　I　must　suppress　what　I　feel；　or　you　will　think　me　foolishly　enthusiastic。

〃At　the　first　perusal　of　your　letter；　I　felt　only　shame　and　regret　that　I　had　ever　ventured　to　trouble　you　with　my　crude　rhapsody；　I　felt　a　painful　heat　rise　to　my　face　when　I　thought　of　the　quires　of　paper　I　had　covered　with　what　once　gave　me　so　much　delight；　but　which　now　was　only　a　source　of　confusion；　but　after　I　had　thought　a　little　and　read　it　again　and　again；　the　prospect　seemed　to　clear。　　You　do　not　forbid　me　to　write；　you　do　not　say　that　what　I　write　is　utterly　destitute　of　merit。　　You　only　warn　me　against　the　folly　of　neglecting　real　duties　for　the　sake　of　imaginative　pleasures；　of　writing　for　the　love　of　fame；　for　the　selfish　excitement　of　emulation。　　You　kindly　allow　me　to　write　poetry　for　its　own　sake；　provided　I　leave　undone　nothing　which　I　ought　to　do；　in　order　to　pursue　that　single；　absorbing；　exquisite　gratification。　　I　am　afraid；　sir；　you　think　me　very　foolish。　　I　know　the　first　letter　I　wrote　to　you　was　all　senseless　trash　from　beginning　to　end；　but　I　am　not　altogether　the　idle　dreaming　being　it　would　seem　to　denote。　　My　father　is　a　clergyman　of　limited；　though　competent　income；　and　I　am　the　eldest　of　his　children。　　He　expended　quite　as　much　in　my　education　as　he　could　afford　in　justice　to　the　rest。　　I　thought　it　therefore　my　duty；　when　I　left　school；　to　become　a　governess。　　In　that　capacity　I　find　enough　to　occupy　my　thoughts　all　day　long；　and　my　head　and　hands　too；　without　having　a　moment's　time　for　one　dream　of　the　imagination。　In　the　evenings；　I　confess；　I　do　think；　but　I　never　trouble　any　one　else　with　my　thoughts。　　I　carefully　avoid　any　appearance　of　preoccupation　and　eccentricity；　which　might　lead　those　I　live　amongst　to　suspect　the　nature　of　my　pursuits。　　Following　my　father's　advicewho　from　my　childhood　has　counselled　me；　just　in　the　wise　and　friendly　tone　of　your　letterI　have　endeavoured　not　only　attentively　to　observe　all　the　duties　a　woman　ought　to　fulfil；　but　to　feel　deeply　interested　in　them。　　I　don't　always　succeed；　for　sometimes　when　I'm　teaching　or　sewing　I　would　rather　be　reading　or　writing；　but　I　try　to　deny　myself；　and　my　father's　approbation　amply　rewarded　me　for　the　privation。　　Once　more　allow　me　to　thank　you　with　sincere　gratitude。　　I　trust　I　shall　never　more　feel　ambitious　to　see　my　name　in　print：　　if　the　wish　should　rise；　I'll　look　at　Southey's　letter；　and　suppress　it。　　It　is　honour　enough　for　me　that　I　have　written　to　him；　and　received　an　answer。　　That　letter　is　consecrated；　no　one　shall　ever　see　it；　but　papa　and　my　brother　and　sisters。　　Again　I　thank　you。　　This　incident；　I　suppose；　will　be　renewed　no　more；　if　I　live　to　be　an　old　woman；　I　shall　remember　it　thirty　years　hence　as　a　bright　dream。　　The　signature　which　you　suspected　of　being　fictitious　is　my　real　name。　　Again；　therefore；　I　must　sign　myself；

〃C。　Bronte。

〃P。S。Pray；　sir；　excuse　me　for　writing　to　you　a　second　time；　I　could　not　help　writing；　partly　to　tell　you　how　thankful　I　am　for　your　kindness；　and　partly　to　let　you　know　that　your　advice　shall　not　be　wasted；　however　sorrowfully　and　reluctantly　it　may　be　at　first　followed。

〃C。　B。〃


I　cannot　deny　myself　the　gratification　of　inserting　Southey's　reply：…


〃Keswick；　March　22；　1837。

〃Dear　Madam；

〃Your　letter　has　given　me　great　pleasure；　and　I　should　not　forgive　myself　if　I　did　not　tell　you　so。　　You　have　received　admonition　as　considerately　and　as　kindly　as　it　was　given。　　Let　me　now　request　that；　if　you　ever　should　come　to　these　Lakes　while　I　am　living　here；　you　will　let　me　see　you。　　You　would　then　think　of　me　afterwards　with　the　more　good…will；　because　you　would　perceive　that　there　is　neither　severity　nor　moroseness　in　the　state　of　mind　to　which　years　and　observation　have　brought　me。

〃It　is；　by　God's　mercy；　in　our　power　to　attain　a　degree　of　self…　government；　which　is　essential　to　our　own　happiness；　and　contributes　greatly　to　that　of　those　around　us。　　Take　care　of　over…excitement；　and　endeavour　to　keep　a　quiet　mind　（even　for　your　health　it　is　the　best　advice　that　can　be　given　you）：　　your　moral　and　spiritual　improvement　will　then　keep　pace　with　the　culture　of　your　intellectual　powers。

〃And　now；　madam；　God　bless　you！

〃Farewell；　and　believe　me　to　be　your　sincere　friend；

〃ROBERT　SOUTHEY。


Of　this　second　letter；　also；　she　spoke；　and　told　me　that　it　contained　an　invitation　for　her　to　go　and　see　the　poet　if　ever　she　visited　the　Lakes。　　〃But　there　was　no　money　to　spare；〃　said　she；　〃nor　any　prospect　of　my　ever　earning　money　enough　to　have　the　chance　of　so　great　a　pleasure；　so　I　gave　up　thinking　of　it。〃　　At　the　time　we　conversed　together　on　the　subject　we　were　at　the　Lakes。　　But　Southey　was　dead。

This　〃stringent〃　letter　made　her　put　aside；　for　a　time；　all　idea　of　literary　enterprise。　　She　bent　her　whole　energy　towards　the　fulfilment　of　the　duties　in　hand；　but　her　occupation　was　not　sufficient　food　for　her　great　forces　of　intellect；　and　they　cried　out　perpetually；　〃Give；　give；〃　while　the　comparatively　less　breezy　air　of　Dewsbury　Moor　told　upon　her　health　and　spirits　more　and　more。　　On　August　27；　1837；　she　writes：…


〃I　am　again　at　Dewsbury；　engaged　in　the　old　business；teach；　teach；　teach　。　。　。　WHEN　WILL　YOU　COME　HOME？　　Make　haste！　　You　have　been　at　Bath　long　enough　for　all　purposes；　by　this　time　you　have　acquired　polish　enough；　I　am　sure；　if　the　varnish　is　laid　on　much　thicker；　I　am　afraid　the　good　wood　underneath　will　be　quite　concealed；　and　your　Yorkshire　friends　won't　stand　that。　　Come；　come。　　I　am　getting　really　tired　of　your　absence。　　Saturday　after　Saturday　comes　round；　and　I　can　have　no　hope　of　hearing　your　knock　at　the　door；　and　then　being　told　that　'Miss　E。　is　come。'　　Oh；　dear！　in　this　monotonous　life　of　mine；　that　was　a　pleasant　event。　I　wish　it　would　recur　again；　but　it　will　take　two　or　three　interviews　before　the　stiffnessthe　estrangement　of　this　long　separationwill　wear　away。〃


About　this　time　she　forgot　to　return　a　work…bag　she　had　borrowed；　by　a　messenger；　and　in　repairing　her　error　she　says：…　〃These　aberrations　of　memory　warn　me　pretty　intelligibly　that　I　am　getting　past　my　prime。〃　　AEtat　21！　　And　the　same　tone　of　despondency　runs　through　the　following　letter：…


〃I　wish　exceedingly　that　I　could　come　to　you　before　Christmas；　but　it　is　impossible；　another　three　weeks　must　elapse　before　I　shall　again　have　my　comforter　beside　me；　under　the　roof　of　my　own　dear　quiet　home。　　If　I　could　always　live　with　you；　and　daily　read　the　Bible　with　youif　your　lips　and　mine　could　at　the　same　time　drink　the　same　draught；　from　the　same　pure　fountain　of　mercyI　hope；　I　trust；　I　might　one　day　become　better；　far　better　than　my　evil；　wandering　thoughts；　my　corrupt　heart；　cold　to　the　spirit　and　warm　to　the　flesh；　will　now　permit　me　to　be。　　I　often　plan　the　pleasant　life　which　we　might　lead　together；　strengthening　each　other　in　that　power　of　self…denial；　that　hallowed　and　glowing　devotion；　which　the　first　saints　of　God　often　attained　to。　　My　eyes　fill　with　tears　when　I　contrast　the　bliss　of　such　a　state；　brightened　by　hopes　of　the　future；　with　the　melancholy　state　I　now　live　in；　uncertain　that　I　ever　felt　true　contrition；　wandering　in　thought　and　deed；　longing　for　holiness；　which　I　shall　NEVER；　NEVER　obtain；　smitten　at　times　to　the　heart　with　the　conviction　that　ghastly　Calvinistic　doctrines　are　truedarkened；　in　short；　by　the　very　shadows　of　spiritual　death。　　If　Christian　perfection　be　necessary　to　salvation；　I　shall　never　be　saved；　my　heart　is　a　very　hotbed　for　sinful　though