Delphi Complete Works of the Brontes
Page 511
‘My father, I am thankful to say, continues in pretty good health. I read portions of your letter to him and he was interested in hearing them. He charged me when I wrote to convey his very kind remembrances.
‘I had myself ceased to expect a letter from you. On taking leave at Haworth you said something about writing from India, but I doubted at the time whether it was not one of those forms of speech which politeness dictates; and as time passed, and I did not hear from you, I became confirmed in this view of the subject. With every good wish for your welfare, — I am, yours sincerely,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO MISS ELLEN NUSSEY
‘November 19th, 1851.
‘Dear Ellen, — All here is much as usual, and I was thinking of writing to you this morning when I received your note. I am glad to hear your mother bears this severe weather tolerably, as papa does also. I had a cold, chiefly in the throat and chest, but I applied cold water, which relieved me, I think, far better than hot applications would have done. The only events in my life consist in that little change occasional letters bring. I have had two from Miss Wooler since she left Haworth which touched me much. She seems to think so much of a little congenial company. She says she has not for many days known such enjoyment as she experienced during the ten days she stayed here. Yet you know what Haworth is — dull enough.
‘How could you imagine your last letter offended me? I only disagreed with you on one point. The little man’s disdain of the sensual pleasure of a Turkish bath had, I must own, my approval. Before answering his epistle I got up my courage to write to Mr. Williams, through whose hands or those of Mr. Smith I knew the Indian letter had come, and beg him to give me an impartial judgment of Mr. Taylor’s character and disposition, owning that I was very much in the dark. I did not like to continue correspondence without further information. I got the answer, which I inclose. You say nothing about the Hunsworth Turtle-doves — how are they? and how is the branch of promise? I hope doing well. — Yours faithfully,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO W. S. WILLIAMS
‘January 1st, 1852.
‘My dear Sir, — I am glad of the opportunity of writing to you, for I have long wished to send you a little note, and was only deterred from doing so by the conviction that the period preceding Christmas must be a very busy one to you.
‘I have wished to thank you for your last, which gave me very genuine pleasure. You ascribe to Mr. Taylor an excellent character; such a man’s friendship, at any rate, should not be disregarded; and if the principles and disposition be what you say, faults of manner and even of temper ought to weigh light in the balance. I always believed in his judgment and good-sense, but what I doubted was his kindness — he seemed to me a little too harsh, rigid, and unsympathising. Now, judgment, sense, principle are invaluable and quite indispensable points, but one would be thankful for a little feeling, a little indulgence in addition — without these, poor fallible human nature shrinks under the domination of the sterner qualities. I answered Mr. Taylor’s letter by the mail of the 19th November, sending it direct, for, on reflection, I did not see why I should trouble you with it.
‘Did your son Frank call on Mrs. Gaskell? and how did he like her?
‘My health has not been very satisfactory lately, but I think, though I vary almost daily, I am much better than I was a fortnight ago. All the winter the fact of my never being able to stoop over a desk without bringing on pain and oppression in the chest has been a great affliction to me, and the want of tranquil rest at night has tried me much, but I hope for the better times. The doctors say that there is no organic mischief.
‘Wishing a happy New Year to you,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO MISS ELLEN NUSSEY
‘March 7th, 1852.
‘Dear Ellen, — I hope both your mother’s cold and yours are quite well ere this. Papa has got something of his spring attack of bronchitis, but so far it is in a greatly ameliorated form, very different to what it has been for three years past. I do trust it may pass off thus mildly. I continue better.
‘Dear Nell, I told you from the beginning that my going to Sussex was a most improbable event; I tell you now that unless want of health should absolutely compel me to give up work and leave home (which I trust and hope will not be the case) I certainly shall not think of going. It is better to be decided, and decided I must be. You can never want me less than when in Sussex surrounded by amusement and friends. I do not know that I shall go to Scarbro’, but it might be possible to spare a fortnight to go there (for the sake of a sad duty rather than pleasure), when I could not give a month to a longer excursion. I have not a word of news to tell you. Many mails have come from India since I was at Brookroyd. Expectation would at times be on the alert, but disappointment knocked her down. I have not heard a syllable, and cannot think of making inquiries at Cornhill. Well, long suspense in any matter usually proves somewhat cankering, but God orders all things for us, and to His Will we must submit. Be sure to keep a calm mind; expect nothing. — Yours faithfully,
‘C. Brontë.’
When Mr. Taylor returned to England in 1856 Charlotte Brontë was dead. His after-life was more successful than happy. He did not, it is true, succeed in Bombay with the firm of Smith, Taylor & Co. That would seem to have collapsed. But he made friends in Bombay and returned there in 1863 as editor of the Bombay Gazette and the Bombay Quarterly Review. A little later he became editor of the Bombay Saturday Review, which had not, however, a long career. Mr. Taylor’s successes were not journalistic but mercantile. As Secretary of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, which appointment he obtained in 1865, he obtained much real distinction. To this post he added that of Registrar of the University of Bombay and many other offices. He was elected Sheriff in 1874, in which year he died. An imposing funeral ceremony took place in the Cathedral, and he was buried in the Bombay cemetery, where his tomb may be found to the left of the entrance gates, inscribed —
JAMES TAYLOR. DIED APRIL 29, 1874, AGED 57.
He married during his visit to England, but the marriage was not a happy one. That does not belong to the present story. Here, however, is a cutting from the Times marriage record in 1863: —
‘On the 23rd inst., at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, St. Pancras, by the Rev. James Moorhouse, M.A., James Taylor, Esq., of Furnival’s-inn, and Bombay, to Annie, widow of Adolph Ritter, of Vienna, and stepdaughter of Thos. Harrison, Esq., of Birchanger Place, Essex.’
CHAPTER XIII: LITERARY AMBITIONS
We have seen how Charlotte Brontë and her sisters wrote from their earliest years those little books which embodied their vague aspirations after literary fame. Now and again the effort is admirable, notably in The Adventures of Ernest Alembert, but on the whole it amounts to as little as did the juvenile productions of Shelley. That poet, it will be remembered, wrote Zastrozzi at nineteen, and much else that was bad, some of which he printed. Charlotte Brontë was mercifully restrained by a well-nigh empty purse from this ill-considered rashness. It was not till the death of their aunt had added to their slender resources that the Brontë girls conceived the idea of actually publishing a book at their own expense. They communicated with the now extinct firm of Aylott & Jones of Paternoster Row, and Charlotte appears to have written many letters to the firm, only two or three of which are printed by Mrs. Gaskell. The correspondence is comparatively insignificant, but as the practical beginning of Charlotte’s literary career, the hitherto unpublished letters which have been preserved are perhaps worth reproducing here.
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘January 28th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — May I request to be informed whether you would undertake the publication of a collection of short poems in one volume, 8vo.
‘If you object to publishing the work at your own risk, would you undertake it on the author’s account? — I am, gentlemen, your obedient humble servant,
‘C. Brontë.
‘Address — Rev. P. Brontë
, Haworth, Bradford, Yorkshire.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘March 3rd, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I send a draft for £31, 10s., being the amount of your estimate.
‘I suppose there is nothing now to prevent your immediately commencing the printing of the work.
‘When you acknowledge the receipt of the draft, will you state how soon it will be completed? — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘March 11th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I have received the proof-sheet, and return it corrected. If there is any doubt at all about the printer’s competency to correct errors, I would prefer submitting each sheet to the inspection of the authors, because such a mistake, for instance, as tumbling stars, instead of trembling, would suffice to throw an air of absurdity over a whole poem; but if you know from experience that he is to be relied on, I would trust to your assurance on the subject, and leave the task of correction to him, as I know that a considerable saving both of time and trouble would be thus effected.
‘The printing and paper appear to me satisfactory. Of course I wish to have the work out as soon as possible, but I am still more anxious that it should be got up in a manner creditable to the publishers and agreeable to the authors. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘March 13th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I return you the second proof. The authors have finally decided that they would prefer having all the proofs sent to them in turn, but you need not inclose the Ms., as they can correct the errors from memory. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘March 23rd, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — As the proofs have hitherto come safe to hand under the direction of C. Brontë, Esq., I have not thought it necessary to request you to change it, but a little mistake having occurred yesterday, I think it will be better to send them to me in future under my real address, which is Miss Brontë, Rev. P. Brontë, etc. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘April 6th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — C., E., and A. Bell are now preparing for the press a work of fiction, consisting of three distinct and unconnected tales, which may be published either together, as a work of three volumes, of the ordinary novel size, or separately as single volumes, as shall be deemed most advisable.
‘It is not their intention to publish these tales on their own account. They direct me to ask you whether you would be disposed to undertake the work, after having, of course, by due inspection of the Ms., ascertained that its contents are such as to warrant an expectation of success.
‘An early answer will oblige, as, in case of your negativing the proposal, inquiry must be made of other publishers. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘April 15th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I have to thank you for your obliging answer to my last. The information you give is of value to us, and when the MS. is completed your suggestions shall be acted on.
‘There will be no preface to the poems. The blank leaf may be filled up by a table of contents, which I suppose the printer will prepare. It appears the volume will be a thinner one than was calculated on. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘May 11th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — The books may be done up in the style of Moxon’s duodecimo edition of Wordsworth.
‘The price may be fixed at 5s., or if you think that too much for the size of the volume, say 4s.
‘I think the periodicals I mentioned in my last will be sufficient for advertising in at present, and I should not wish you to lay out a larger sum than £2, especially as the estimate is increased by nearly £5, in consequence, it appears, of a mistake. I should think the success of a work depends more on the notice it receives from periodicals, than on the quantity of advertisements.
‘If you do not object, the additional amount of the estimate can be remitted when you send in your account at the end of the first six months.
‘I should be obliged to you if you could let me know how soon copies can be sent to the editors of the magazines and newspapers specified. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘May 25th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I received yours of the 22nd this morning. I now transmit £5, being the additional sum necessary to defray the entire expense of paper and printing. It will leave a small surplus of 11s. 9d., which you can place to my account.
‘I am glad you have sent copies to the newspapers you mention, and in case of a notice favourable or otherwise appearing in them, or in any of the other periodicals to which copies have been sent, I should be obliged to you if you would send me down the numbers; otherwise, I have not the opportunity of seeing these publications regularly. I might miss it, and should the poems be remarked upon favourably, it is my intention to appropriate a further sum to advertisements. If, on the other hand, they should pass unnoticed or be condemned, I consider it would be quite useless to advertise, as there is nothing, either in the title of the work or the names of the authors, to attract attention from a single individual. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
TO AYLOTT & JONES
‘July 10th, 1846.
‘Gentlemen, — I am directed by the Messrs. Bell to acknowledge the receipt of the Critic and the Athenæum containing notices of the poems.
‘They now think that a further sum of £10 may be devoted to advertisements, leaving it to you to select such channels as you deem most advisable.
‘They would wish the following extract from the Critic to be appended to each advertisement: —
‘“They in whose hearts are chords strung by Nature to sympathise with the beautiful and the true, will recognise in these compositions the presence of more genius than it was supposed this utilitarian age had devoted to the loftier exercises of the intellect.”
‘They likewise request you to send copies of the poems to Fraser’s Magazine, Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal, the Globe, and Examiner. — I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
‘C. Brontë.’
To an appreciative editor Currer Bell wrote as follows: —
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ‘DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.’
‘October 6th, 1846.
‘Sirs, — I thank you in my own name and that of my brothers, Ellis and Acton, for the indulgent notice that appeared in your last number of our first humble efforts in literature; but I thank you far more for the essay on modern poetry which preceded that notice — an essay in which seems to me to be condensed the very spirit of truth and beauty. If all or half your other readers shall have derived from its perusal the delight it afforded to myself and my brothers, your labours have produced a rich result.
‘After such criticism an author may indeed be smitten at first by a sense of his own insignificance — as we were — but on a second and a third perusal he finds a power and beauty therein which stirs him to a desire to do more and better things. It fulfils the right end of criticism: without absolutely crushing, it corrects and rouses. I again thank you heartily, and beg to subscribe myself, — Your constant and grateful reader,
‘Currer Bell.’
The reception which it met with from the public may be gathered from the following letter which accompanied De Quincey’s copy.
TO THOMAS DE QUINCEY.
‘June 16th, 1847.
‘Sirs, — My relatives, Ellis and Acton Bell, and myself, heedless of the repeated warnings of various respectable publishers, have committed the rash act of printing a volume of poems.
‘The consequences predicted have, of course, overtaken us: our book
is found to be a drug; no man needs it or heeds it. In the space of a year our publisher has disposed but of two copies, and by what painful efforts he succeeded in getting rid of these two, himself only knows.
‘Before transferring the edition to the trunkmakers, we have decided on distributing as presents a few copies of what we cannot sell; and we beg to offer you one in acknowledgment of the pleasure and profit we have often and long derived from your works. — I am, sir, yours very respectfully,
‘Currer Bell.’
Charlotte Brontë could not have carried out the project of distribution to any appreciable extent, as a considerable ‘remainder’ appear to have been bound up with a new title-page by Smith & Elder. With this Smith & Elder title-page, the book is not uncommon, whereas, with the Aylott & Jones title-page it is exceedingly rare. Perhaps there were a dozen review copies and a dozen presentation copies, in addition to the two that were sold, but only three or four seem to have survived for the pleasure of the latter-day bibliophile.
Here is the title-page in question:
POEMS
by
CURRER, ELLIS
and
ACTON BELL
london
Aylott & Jones, 8 Paternoster Row
1846
We see by the letter to Aylott & Jones the first announcement of Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey, and The Professor. It would not seem that there was much, or indeed any, difficulty in disposing of Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey. They bear the imprint of Newby of Mortimer Street, and they appeared in three uniform volumes, the two first being taken up by Wuthering Heights, and the third by Agnes Grey, which is quaintly marked as if it were a three-volumed novel in itself, having ‘Volume III’ on title-page and binding. I have said that there were no travels before the manuscripts of Emily and Anne. That is not quite certain. Mrs. Gaskell implies that there were; but, at any rate, there is no definite information on the subject. Newby, it is clear, did not publish them until all the world was discussing Jane Eyre. The Professor, by Currer Bell, had, however, travel enough! It was offered to six publishers in succession before it came into the hands of Mr. W. S. Williams, the ‘reader’ for Smith & Elder. The circumstance of its courteous refusal by that firm, and the suggestion that a three-volumed novel would be gladly considered, are within the knowledge of all Charlotte Brontë’s admirers.