Chapter XIX. of _The Professor_.

[78] See close of Chapter XXIV. of _Jane Eyre_.

[79] See my footnote on "the trodden way" on p. 136.

[80] See my reference to "the barriers" in "Apostasy."

[81] "I called myself your brother," says M. Paul to Lucy Snowe, the originals of whom were M. Héger and Charlotte Brontë. "... I know I think of you--I feel I wish you well--but I must check myself; you are to be feared. My best friends point out danger and whisper caution."--_Villette_, Chap. xxxvi.

[82] Mr. Angus Mackay, in _The Brontës: Fact and Fiction_, identifies Charlotte Brontë as the original of "Frances" of Charlotte's poem.

[83] _Charlotte Brontë and Her Sisters_, pp. 181-3.

[84] See pages 136 and 140.

[85] See my remarks on Mrs. Pryor in Appendix on _Shirley_.

[86] Mrs. Gaskell's _Life of Charlotte Brontë_.

[87] See footnote on page 97.

[88] _Sydney Dobell: Life and Letters_; 1878.

[89] Of course Mr. Dobell did not know that by the terms of arrangement with Mr. Newby, the publisher of _Wuthering Heights_, it was virtually impossible for Charlotte Brontë, after the success of _Jane Eyre_, to admit her authorship of _Wuthering Heights_ publicly. See my remarks hereon in Chapter I.

[90] For this see Leyland's _The Brontë Family_.

[91] See footnote, page 13.

[92] _Charlotte Brontë and her Sisters_, page 162.

[93] Mrs. Gaskell's _Life of Charlotte Brontë_.

[94] The fact that towards the end great affection sprang up between the Rev. Patrick Brontë and his only surviving daughter cannot be too strongly emphasized. A most touching narration of him and the dying Currer Bell, related by Martha Brown, the Brontë servant, and herself the eye-witness, is given by Mr. William Scruton, in _Thornton and The Brontës_, page 133 (1898):--"When Charlotte heard her father coming upstairs to her, she would strain every nerve to give him a pleasing reception. On his entering the room she would greet him with, 'See, papa, I am looking a little better.'" Mr. Home was "papa" to Paulina. Compare the lightsome Paulina with the younger Catherine of _Wuthering Heights_; and Mrs. Home's death, _Villette_, chap, xxiv., with Mrs. Helstone's _Shirley_, chap. iv.

[95] The letters in _The Times_ in the close of 1906, and in the early part of 1907, attacking the authenticity of the Héger portrait, were written by Mr. Shorter. My footnote in _The Fortnightly_ ran:--"In attacking the water-colour portrait of Charlotte Brontë purchased by the Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery, the discovery of which, signed 'Paul Héger, 1850,' was inimical to Mr. Clement Shorter's contention that Charlotte Brontë had but distantly interested M. Héger, Mr. Shorter said, 'M. Héger certainly did not know even in 1850 that Miss Brontë, his old pupil, and Currer Bell were identical,' and with another asserted M. Héger and Charlotte Brontë never met after 1844. We shall see here, however, that M. Héger knew all Miss Brontë's literary secrets in 1850, and that they must have met after 1844, for M. Héger could have acquired these secrets only in most intimate conversation with Currer Bell herself: to none other would she have revealed them."

[96] In this connection it is of interest to read the remarks of one of the jealous de Morville women on this portrait of the Irish governess:--"Patience! ... qui vivra verra. Je garde ce portrait de mademoiselle miss Mary, ça me fera souvent penser à elle--ça m'empêchera de l'oublier. Je vais la clouer à quatre épingles sur le papier de ma chambre".... She threatens to stick pins in it.... "Oui, oui, la belle Anglais!" she afterwards exclaims; "ce n'est pas seulement ton portrait que je perce à coups d'épingle, c'est toi-même!" Which would suggest that a portrait of Charlotte Brontë could have remained at the Héger establishment but at risk of being destroyed. I may observe these mysterious references occur only in the 1851 volume; not in the 1850 _feuilleton_.

[97] See my footnote on p. 82.

[98] Mr. Greenwood Dyson, born in 1830 in the Fold opposite the White Lion Hotel, in the house now a blacksmith's shop. "I was married in 1850," he stated to me, "and was living about twenty yards from Haworth Church when Charlotte Brontë gave a black silk dress to my wife." The Rev. Patrick Brontë signed a testimonial saying he well knew Mr. Dyson as being reliable and trustworthy, as also did the Rev. A. B. Nicholls, Miss Brontë's husband. I have examined the document. An interesting glimpse of Charlotte Brontë I have not seen in any work is one of Mr. Dyson's reminiscences. He tells me that "there was a draw-well situated in the kitchen of the Rectory from which we boys used to draw water for domestic purposes." He added that often he drew water for Charlotte Brontë or others of the Brontë household before drawing for himself. "In one of the upper windows," he once wrote me, "a board had been placed instead of one of the panes of glass, in the centre of which was bored a hole in which Miss Brontë inserted a telescope to take observations." Perceiving in conversation with him the genuine pleasure the sight of the Héger portrait of Charlotte Brontë gave Mr. Dyson, I later forwarded him a large photograph, taken direct from the original Héger drawing of Charlotte Brontë in the National Portrait Gallery. I print his reply to me written on March 2, 1907:--

"DEAR SIR,--I received the likeness of Charlotte Brontë (which you were kind enough to send me) this morning, for which I should like to express my appreciation. It really is a very nice portrait. I think it is very much like her. With sincerest thanks, I remain, very truly yours, J. MALHAM-DEMBLEBY, Esq. (Signed) G. DYSON."

[99] Through the courtesy of Professor Charles J. Holmes, the present Director of the National Portrait Gallery, I am able to print herewith the N.P.G. references to this portrait.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY TABLET ON PICTURE:--

CHARLOTTE BRONTË (Mrs. Arthur Bell Nicholls). 1816-1855. Novelist. Author of _Jane Eyre_ and other works. Painted in 1850 by "Paul Héger." Purchased, July 1906. (1444)

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY CATALOGUE:--

Painted in water-colours in 1850, and stated to be by "Paul" (or Constantin) Héger, after an earlier portrait by her brother Branwell Brontë.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE:--

Water-colour drawing stated to be by "Paul" (or Constantin) Héger, after Branwell Brontë. (1444)

I may add that the inverted commas used in regard to M. Héger's name are employed because "Paul" was not his common name. He was an active member of the Society of S. Vincent de Paul, and Charlotte Brontë portrayed him as M. Paul in her novel, _Villette_, commenced not later than the close of 1850 or the beginning of 1851.

[100] Italics mine.

[101] In _Chapters from Some Memories_, by Anne Thackeray Ritchie.

[102] By "Mrs. Brookfield's party" Lady Ritchie means the later distinguished party. In _Mrs. Brookfield and her Circle_, page 305, vol ii. (1905), a first dinner given by Mr. Thackeray for Charlotte Brontë in November 1849, is spoken of by Mrs. Brookfield as not having been a success; and the second great party at which some clever women were present, to meet Miss Brontë in 1851, is mentioned with the fact of the non-success of the 1849 party, on pages 355-6. All this now leaves clear the occasion of the 1850 private family dinner at Mr. Thackeray's house, when Charlotte Brontë sat next Lady Ritchie in a light green dress.

[103] Mrs. Gaskell's _Life of Charlotte Brontë_.

[104] _Ibid._

[105] The Roman numerals refer to the Preface.