IV.—­The Sisters’ Book of Poems

The attempt to secure pupils at Haworth failed.  At this time the conduct of the now dissipated brother Branwell—­conduct bordering on insanity—­caused the family the most terrible anxiety; their father was nearly blind with cataract, and Charlotte herself lived under the dread of blindness.  It was now that she paid a visit to her friends the Nusseys, at Hathersage, in Derbyshire, the scene of the later chapters of “Jane Eyre.”  On her return she found her brother dismissed from his employment, a slave to opium, and to drink whenever he could get it, and for some time before he died he had attacks of delirium tremens of the most frightful character.

In the course of this sad autumn of 1845 a new interest came into the lives of the sisters through the publication, at their own expense, of “Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell,” as explained in the biographical notice of her sisters, which Charlotte prefaced to the edition of “Wuthering Heights” and “Agnes Grey,” that was published in 1850.

“One day in the autumn of 1845 I accidentally lighted on a manuscript volume of verses in my sister Emily’s handwriting.  Of course I was not surprised, knowing that she could and did write verses.  I looked it over, and then something more than surprise seized me—­a deep conviction that these were not common effusions, not at all like the poetry a woman generally writes.  I thought them condensed and terse, vigorous and genuine.  To my ear they had also a peculiar music, wild, melancholy, and elevating.  I took hours to reconcile my sister to the discovery I had made, and days to persuade her that such poems merited publication.  Meantime, my younger sister quietly produced some of her own compositions, intimating that since Emily’s had given me pleasure I might like to look at hers.  I thought that these verses too had a sweet sincere pathos of their own.  We had very early cherished the dream of one day being authors.  We agreed to arrange a small selection of our poems, and if possible get them printed.”

The “Poems” obtained no sale until the authors became otherwise known.

During the summer of 1846 the three sisters made attempts to find a publisher for a volume that was to consist of three prose tales, “Wuthering Heights,” by Emily, “Agnes Grey” by Anne, and “The Professor” by Charlotte.  Eventually the two former were accepted for a three-volume issue, though eighteen months passed and much happened before the book was actually circulated.  Meantime, “The Professor” was plodding its way round London through many rejections.  Under these circumstances, her brother’s brain mazed and his gifts and life lost, her father’s sight hanging on a thread, her sisters in delicate health and dependent on her care, did the brave genius begin, with steady courage, the writing of “Jane Eyre.”  While refusing to publish “The Professor,” Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co. expressed their willingness to consider favourably a new work in three volumes which “Currer Bell” informed them he was writing; and by October 16, 1847, the tale—­“Jane Eyre”—­was accepted, printed, and published.