V.—­The Coming of Success

The gentleman connected with the firm who first read the manuscript was so powerfully struck by the character of the tale that he reported his impressions in very strong terms to Mr. Smith, who appears to have been much amused by the admiration excited.  “You seem to have been so enchanted that I do not know how to believe you,” he laughingly said.  But when a second reader, in the person of a clear-headed Scotsman, not given to enthusiasm, had taken the manuscript home in the evening, and became so deeply interested in it as to sit up half the night to finish it, Mr. Smith’s curiosity was sufficiently excited to prompt him to read it himself; and great as were the praises which had been bestowed upon it he found that they did not exceed the truth.  The power and fascination of the tale itself made its merits known to the public without the kindly fingerposts of professional criticism, and early in December the rush for copies began.

When the demand for the work had assured success, her sisters urged Charlotte to tell their father of its publication.  She accordingly went into his study one afternoon, carrying with her a copy of the book and two or three reviews, taking care to include a notice adverse to it, and the following conversation took place.

“Papa, I’ve been writing a book.”

“Have you, my dear?”

“Yes; and I want you to read it.”

“I am afraid it will try my eyes too much.”

“But it is not in manuscript; it is printed.”

“My dear, you’ve never thought of the expense it will be!  It will be almost sure to be a loss; for how can you get a book sold?  No one knows you or your name.”

“But, papa, I don’t think it will be a loss.  No more will you if you will just let me read you a review or two, and tell you more about it.”

So she sat down and read some of the reviews to her father, and then, giving him the copy of “Jane Eyre” that she intended for him, she left him to read it.  When he came in to tea he said:  “Girls, do you know Charlotte has been writing a book, and it is much better than likely?”

Soon the whole reading world of England was in a ferment to discover the unknown author.  Even the publishers were ignorant whether “Currer Bell” was a real or an assumed name till a flood of public opinion had lifted the book from obscurity and had laid it high on the everlasting hills of fame.

The authorship was kept a close secret in the Bronte family, and not even the friend who was all but a sister—­Ellen Nussey—­knew more about it than the rest of the world.  It was indeed through an attempt at sharp practice by another firm that Messrs. Smith & Elder became aware of the identity of the author with Miss Bronte.  In the June of 1848, “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,” a second novel by Anne Bronte—­“Acton Bell”—­was submitted for publication to the firm which had previously published “Wuthering