Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

030. Letter to William S. Williams, 8 May 1849, pages 6–7

Charlotte Brontë
(1816–1855)

Letter to William S. Williams, dated Haworth, 8 May 1849

MA 2696.37

Henry H. Bonnell Collection, bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969

Transcription

up with them – One should never tell a gentleman that one has commenced a task till it is nearly achieved. Currer Bell – even if he had no let or hindrance, and if his path were quite smooth, could never march with the tread of a Scott, a Bulwer, a Thackeray, or a Dickens. I want you and Mr. Smith clearly to understand this; I have always wished to guard you against exaggerated anticipations, calculate low when you calculate on me. An honest man – and woman too – would always rather rise above expectation, than fall below it.

The Have I lectured enough – and am I understood?

Give my sympathizing respects to Mrs. Williams – I hope her little daughter is by this time restored to perfe[c]t health. It pleased me to see with what satisfaction you speak of your Son – I was glad too to hear of the progress and welfare of Miss Kavanagh –

The notices of Mr Harris’s work are encouraging and just – may they contribute to his success.

Should Mr Thackeray again ask after Currer Bell, say the secret is and will be well kept because it is not worth disclosure – this fact his own sagacity will have already led him to divine.

In the hope that it may not be long ere I hear from you again

Believe me

Yours sincerely

C Brontë

Brontë wrote this letter to her friend William S. Williams of the firm Smith, Elder, & Co., which had published Jane Eyre, to send him a wrenching update of her sister Anne’s decline. She wrote on black-edged mourning stationery, having recently lost her sister Emily and brother, Branwell, both of whom had died a few months before.