The Letters of Charlotte Brontë: 1829-1847`Men don't seem to understand making letters a vehicle of communication - they always seem to think us uncautious. I'm sure I don't think I have said anything rash - however you must burn it when read.' Despite the request, Charlotte Brontë's lifelong friend Ellen Nussey probably burnt very little of her correspondence, and in this edition, based as far as possible on original manuscripts, many confidential and outspoken letters are published in full for the first time.The present volume includes letters from Charlotte's childhood (the first written to her father in September 1829), and takes the reader up to the publication and review of Jane Eyre (1847). Early editions depended largely on bowdlerized or inaccurate copies, and even the much improved Shakespeare Head edition of 1932 suffered from limited access to manuscripts, owing to the nefarious activities of T. J. Wise. Since 1932 many more manuscripts have become available, and the present edition includes new letters, previously unpublished passages censored by Ellen Nussey or Mrs Gaskell, and full annotation. As well as Charlotte's own letters, a handful of important letters by friends and family relating to her or illuminating her correspondence are included, along with extracts from the diaries of Emily and Anne Brontë, Ellen Nussey, and Charlotte's rejected suitor Henry Nussey. The full Introduction includes an illuminating account of the early publication history of the letters, and biographical material on the main correspondents. Of particular interest in the notes to this volume are the extensive quotations from early reviews of Jane Eyre. |
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Address integral Agnes Grey Anne Brontë Annotation Birstall BPM B.S. BPM Bon BRADFORD YORKS Branwell Brontë Branwell's Brookroyd brother Brussels CB's Charlotte Brontë Charlotte's Church copy curate Currer Bell daughter dear Ellen Dewsbury Dixon Earnley Elizabeth Ellen To Ellen Emily Emily Brontë EN's envelope father feel G. H. Lewes Gaskell George Gérin give Gomersal Hatfield Hathersage Haworth Heger Henry Nussey hope Hunsworth Jane Eyre Joe Taylor John July June Keighley Leeds PM Luddenden Foot Magazine married Martha Mary Taylor Miss Ellen Nussey Miss Wooler Mother never Nicholls notes novel Nussey's Papa parsonage Patrick Brontë poems previous letter probably published pupils Revd Ringrose Robinson Roe Head Shorter sister Smith Symington tell Text Thorp Green Villette W. S. Williams wish Wooler write written wrote