papa has an excellent constitution and may live
many years yet. The true balance is not yet restored to the
circulation, but I believe that impetuous and dangerous termination
to the head is quite obviated. I cannot permit myself to comment
much on the chief contents of your last; advice is not necessary. As
far as I can judge, you seem hitherto enabled to take these trials in
a good and wise spirit. I can only pray that such combined strength
and resignation may be continued to you. Submission, courage,
exertion, when practicable--these seem to be the weapons with which
we must fight life's long battle.--Yours faithfully,

'C. BRONTE.'

To Miss Nussey we owe many other letters than those here printed--indeed,
they must needs play an important part in Charlotte Bronte's biography.
They do not deal with the intellectual interests which are so marked in
the letters to W. S. Williams, and which, doubtless, characterised the
letters to Miss Mary Taylor. 'I ought to have written this letter to
Mary,' Charlotte says, when on one occasion she dropped into literature
to her friend; but the friendship was as precious as most intellectual
friendships, because it was based upon a common esteem and an unselfish
devotion. Ellen Nussey, as we have seen, accompanied Anne Bronte to
Scarborough, and was at her death-bed. She attended Charlotte's wedding,
and lived to mourn over her tomb. For forty years she has been the
untiring advocate and staunch champion, hating to hear a word in her
great friend's dispraise, loving to note the glorious recognition, of
which there has been so rich and so full a harvest. That she still lives
to receive our reverent gratitude for preserving so many interesting
traits of the Brontes, is matter for full and cordial congratulation,
wherever the names of the authors of _Jane Eyre_ and _Wuthering Heights_
are held in just and wise esteem.

CHAPTER IX: MARY TAYLOR

Mary Taylor, the 'M---' of Mrs. Gaskell's biography, and the 'Rose Yorke'
of _Shirley_, will always have a peculiar interest to those who care for
the Brontes. She shrank from publicity, and her name has been less
mentioned than that of any other member of the circle. And yet hers was
a personality singularly strenuous and strong. She wrote two books 'with
a purpose,' and, as we shall see, vigorously embodied her teaching in he