for the kindness which has been given me in such abundant
measure. I can discriminate the proportions in which blame and
praise have been awarded to my efforts: I see well that I have had
less of the former and more of the latter than I merit. I am not
therefore crushed, though I may be momentarily saddened by the frown,
even of the good.

'It would take a great deal to crush me, because I know, in the first
place, that my own intentions were correct, that I feel in my heart a
deep reverence for religion, that impiety is very abhorrent to me;
and in the second, I place firm reliance on the judgment of some who
have encouraged me. You and Mr. Lewes are quite as good authorities,
in my estimation, as Mr. Dilke or the editor of the _Spectator_, and
I would not under any circumstances, or for any opprobrium, regard
with shame what my friends had approved--none but a coward would let
the detraction of an enemy outweigh the encouragement of a friend.
You must not, therefore, fulfil your threat of being less
communicative in future; you must kindly tell me all.

'Miss Kavanagh's view of the maniac coincides with Leigh Hunt's. I
agree with them that the character is shocking, but I know that it is
but too natural. There is a phase of insanity which may be called
moral madness, in which all that is good or even human seems to
disappear from the mind, and a fiend-nature replaces it. The sole
aim and desire of the being thus possessed is to exasperate, to
molest, to destroy, and preternatural ingenuity and energy are often
exercised to that dreadful end. The aspect, in such cases,
assimilates with the disposition--all seem demonized. It is true
that profound pity ought to be the only sentiment elicited by the
view of such degradation, and equally true is it that I have not
sufficiently dwelt on that feeling: I have erred in making _horror_
too predominant. Mrs. Rochester, indeed, lived a sinful life before
she was insane, but sin is itself a species of insanity--the truly
good behold and compassionate it as such.

'_Jane Eyre_ has got down into Yorkshire, a copy has even penetrated
into this neighbourhood. I saw an elderly clergyman reading it the
other day, and had the satisfaction of hearing him exclaim, "Why,
they have got --- School, and Mr. --- here, I declare! and Miss ---"