I hope that, wherever you are in the world, you had a Happy Yorkshire Day yesterday on the 1st of August. I always think it would be nice if people exchange gifts, typical Yorkshire items, on that special day such as Yorkshire puddings, Pontefract cakes and Brontë novels. In today’s post we’re going to look at two gifts received at Haworth Parsonage 176 years ago.
George Smith, who inherited control of Smith, Elder & Co at a tender age, was in many ways a perfect publisher for Charlotte Brontë. Not only did he discern the genius in his writer Currer Bell (as he initially believed they were called) he became a friend and confidante of Charlotte; he even took her on holiday to Scotland with his sister. George also took a kindly interest in Charlotte’s family, and he of course met Anne Brontë when she and Charlotte visited London in July 1848. Here is his recollection of Anne: ‘She was a gentle, quiet, rather subdued person, by no means pretty, yet of a pleasing appearance. Her manner was curiously expressive of a wish for protection and encouragement, a kind of constant appeal which invited sympathy.’
Two years later, in August 1850, it was father Patrick Brontë receiving a gift from George Smith, in the form of two portraits sent to him at Haworth Parsonage. Patrick’s response is in this letter sent to Smith on 2nd August 1850:
‘My Dear Sir, the two portraits have, at length, safely arrived, and have been as safely hung up, in the best light, and most favourable position. Without flattery, the Artist, in the portrait of my daughter, has fully proved, that the fame which he has acquired, has been fairly earn’d. Without ostentatious display, with admirable tact and delicacy, he has produced a correct likeness, and succeeded in a graphic representation of mind, as well as matter, and with only black and white, has given prominence, and seeming, life, and speech, and motion – I may be partial, and perhaps, somewhat enthusiastic, in this case, but in looking upon this picture, which improves with acquaintance, as all real works of art do – I fancy I see strong indications of the Genius of the Author of Shirley and Jane Eyre.
The portrait of the Duke of Wellington, of all which I have seen comes the nearest to my preconceived ideas of that great Man, to whom Europe, and the other portions of the civilized World, in the most dangerous crisis of their affairs, intrusted their cause – and in whom, under providence, they did not trust in vain. It now remains for me only to thank you, which I do, most sincerely. For the sake of the giver, as well as the gift, I will lay the portraits up, for life, amongst my most highly valued treasures; and have only to regret, that some are missing, who, with better taste and skill than I have, would have fully partaken of my joy.
I beg leave to remain, with much respect, My Dear Sir, Yours, faithfully, P. Bronté.
Please to give my kindest and most respectful regards, to Mr. Williams, whom I have often heard of but never seen – and to Mr. Taylor, whom I had the pleasure of seeing, when he ventured into this wild region.’
We can safely say that Patrick liked his gifts (and note also how, even at this stage, Patrick was writing his surname differently to his children)! The first portrait he referred to was the portrait of his daughter Charlotte Brontë by society artist George Richmond, pictured above this paragraph. Pictured below is the portrait of the Duke of Wellington. It’s taken from a daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet.
Patrick Brontë and George Smith remained ever on good terms, which is why, after his last surviving daughter’s death, he approached Smith, Elder with his idea for a biography of Charlotte Brontë by her friend Elizabeth Gaskell. The rest, as they say, is literary history. I can’t promise to make literary history next Sunday, but I do hope you can join me for another new Brontë blog post.