Mr. Wise, in particular, has
lent me many valuable manuscripts. Finally, I have to thank my friend
Dr. Robertson Nicoll for the kindly pressure which has practically
compelled me to prepare this little volume amid a multitude of
journalistic duties.

CLEMENT K. SHORTER.
198 STRAND, LONDON,
_September_ 1_st_, 1896.

CONTENTS

PRELIMINARY
CHAPTER I PATRICK BRONTE AND MARIA HIS WIFE
CHAPTER II CHILDHOOD
CHAPTER III SCHOOL AND GOVERNESS LIFE
CHAPTER IV PENSIONNAT HEGER, BRUSSELS
CHAPTER V PATRICK BRANWELL BRONTE
CHAPTER VI EMILY JANE BRONTE
CHAPTER VII ANNE BRONTE
CHAPTER VIII ELLEN NUSSEY
CHAPTER IX MARY TAYLOR
CHAPTER X MARGARET WOOLER
CHAPTER XI THE CURATES AT HAWORTH
CHAPTER XII CHARLOTTE BRONTE'S LOVERS
CHAPTER XIII LITERARY AMBITIONS
CHAPTER XIV WILLIAM SMITH WILLIAMS
CHAPTER XV WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY
CHAPTER XVI LITERARY FRIENDSHIPS
CHAPTER XVII ARTHUR BELL NICHOLLS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

CHARLOTTE BRONTE Frontispiece
PATRICK BRANWELL BRONTE facing page 120
FACSIMILE OF PAGE OF EMILY BRONTE'S DIARY facing page 146
FACSIMILE OF TWO PAGES OF EMILY BRONTE'S DIARY facing page 154
ANNE BRONTE facing page 182
MISS ELLEN NUSSEY AS A SCHOOLGIRL )
MISS ELLEN NUSSEY TO-DAY ) facing page 207
THE REV. ARTHUR BELL NICHOLLS facing page 467

A BRONTE CHRONOLOGY

_Patrick Bronte born_ 17 _March_ 1777
_Maria Bronte born_ 1783
_Patrick leaves Ireland for Cambridge_ 1802
_Degree of A.B._ 1806
_Curacy at Wetherfield_, _Essex_ 1806
,, _Dewsbury Yorks_ 1809
,, _Hartshead-cum-Clifton_ 1811
_Publishes_ '_Cottage Poems_' (_Halifax_) 1811
_Married to Maria Branwell_ 18 _Dec._ 1812
_First Child_, _Maria_, _born_ 1813
_Publishes_ '_The Rural Minstrel_' 1813
_Elizabeth born_ 1814
_Publishes_ '_The Cottage in the Wood_'