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up and moves on either side out of its impetuous way till in some parts they almost form a wall。 By the side of the little； shallow； sparkling； vigorous Leck； run long pasture fields； of the fine short grass common in high land； for though Cowan Bridge is situated on a plain； it is a plain from which there is many a fall and long descent before you and the Leck reach the valley of the Lune。 I can hardly understand how the school there came to be so unhealthy； the air all round about was so sweet and thyme…scented； when I visited it last summer。 But at this day； every one knows that the site of a building intended for numbers should be chosen with far greater care than that of a private dwelling； from the tendency to illness； both infectious and otherwise； produced by the congregation of people in close proximity。
The house is still remaining that formed part of that occupied by the school。 It is a long； bow…windowed cottage； now divided into two dwellings。 It stands facing the Leck； between which and it intervenes a space； about seventy yards deep； that was once the school garden。 This original house was an old dwelling of the Picard family； which they had inhabited for two generations。 They sold it for school purposes； and an additional building was erected； running at right angles from the older part。 This new part was devoted expressly to school…rooms； dormitories； &c。； and after the school was removed to Casterton； it was used for a bobbin…mill connected with the stream； where wooden reels were made out of the alders； which grow profusely in such ground as that surrounding Cowan Bridge。 This mill is now destroyed。 The present cottage was； at the time of which I write； occupied by the teachers' rooms； the dinner…room and kitchens； and some smaller bedrooms。 On going into this building； I found one part； that nearest to the high road； converted into a poor kind of public… house； then to let； and having all the squalid appearance of a deserted place； which rendered it difficult to judge what it would look like when neatly kept up； the broken panes replaced in the windows； and the rough…cast （now cracked and discoloured） made white and whole。 The other end forms a cottage； with the low ceilings and stone floors of a hundred years ago； the windows do not open freely and widely； and the passage up…stairs； leading to the bedrooms； is narrow and tortuous： altogether； smells would linger about the house； and damp cling to it。 But sanitary matters were little understood thirty years ago； and it was a great thing to get a roomy building close to the high road； and not too far from the habitation of Mr。 Wilson； the originator of the educational scheme。 There was much need of such an institution； numbers of ill…paid clergymen hailed the prospect with joy； and eagerly put down the names of their children as pupils when the establishment should be ready to receive them。 Mr。 Wilson was； no doubt； pleased by the impatience with which the realisation of his idea was anticipated； and opened the school with less than a hundred pounds in hand； and with pupils； the number of whom varies according to different accounts； Mr。 W。 W。 Carus Wilson； the son of the founder； giving it as seventy； while Mr。 Shepheard； the son…in…law； states it to have been only sixteen。
Mr。 Wilson felt； most probably； that the responsibility of the whole plan rested upon him。 The payment made by the parents was barely enough for food and lodging； the subscriptions did not flow very freely into an untried scheme； and great economy was necessary in all the domestic arrangements。 He determined to enforce this by frequent personal inspection； carried perhaps to an unnecessary extent； and leading occasionally to a meddling with little matters； which had sometimes the effect of producing irritation of feeling。 Yet； although there was economy in providing for the household； there does not appear to have been any parsimony。 The meat； flour； milk； &c。； were contracted for； but were of very fair quality； and the dietary； which has been shown to me in manuscript； was neither bad nor unwholesome； nor； on the whole； was it wanting in variety。 Oatmeal porridge for breakfast； a piece of oat…cake for those who required luncheon； baked and boiled beef； and mutton； potato…pie； and plain homely puddings of different kinds for dinner。 At five o'clock； bread and milk for the younger ones； and one piece of bread （this was the only time at which the food was limited） for the elder pupils； who sat up till a later meal of the same description。
Mr。 Wilson himself ordered in the food； and was anxious that it should be of good quality。 But the cook； who had much of his confidence； and against whom for a long time no one durst utter a complaint； was careless； dirty； and wasteful。 To some children oatmeal porridge is distasteful； and consequently unwholesome； even when properly made； at Cowan Bridge School it was too often sent up； not merely burnt； but with offensive fragments of other substances discoverable in it。 The beef； that should have been carefully salted before it was dressed； had often become tainted from neglect； and girls； who were schoolfellows with the Brontes； during the reign of the cook of whom I am speaking； tell me that the house seemed to be pervaded； morning； noon； and night； by the odour of rancid fat that steamed out of the oven in which much of their food was prepared。 There was the same carelessness in making the puddings； one of those ordered was rice boiled in water； and eaten with a sauce of treacle and sugar； but it was often uneatable； because the water had been taken out of the rain tub； and was strongly impregnated with the dust lodging on the roof； whence it had trickled down into the old wooden cask； which also added its own flavour to that of the original rain water。 The milk； too； was often 〃bingy；〃 to use a country expression for a kind of taint that is far worse than sourness； and suggests the idea that it is caused by want of cleanliness about the milk pans； rather than by the heat of the weather。 On Saturdays； a kind of pie； or mixture of potatoes and meat； was served up； which was made of all the fragments accumulated during the week。 Scraps of meat from a dirty and disorderly larder； could never be very appetizing； and； I believe； that this dinner was more loathed than any in the early days of Cowan Bridge School。 One may fancy how repulsive such fare would be to children whose appetites were small； and who had been accustomed to food； far simpler perhaps； but prepared with a delicate cleanliness that made it both tempting and wholesome。 At many a meal the little Brontes went without food； although craving with hunger。 They were not strong when they came； having only just recovered from a complication of measles and hooping…cough： indeed； I suspect they had scarcely recovered； for there was some consultation on the part of the school authorities whether Maria and Elizabeth should be received or not； in July 1824。 Mr。 Bronte came again； in the September of that year； bringing with him Charlotte and Emily to be admitted as pupils。
It appears strange that Mr。 Wilson should not have been informed by the teachers of the w