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churchyard； are bushes of elder and lilac； the rest of the ground is occupied by a square grass…plot and a gravel walk。 The house is of grey stone； two stories high； heavily roofed with flags； in order to resist the winds that might strip off a lighter covering。 It appears to have been built about a hundred years ago； and to consist of four rooms on each story； the two windows on the right （as the visitor stands with his back to the church； ready to enter in at the front door） belonging to Mr。 Bronte's study； the two on the left to the family sitting…room。 Everything about the place tells of the most dainty order； the most exquisite cleanliness。 The door…steps are spotless； the small old…fashioned window…panes glitter like looking…glass。 Inside and outside of that house cleanliness goes up into its essence； purity。
The little church lies； as I mentioned； above most of the houses in the village； and the graveyard rises above the church； and is terribly full of upright tombstones。 The chapel or church claims greater antiquity than any other in that part of the kingdom； but there is no appearance of this in the external aspect of the present edifice； unless it be in the two eastern windows； which remain unmodernized； and in the lower part of the steeple。 Inside； the character of the pillars shows that they were constructed before the reign of Henry VII。 It is probable that there existed on this ground； a 〃field…kirk；〃 or oratory； in the earliest times； and； from the Archbishop's registry at York； it is ascertained that there was a chapel at Haworth in 1317。 The inhabitants refer inquirers concerning the date to the following inscription on a stone in the church tower：…
〃Hic fecit Caenobium Monachorum Auteste fundator。 A。 D。 sexcentissimo。〃
That is to say； before the preaching of Christianity in Northumbria。 Whitaker says that this mistake originated in the illiterate copying out； by some modern stone…cutter； of an inscription in the character of Henry the Eighth's time on an adjoining stone：…
〃Orate pro bono statu Eutest Tod。〃
〃Now every antiquary knows that the formula of prayer 'bono statu' always refers to the living。 I suspect this singular Christian name has been mistaken by the stone…cutter for Austet； a contraction of Eustatius； but the word Tod； which has been mis… read for the Arabic figures 600； is perfectly fair and legible。 On the presumption of this foolish claim to antiquity； the people would needs set up for independence； and contest the right of the Vicar of Bradford to nominate a curate at Haworth。〃
I have given this extract； in order to explain the imaginary groundwork of a commotion which took place in Haworth about five and thirty years ago； to which I shall have occasion to allude again more particularly。
The interior of the church is commonplace； it is neither old enough nor modern enough to compel notice。 The pews are of black oak； with high divisions； and the names of those to whom they belong are painted in white letters on the doors。 There are neither brasses； nor altar…tombs； nor monuments； but there is a mural tablet on the right…hand side of the communion…table； bearing the following inscription：…
HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF MARIA BRONTE； WIFE OF THE REV。 P。 BRONTE； A。B。； MINISTER OP HAWORTH。 HER SOUL DEPARTED TO THE SAVIOUR； SEPT。 15TH； 1821； IN THE 39TH YEAR OF HER AGE。
〃Be ye also ready： for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh。〃 MATTHEW xxiv。 44。
ALSO HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF MARIA BRONTE； DAUGHTER OF THE AFORESAID； SHE DIED ON THE 6TH OF MAY； 1825； IN THE 12TH YEAR OF HER AGE； AND OF ELIZABETH BRONTE； HER SISTER； WHO DIED JUNE 15TH； 1825； IN THE 11TH YEAR OF HER AGE。
〃Verily I say unto you； Except ye be converted； and become as little children； ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven。〃 MATTHEW xviii。 3。
HERE ALSO LIE THE REMAINS OF PATRICK BRANWELL BRONTE； WHO DIED SEPT。 24TH； 1848； AGED 3O YEARS； AND OF EMILY JANE BRONTE； WHO DIED DEC。 19TH； 1848； AGED 29 YEARS； SON AND DAUGHTER OF THE REV。 P。 BRONTE； INCUMBENT。
THIS STONE IS ALSO DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ANNE BRONTE； ｛1｝ YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF THE REV。 P。 BRONTE； A。B。 SHE DIED； AGED 27 YEARS； MAY 28TH； 1849； AND WAS BURIED AT THE OLD CHURCH； SCARBORO。'
At the upper part of this tablet ample space is allowed between the lines of the inscription； when the first memorials were written down； the survivors； in their fond affection； thought little of the margin and verge they were leaving for those who were still living。 But as one dead member of the household follows another fast to the grave； the lines are pressed together； and the letters become small and cramped。 After the record of Anne's death； there is room for no other。
But one more of that generationthe last of that nursery of six little motherless childrenwas yet to follow； before the survivor； the childless and widowed father； found his rest。 On another tablet； below the first； the following record has been added to that mournful list：…
ADJOINING LIE THE REMAINS OF CHARLOTTE； WIFE OF THE REV。 ARTHUR BELL NICHOLLS； A。B。； AND DAUGHTER OF THE REV。 P。 BRONTE； A。B。； INCUMBENT SHE DIED MARCH 31ST； 1855； IN THE 39TH YEAR OF HER AGE。 ｛2｝
This tablet； which corrects the error in the former tablet as to the age of Anne Bronte； bears the following inscription in Roman letters； the initials； however； being in old English。
In Memory of Maria； wife of the Rev。 P。 Bronte； A。B。； Minister of Haworth； She died Sept。 15th； 1821； in the 39th year of her age。 Also； of Maria； their daughter； who died May 6th； 1825； in the 12th year of her age。 Also； of Elizabeth； their daughter； who died June 15th； 1825； in the 11th year of her age。 Also； of Patrick Branwell； their son； who died Sept。 24th； 1848； aged 31 years。 Also； of Emily Jane； their daughter； who died Dec。 19th； 1848； aged 30 years。 Also； of Anne； their daughter； who died May 28th； 1849； aged 29 years。 She was buried at the Old Church； Scarborough。 Also； of Charlotte； their daughter； wife of the Rev。 A。 B。 Nicholls； B。A。 She died March 31st； 1855； in the 39th year of her age。 〃The sting of death is sin； and the strength of sin is the law； but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ。〃1 Cor。 xv。 56； 57。
CHAPTER II
For a right understanding of the life of my dear friend； Charlotte Bronte； it appears to me more necessary in her case than in most others； that the reader should be made acquainted with the peculiar forms of population and society amidst which her earliest years were passed； and from which both her own and her sisters' first impressions of human life must have been received。 I shall endeavour； therefore； before proceeding further with my work； to present some idea of the character of the people of Haworth； and the surrounding districts。
Even an inhabitant of the neighbouring county of Lancaster is struck by the peculiar force of character which the Yorkshiremen display。 This makes them interesting as a race； while； at the same time； as individuals； the remarkable degree of self… sufficiency they possess gives them an air of independence rather apt to repel a stranger。 I use this expression