and　alluding　more　particularly　to　the　account　of　the　stoning　of　the　little　nestlings　in　the　presence　of　the　parent　birds。　　She　said　that　none　but　those　who　had　been　in　the　position　of　a　governess　could　ever　realise　the　dark　side　of　〃respectable〃　human　nature；　under　no　great　temptation　to　crime；　but　daily　giving　way　to　selfishness　and　ill…temper；　till　its　conduct　towards　those　dependent　on　it　sometimes　amounts　to　a　tyranny　of　which　one　would　rather　be　the　victim　than　the　inflicter。　　We　can　only　trust　in　such　cases　that　the　employers　err　rather　from　a　density　of　perception　and　an　absence　of　sympathy；　than　from　any　natural　cruelty　of　disposition。　　Among　several　things　of　the　same　kind；　which　I　well　remember；　she　told　me　what　had　once　occurred　to　herself。　　She　had　been　entrusted　with　the　care　of　a　little　boy；　three　or　four　years　old；　during　the　absence　of　his　parents　on　a　day's　excursion；　and　particularly　enjoined　to　keep　him　out　of　the　stable…yard。　　His　elder　brother；　a　lad　of　eight　or　nine；　and　not　a　pupil　of　Miss　Bronte's；　tempted　the　little　fellow　into　the　forbidden　place。　　She　followed；　and　tried　to　induce　him　to　come　away；　but；　instigated　by　his　brother；　he　began　throwing　stones　at　her；　and　one　of　them　hit　her　so　severe　a　blow　on　the　temple　that　the　lads　were　alarmed　into　obedience。　　The　next　day；　in　full　family　conclave；　the　mother　asked　Miss　Bronte　what　occasioned　the　mark　on　her　forehead。　　She　simply　replied；　〃An　accident；　ma'am；〃　and　no　further　inquiry　was　made；　but　the　children　（both　brothers　and　sisters）　had　been　present；　and　honoured　her　for　not　〃telling　tales。〃　　From　that　time；　she　began　to　obtain　influence　over　all；　more　or　less；　according　to　their　different　characters；　and　as　she　insensibly　gained　their　affection；　her　own　interest　in　them　was　increasing。　　But　one　day；　at　the　children's　dinner；　the　small　truant　of　the　stable…yard；　in　a　little　demonstrative　gush；　said；　putting　his　hand　in　hers；　〃I　love　'ou；　Miss　Bronte。〃　　Whereupon；　the　mother　exclaimed；　before　all　the　children；　〃Love　the　GOVERNESS；　my　dear！〃
  〃The　family　into　which　she　first　entered　was；　I　believe；　that　of　a　wealthy　Yorkshire　manufacturer。　　The　following　extracts　from　her　correspondence　at　this　time　will　show　how　painfully　the　restraint　of　her　new　mode　of　life　pressed　upon　her。　　The　first　is　from　a　letter　to　Emily；　beginning　with　one　of　the　tender　expressions　in　which；　in　spite　of　〃humbug；〃　she　indulged　herself。　　〃Mine　dear　love；〃　〃Mine…bonnie　love；〃　are　her　terms　of　address　to　this　beloved　sister。
  〃June　8th；　1839。
  〃I　have　striven　hard　to　be　pleased　with　my　new　situation。　　The　country；　the　house　and　the　grounds　are；　as　I　have　said；　divine；　but；　alack…a…day！　there　is　such　a　thing　as　seeing　all　beautiful　around　youpleasant　woods；　white　paths；　green　lawns；　and　blue　sunshiny　skyand　not　having　a　free　moment　or　a　free　thought　left　to　enjoy　them。　　The　children　are　constantly　with　me。　　As　for　correcting　them；　I　quickly　found　that　was　out　of　the　question；　they　are　to　do　as　they　like。　　A　complaint　to　the　mother　only　brings　black　looks　on　myself；　and　unjust；　partial　excuses　to　screen　the　children。　　I　have　tried　that　plan　once；　and　succeeded　so　notably；　I　shall　try　no　more。　　I　said　in　my　last　letter　that　Mrs。did　not　know　me。　　I　now　begin　to　find　she　does　not　intend　to　know　me；　that　she　cares　nothing　about　me；　except　to　contrive　how　the　greatest　possible　quantity　of　labour　may　be　got　out　of　me；　and　to　that　end　she　overwhelms　me　with　oceans　of　needle…work；　yards　of　cambric　to　hem；　muslin　nightcaps　to　make；　and；　above　all　things；　dolls　to　dress。　　I　do　not　think　she　likes　me　at　all；　because　I　can't　help　being　shy　in　such　an　entirely　novel　scene；　surrounded　as　I　have　hitherto　been　by　strange　and　constantly　changing　faces　。　。　。　I　used　to　think　I　should　like　to　be　in　the　stir　of　grand　folks'　society；　but　I　have　had　enough　of　itit　is　dreary　work　to　look　on　and　listen。　　I　see　more　clearly　than　I　have　ever　done　before；　that　a　private　governess　has　no　existence；　is　not　considered　as　a　living　rational　being；　except　as　connected　with　the　wearisome　duties　she　has　to　fulfil　。　。　。　One　of　the　pleasantest　afternoons　I　have　spent　hereindeed；　the　only　one　at　all　pleasantwas　when　Mr。walked　out　with　his　children；　and　I　had　orders　to　follow　a　little　behind。　　As　he　strolled　on　through　his　fields；　with　his　magnificent　Newfoundland　dog　at　his　side；　he　looked　very　like　what　a　frank；　wealthy；　Conservative　gentleman　ought　to　be。　　He　spoke　freely　and　unaffectedly　to　the　people　he　met；　and；　though　he　indulged　his　children　and　allowed　them　to　tease　himself　far　too　much；　he　would　not　suffer　them　grossly　to　insult　others。〃
  （WRITTEN　IN　PENCIL　TO　A　FRIEND。）
  〃July；　1839。
  〃I　cannot　procure　ink；　without　going　into　the　drawing…room；　where　I　do　not　wish　to　go　。　。　。　I　should　have　written　to　you　long　since；　and　told　you　every　detail　of　the　utterly　new　scene　into　which　I　have　lately　been　cast；　had　I　not　been　daily　expecting　a　letter　from　yourself；　and　wondering　and　lamenting　that　you　did　not　write；　for　you　will　remember　it　was　your　turn。　　I　must　not　bother　you　too　much　with　my　sorrows；　of　which；　I　fear；　you　have　heard　an　exaggerated　account。　　If　you　were　near　me；　perhaps　I　might　be　tempted　to　tell　you　all；　to　grow　egotistical；　and　pour　out　the　long　history　of　a　private　governess's　trials　and　crosses　in　her　first　situation。　　As　it　is；　I　will　only　ask　you　to　imagine　the　miseries　of　a　reserved　wretch　like　me；　thrown　at　once　into　the　midst　of　a　large　family；　at　a　time　when　they　were　particularly　gaywhen　the　house　was　filled　with　companyall　strangerspeople　whose　faces　I　had　never　seen　before。　　In　this　state　I　had　charge　given　me　of　a　set　of　pampered；　spoilt；　turbulent　children；　whom　I　was　expected　constantly　to　amuse；　as　well　as　to　instruct。　　I　soon　found　that　the　constant　demand　on　my　stock　of　animal　spirits　reduced　them　to　the　lowest　state　of　exhaustion；　at　times　I　felt　and；　I　suppose；　seemeddepressed。　　To　my　astonishment；　I　was　taken　to　task　on　the　subject　by　Mrs。with　a　sternness　of　manner　and　a　harshness　of　language　scarcely　credible；　like　a　fool；　I　cried　most　bitterly。　　I　could　not　help　it；　my　spirits　quite　failed　me　at　first。　　I　thought　I　had　done　my　beststrained　every　nerve　to　please　her；　and　to　be　treated　in　that　way；　merely　because　I　was　shy　and　sometimes　melancholy；　was　too　bad。　　At　first　I　was　for　giving　all　up　and　going　home。　　But；　after　a　little　reflection；　I　determined　to　summon　what　energy　I　had；　and　to　weather　the　storm。　I　said　to　myself；　'I　have　never　yet　quitted　a　place　without　gaining　a　friend；　adversity　is　a　good　school；　the　poor　are　born　to　labour；　and　the　dependent　to　endure。'　　I　resolved　to　be　patient；　to　command　my　feelings；　and　to　take　what　came；　the　ordeal；　I　reflected；　would　not　last　many　weeks；　and　I　trusted　it　would　do　me　good。　　I　recollected　the　fable　of　the　willow　and　the　oak；　I　bent　quietly；　and　now；　I　trust；　the　storm　is　blowing　over　me。　　Mrs。is　generally　considered　an　agreeable　woman；　so　she　is；　I　doubt　not；　in　general　society。　　She　behaves　somewhat　more　civilly　to　me　now　than　she　did　at　first；　and　the　children　are　a　little　more　manageable；　but　she　does　not　know　my　character；　and　she　does　not　wish　to　know　it。　　I　have　never　had　five　minutes'　conversation　with　her　since　I　came；　except　while　she　was　scolding　me。　　I　have　no　wish　to　be　pitied；　except　by　yourself；　if　I　were　talking　to　you　I　could　tell　you　much　more。〃
  （TO　EMILY；　ABOUT　THIS　TIME。）
  〃Mine　bonnie　love；　I　was　as　glad　of　your　letter　as　tongue　can　express：　　it　is　a　real；　genuine　pleasure　to　hear　from　home；　a　thing　to　be　saved　till　bedtime；　when　one　has　a　moment's　quiet　and　rest　to　enjoy　it　thoroughly。　　Write　whenever　you　can。　　I　could　like　to　be　at　home。　　I　could　like　to　work　in　a　mill。　　I　could　like　to　feel　some　mental　liberty。　　I　could　like　this　weight　of　restraint　to　be　taken　off。　　But　the　holidays　will　come。　Coraggio。〃
  Her　temporary　engagement　in　this　uncongenial　family　ended　in　the　July　of　this　year；　not　before　the　constant　strain　upon　her　spirits　and　strength　had　again　affected　her　health；　but　when　this　delicacy　became　apparent　in　palpitations　and　shortness　of　breathing；　it　was　treated　as　affectationas　a　phase　of　imaginary　indisposition；　which　could　be　dissipated　by　a　good　scolding。　　She　had　been　brought　up　rather　in　a　school　of　Spartan　endurance　than　in　one　of　maudlin　self…indulgence；　and　could　bear　many　a　pain　and　relinquish　many　a　hope　in　silence。
  After　she　had　been　at　home　about　a　week；　her　friend　proposed　that　she　should　accompany　her　in　some　little　excursion；　having　pleasure　alone　for　its　object。　　She　caught　at　the　idea　most　eagerly　at　first；　but　her　hope　stood　still；　waned；　and　had　almost　disappeared　before；　after　many　delays；　it　was　realised。　　In　its　fulfilment　at　last；　it　was　a　favourable　specimen　of　many　a　similar　air…bubble　dancing　before　her　eyes　in　her　brief　career；　in　which　stern　realities；　rather　than　pleasures；　formed　the　leading　incidents。
  〃July　26th；　1839。
  〃Your　proposal　has　almost　driven　me　'clean　daft'if　you　don't　understand　that　ladylike　expression；　you　must　ask　me　what　it　means　when　I　see　you。　　The　fact　is；　an　excursion　with　you　anywhere；　whether　to　Cleathorpe　or　Canada；just　by　ourselves；　would　be　to　me　most　delightful。　　I　should；　indeed；　like　to　go；　but　I　can't　get　leav