My
conscience will not let me be either a Puseyite or a Hookist; _mais_,
if I were a Dissenter, I would have taken the first opportunity of
kicking, or of horse-whipping both the gentlemen for their stern,
bitter attack on my religion and its teachers. But in spite of all
this, I admired the noble integrity which could dictate so fearless an
opposition against so strong an antagonist.
"P.S.--Mr. W. has given another lecture at the Keighley Mechanics'
Institution, and papa has also given a lecture; both are spoken of
very highly in the newspapers, and it is mentioned as a matter of
wonder that such displays of intellect should emanate from the village
of Haworth, 'situated among the bogs and mountains, and, until very
lately, supposed to be in a state of semi-barbarism.' Such are the
words of the newspaper."
To fill up the account of this outwardly eventless year, I may add a few
more extracts from the letters entrusted to me.
"May 15th, 1840.
"Do not be over-persuaded to marry a man you can never respect--I do
not say _love_; because, I think, if you can respect a person before
marriage, moderate love at least will come after; and as to intense
_passion_, I am convinced that that is no desirable feeling. In the
first place, it seldom or never meets with a requital; and, in the
second place, if it did, the feeling would be only temporary: it would
last the honeymoon, and then, perhaps, give place to disgust, or
indifference, worse, perhaps, than disgust.
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