Brontës and Brontëites in London

We are very surprised to find that New Statesman knows one of the not-so-common Brontë anecdotes. It's nice to see it's not always about loves 'such as Cathy and Heathcliff's', governesses like Jane Eyre or some such thing.

Some people prefer to contemplate the maps of London rather than navigate their way around its physical streets. Branwell Brontë, immured in the parsonage of Haworth, closely studied any map of London he could find. He familiarised himself with every street, and every junction, so that he could discourse freely and effectively with any Londoner passing through his neighbourhood. It was as if he had himself become a resident of the city. He never set foot in the capital during his short life; but he felt that he knew it intimately. It was an illusion, of course, but all maps are illusions.

All absolutely and impeccably true. What a delight! :)

Born in London, artist Kathryn Harmer tells Dispatch about her current read:

What are you presently reading and who is your favourite author?
Villette by Charlotte Bronte. My favourite author is very difficult but books would have to be Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien and the two Thomas Covenant trilogies by Stephen Donaldson.

So that's a more frequent - but still unusual - kind of thing too.

Categories: Branwell Brontë, Villette