Charlotte Brontë to Ellen Nussey:

Haworth, 23 December 1848 (*)

Dear Ellen,

Emily suffers no more either from pain or weakness now. She never will suffer more in this world--She is gone after a hard, short conflict. She died on Tuesday, the very day I wrote to you [19 December 1848]. I thought it very possible then she might be with us still for weeks and a few hours afterwards she was in Eternity--Yes--there is no Emily in Time or on Earth now--yesterday, we put her poor, wasted mortal frame under the Church pavement. We are very calm at present, why should we be otherwise?--the anguish of seeing her suffer is over--the spectacle of the pains of Death is gone by--the funeral day is past--we feel she is at peace--no need now to tremble for the hard frost and keen wind--Emily does not feel them. She has died in a time of promise--we saw her torn from life in its prime--but it is God's will and the place where she is gone is better than that she has left.(...)

(*) The letter is not originally dated.

Categories: Emily Brontë, Reminder