3-057-420 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The first page of the manuscript of "Shirley", c1849 . "Shirley" was Charlotte Bronte's third novel. Chapter 1 introduces the curates, Mr Donne, Mr Malone and Mr Sweeting, which explains the title "Levitical" referring to the Levites, who were the priests of Israel. 'Of late years, an abundant shower of curates has fallen upon the North of England: they lie very thick on the hills; every parish has one or more of them; they are young enough to be very active, and ought to be doing a great deal of good. But not of late years are we about to speak; we are going back to the beginning of this century; late years - present years are dusty, sun-burnt, hot, arid; we will evade the noon, forget it in siesta, pass the mid-day in slumber, and dream of dawn. If you think, from this prelude, that anything like a romance is preparing for you, reader, you never were more mistaken. Do you anticipate sentiment, and poetry, and reverie? Do you expect passion, and stimulus, and melodrama?...'.