Gaskell, E.C.

12mo (200 x 124mm.), 2 volumes, first edition, presentation copy from the author to Charlotte's Brontë's lifelong friend Ellen Nussey with inscription, probably in publisher's or editor's hand, on front free endpaper ("From the author"), marginal annotations and other markings on many pages in at least two different hands (one probably Ellen Nussey's), with comments and memories of Charlotte Brontë, autograph letter signed by Elizabeth Gaskell tipped-in to volume 1,photograph of Ellen Nussey pasted-in on front endpaper of volume 1, with cut signature of Ellen Nussey affixed beneath, 16pp. publisher's catalogue at the end of volume 2 dated March 1857, late nineteenth-century polished red calf gilt by Zaehnsdorf, original brown cloth spines bound in, spines in six compartments with morocco labels, top edges gilt, inner dentelles, red coated endpapers, spines sunned and with some slight wear, some minor soiling and spotting to text

presented by the author to Ellen Nussey, presentation inscription in the hand of the recipient on front free endpaper of volume 1; given by Ellen in May 1889 to Sir George John Armytage, 6th baronet of Kirklees (Armytage bookplate and additional printed leaf, c.1889, with full provenance, signed by Ellen Nussey, bound in at the front of each volume); thence by descent

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A fine presentation, association and annotated copy of the famous first published biography of Charlotte Brontë, a substantial portion of which was based on the correspondence between the author and Ellen Nussey herself.

The hand in ink appears to be chiefly of an editorial kind, with, among other things, corrections to the quotations from Charlotte Brontë's letters; the other hand, quite probably Ellen Nussey's herself, written with a blunt pencil and comprising marginal crossings, markings, textual underlinings and annotations on many pages of the text, are clearly by somebody with a fairly intimate knowledge of her subject's life. In volume 1, for instance, on p.56 a long passage is marked concerning a "wild story" about a young girl residing in an isolated village near Haworth; the line "it was discovered that she had been seduced by her sister's wealthy husband" is changed to "...had been betrayed  by her sister's husband..."; in volume 2 there are numerous marginal annotations with memories of the attributes and behaviour of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë (and their publishers), often with reference to works such as Jane Eyre. On pp.25-26, for instance, where Gaskell discusses the withholding of the true ownership of the Brontë sisters' tales, the annotator records that "Charlotte corrected the proof sheets of Jane Eyre while staying with S quite openly...." On pp.186-7 there is a long note with reference to Charlotte's long walks on the moors, and excursions apparently undertaken organised by Ellen and Emily for Charlotte's benefit.

The autograph letter signed by Elizabeth Gaskell (4pp., 8vo, no place or date) is to "Dearest Lily" (apparently a young friend), thanking her for her (unsuccessful) efforts to find her a replacement cook ("...You're a very good child & that you are! tho' you've not found me a cook...Cook leaves on Tuesday, but we shall all be glad to have no dinners, & get rid of her..."), recording that Nula is visiting Cannes ("...a...'weakening place, requiring quinine perpetually'...") and Nell is in London at 43 Eaton Place ("...sounding very gay, as people always do at a distance...I did not see you at the concert...").

Elizabeth Gaskell's pioneering, landmark biography of her close friend ("creating a new, feminine form which linked emotional and domestic life and suffering to creativity...": Jenny Uglow, Oxford DNB) was hugely controversial at the time, and remains so today, for different reasons. Gaskell was asked to write it  by Patrick Brontë in June 1853, a few months after Charlotte's death, and spent most of the next two years gathering letters (including 300 written to Ellen Nussey, retained despite Arthur Nicholls' request that they be destroyed) and other information. In order to defend her subject against the accusations of "coarsness" prevalent in her lifetime Gaskell played down -- even though she had read their correspondence -- Charlotte's passionate attachment to her master at the Brussels Athénée, Constantin Heger (the model for Paul Emmanuel in Villette); instead, she explained Charlotte's despair in 1845 as outcome of the moral collapse of Branwell Brontë, and re-emphasised the sisters' complete isolation. The biography appeared on 24 March 1857, and to escape the inevitable storm the biographer went overseas with her two eldest daughters for three months. Her husband, publisher, solicitor, and also Ellen Nussey, were largely left to deal with the barrage of criticism and threats of legal action which ensued. Eventually unsold copies of the biography were withdrawn and a formal letter of apology placed in The Times. "Fierce criticism and more legal threats came from supporters of W. Carus Wilson, founder of Cowan Bridge, the school blamed for the deaths of the elder Brontë sisters. Individual complaints came from many individuals, including Harriet Martineau, G. H. Lewes and, most particularly, Patrick Brontë. All were dealt with in the revised third edition. Faced with such criticism, Gaskell took refuge in the justification used of Mary Barton and Ruth: 'I did so try to tell the truth, & I believe now I hit as near the truth as any one could do. And I weighed every line with all my whole power & heart' (Letters, 454)" (Jenny Uglow, op.cit.). Today the work is more likely to be criticised for its suppression of Charlotte's true feelings for Constantin Heger and its over-emphasis on Brontë "as the suffering victim, rather than active agent..." (op.cit.)