ELECBOOKCLASSICSebJane EyreCharlotteBronte
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë ELECBOOK CLASSICS
Jane Eyre4ContentsClick on number to go to ChapterPREFACE610ChapterI.17ChapterII.26Chapter III..38ChapterIV...58Chapter V.75Chapter VI..85Chapter VII..97Chapter VIIIChapterIX.108119Chapter X.134Chapter XI.155Chapter XII169Chapter XIII.184Chapter XIV..201Chapter XV.218Chapter XVI.231ChapterXVII258ChapterXVIIIChapter XIX278CharlotteBronteElecBook Classics
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë ElecBook Classics 4 Contents Click on number to go to Chapter PREFACE .6 Chapter I .10 Chapter II.17 Chapter III .26 Chapter IV.38 Chapter V .58 Chapter VI.75 Chapter VII .85 Chapter VIII.97 Chapter IX .108 Chapter X.119 Chapter XI .134 Chapter XII.155 Chapter XIII .169 Chapter XIV.184 Chapter XV.201 Chapter XVI.218 Chapter XVII .231 Chapter XVIII.258 Chapter XIX .278
5Jane EyreChapter XX...292..312Chapter XXI.....341Chapter XXII....351Chapter XXIIIChapter XXIV..365Chapter XXV.....390Chapter XXVI...407...422Chapter XXVII.....457Chapter XXVIIIChapter xXIX...480Chapter xxX.....496...509Chapter XxXI....520Chapter XxXII......536Chapter XXXIII..553Chapter XxXIV.583Chapter XXXV.....598ChapterXXXVI..611ChapterXXXVII..638ChapterXXXVIIICONCLUSIONCharlotte BronteElecBook Classics
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë ElecBook Classics 5 Chapter XX.292 Chapter XXI .312 Chapter XXII.341 Chapter XXIII .351 Chapter XXIV .365 Chapter XXV.390 Chapter XXVI .407 Chapter XXVII.422 Chapter XXVIII .457 Chapter XXIX .480 Chapter XXX.496 Chapter XXXI .509 Chapter XXXII.520 Chapter XXXIII .536 Chapter XXXIV .553 Chapter XXXV.583 Chapter XXXVI .598 Chapter XXXVII.611 Chapter XXXVIII—CONCLUSION .638
6Jane EyrePREFACEpreface to the first edition of Jane Eyre beingAunnecessary,I gave none:this second edition demands afew words bothof acknowledgment and miscellaneousremark.My thanks are due in three quarters.To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined toa plain talewithfewpretensions.To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage has opened toan obscure aspirant. To my Publishers, for the aid their tact, theirenergy,their practical sense and frank liberalityhaveafforded anunknownandunrecommendedAuthor.ThePress and thePublicarebutvaguepersonifications forme,and I must thank them in vague terms; but my Publishers aredefinite: so are certain generous critics who have encouraged meas only large-hearted and high-minded menknowhow toencourage astruggling stranger;tothem,i.e.,to myPublishersand the select Reviewers, I say cordially, Gentlemen, I thank youfrommyheart.Having thus acknowledged what I owe those who have aidedand approved me, I turn to another class; a small one, so far as Iknow, but not, therefore,to be overlooked.I mean the timorous orcarpingfew who doubt the tendency of such books as JaneEyre:inwhose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect ineach protest against bigotry-that parent of crime-an insult topiety, that regent of God on earth. I would suggest to suchdoubters certain obvious distinctions:I wouldremind them ofcertainsimpletruths.CharlotteBronteElecBookClassics
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë ElecBook Classics 6 PREFACE preface to the first edition of Jane Eyre being unnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few words both of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark. My thanks are due in three quarters. To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined to a plain tale with few pretensions. To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage has opened to an obscure aspirant. To my Publishers, for the aid their tact, their energy, their practical sense and frank liberality have afforded an unknown and unrecommended Author. The Press and the Public are but vague personifications for me, and I must thank them in vague terms; but my Publishers are definite: so are certain generous critics who have encouraged me as only large-hearted and high-minded men know how to encourage a struggling stranger; to them, i.e., to my Publishers and the select Reviewers, I say cordially, Gentlemen, I thank you from my heart. Having thus acknowledged what I owe those who have aided and approved me, I turn to another class; a small one, so far as I know, but not, therefore, to be overlooked. I mean the timorous or carping few who doubt the tendency of such books as Jane Eyre: in whose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect in each protest against bigotry—that parent of crime—an insult to piety, that regent of God on earth. I would suggest to such doubters certain obvious distinctions; I would remind them of certain simple truths. A
7JaneEyreConventionality is not morality.Self-righteousness is notreligion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck themask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious handto the Crown of Thorns.These things and deeds are diametrically opposed: they are asdistinct as is vice from virtue.Men too often confound them:theyshould not be confounded:appearance should not bemistaken fortruth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate andmagnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeemingcreed of Christ. There is-I repeat ita difference; and it is agood, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line ofseparationbetweenthem.The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it hasbeen accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to makeexternal show pass forsterling worthto let white-washed wallsvouch for clean shrines.It may hate him who dares to scrutiniseand expose-to rasethegilding,and showbasemetal underit-topenetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as itwill,itisindebtedtohim.Ahab did not like Micaiah, because he never prophesied goodconcerning him, but evil; probably heliked the sycophant son ofChenaannah better; yet might Ahab have escaped a bloody death,had he but stopped his ears to flattery,and opened them to faithfulcounsel.There is a man in our own days whose words are not framed totickle delicate ears: who, to my thinking, comes before the greatones of society,muchasthesonof Imlah camebeforethethronedKings of Judah and Israel; and who speaks truth as deep, with apower as prophet-like and as vital-a mien as dauntless and asCharlotte BronteElecBookClassics
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë ElecBook Classics 7 Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns. These things and deeds are diametrically opposed: they are as distinct as is vice from virtue. Men too often confound them: they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken for truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeeming creed of Christ. There is—I repeat it—a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them. The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it has been accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to make external show pass for sterling worth—to let white-washed walls vouch for clean shrines. It may hate him who dares to scrutinise and expose—to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it—to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as it will, it is indebted to him. Ahab did not like Micaiah, because he never prophesied good concerning him, but evil; probably he liked the sycophant son of Chenaannah better; yet might Ahab have escaped a bloody death, had he but stopped his ears to flattery, and opened them to faithful counsel. There is a man in our own days whose words are not framed to tickle delicate ears: who, to my thinking, comes before the great ones of society, much as the son of Imlah came before the throned Kings of Judah and Israel; and who speaks truth as deep, with a power as prophet-like and as vital—a mien as dauntless and as