\paperw3360 \margr0\margl0\ATXph16380 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 Charlotte Brontδ (1816-1855) belonged to a family of English writers that also comprised Emily Jane, Anne and their b
rother Patrick Branwell. Their best-known works are EmilyÆs \i Wuthering Heights\i0 and CharlotteÆs \i Jane Eyre\i0 , both of which were published in 1847. The following description of Charity School is taken from Charlotte BrontδÆs \i Jane Eyre\i0 :
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\i I passed from compartment to compartment, from passage to passage, of a large and irregular building; till, emerging from the total and somewhat dreary silence pervading that portion of the house we had traversed, we came upon the hum of ma
ny voices and presently entered a wide, long room; with great deal tables, two at each end, on each of which burnt a pair of candles,\i0 \i and seated all round on benches, a congregation of girls of every age, from nine or ten to twenty... Discipline
prevailed... Ranged on benches down the sides of the room, the eighty girls sat motionless and erect: a quaint assemblage they appeared, all with plain locks combed from their faces, not a curl visible; in brown dresses, made high and surrounded by a na
rrow tucker about the throat, with little pockets of holland tied in front of their frocks, and destined to serve the purpose of a work-bag: all too wearing woollen stockings and country-made shoes fastened with brass buckles. About twenty of those clad
in this costume were full-grown girls, or rather young women: it suited them ill, and gave an air of oddity even to the prettiest.\par
