Juliette wrote:
A little Bronte …
Wow - I'm surprised by this!
Jane Eyre wasn't rejected five times for publication!!
Back story:
Charlotte's first novel
The Professor was intended to be published by Thomas Cautley Newby in a three-volume set along with
Wuthering Heights and Anne's
Agnes Grey, but
The Professor was rejected for publication in that collection. As a result, Emily added a second volume to
WH, to make
WH /
Agnes Grey into three-volumes, replacing
The Professor. Charlotte continued sending
The Professor to other publishers, to no avail. Smith, Elder, and Co. encouraged her to begin a second novel for their consideration, so she began
Jane Eyre straight away. Upon receipt, publisher George Smith was unable to put the novel down. He finished reading
Jane Eyre within hours and accepted rights immediately.
Jane Eyre was published very quickly in October 1847, within just six weeks of Charlotte completing the fair copy, and actually two months ahead of Newby's
Wuthering Heights / Agnes Grey which had an unrelated publication delay.
Charlotte continued her attempts at publishing
The Professor throughout her life but ultimately, the novel was rejected six times. It was published posthumously as her fourth novel after
Jane Eyre,
Shirley, and
Villette.
Also, Charlotte received "the advice of Wordsworth and Southey ... " in 1837, ten years before she wrote novels or sought a publisher. This makes it sound like Southey rejected
Jane Eyre, when in fact he never read any of Charlotte's manuscripts apart from her childhood and teenaged poetry -- which incidentally, was published in 1846.
Southey actually died four years before
Jane was published.
Your photos are lovely Jules and I'm sorry for interjecting but I had to put the timeline right!
_________________
I never give you my number, I only give you my situation.
Beatles