Emily Brontë's poetry will be auctioned off, prompting public opposition from the Brontë Society

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According to the Journal of Literature, Emily Brontë's handwritten poetry collection and other rare manuscripts are about to be auctioned at Sotheby's. It is reported that these handwritten poems were first discovered by Emily's sister Charlotte Brontë by accident. These poems not only surprised her, but also made her feel the emotions that are not common in life, which are not poems that ordinary women can create. "They are condensed and concise, sincere and warm, and even contain a special musical temperament – both melancholy and uplifting."

The rediscovery of these poetic manuscripts has also inspired scholarship. They were originally from the collections of collectors Alfred and William Law, who founded the Honresfield Library, which housed a large collection of historical literature. In 1939, the museum's collection of more than 500 pieces disappeared from public view, and only one or two scholars saw the poems in the years that followed. Scholars thought it was lost, along with the annotated copies of the Brontës' History of the Birds of England, the correspondence between Anne and Emily, and Charlotte's letters to the publisher. Dr. Gabriel Heaton, sotheby's expert on English literature and historical manuscripts Gabriel Heaton says the manuscripts are surprising because they give the public a more comprehensive and lesser-known look at Emily Brontë.

The auction sparked opposition from the Brontë Society, whose representatives called on the government to intervene in the auction to preserve the unique collection for the country. They argue that the collections at auction are "priceless" literary collections that should not be bought by private buyers, but should belong to the general public. The Brontë Society believes that the library preserves the literary treasures of Northern England, and Trish Gurney, the president of the society, wrote in a letter to the councillor and mayor that the auction at sotheby's would sell the collection at a price that the British Museum and library could not afford. Much of the collection is likely to "disappear into the bank vaults of private international investors," and "this carefully planned act of disseminating heritage has nothing to do with curation, conservation, academic access, or the public interest." ”

Emily Brontë's manuscript. Image source The Guardian.

Kathryn Sutherland, an academic professor at the University of Oxford, argues that the Honresfield Library is not only a collection of paper and ink, but also a collection of cultural collections. "Without government intervention in auctions for the public good, these 100-year-old national collections would soon be scattered sporadically around the world — and perhaps never seen by the public," she warned. In the national interest, we should urge it to preserve its intact collections and provide public services to academia and literary enthusiasts at large. She also suggested that the library should be the starting point for the British Library's collections in the north, which is underway in Leeds.

Ann Dinsdale, chief curator of the Brontë Priest Museum, considered the manuscripts priceless, and that the significance of the public collection was to provide proper care for the collection so that they could be passed on from generation to generation. She found it heartbreaking that the collection would fall into the hands of private buyers due to a lack of proper management. "I've heard of wealthy collectors frame literary works and hang them on the wall to expose them to light," she says. ”

The auctioneers also responded to these objections. Sotheby's himself said that although the materials for sale have always been privately owned, they have been published and that those interested in the Brontë family can obtain them free of charge from other sources without going through the museum. He will also ensure that relevant institutions, including Pastor Brontë, receive auction notices in advance so that they have time to raise funds when they wish to obtain the originals. The auction house also believes that "private collectors can be important custodians of such objects." For nearly 130 years private collectors have been happy to have scholars access to their collections, and academia has maintained academic access to their collections. ”

Reference Links:

https://lithub.com/have-1200000-emily-brontes-lost-handwritten-poems-are-up-for-auction/

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/28/priceless-bronte-manuscripts-could-be-lost-to-private-buyer-warn-experts

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