YetImustnotbeunderstoodtomakethesethingssubjectforreproachorcomplaint；Idarenotdoso；respectformysister\'smemoryforbidsme。Byheranysuchquerulousmanifestationwouldhavebeenregardedasanunworthyandoffensiveweakness。
Itismyduty，aswellasmypleasure，toacknowledgeoneexceptiontothegeneralruleofcriticism。Onewriter，endowedwiththekeenvisionandfinesympathiesofgenius，hasdiscernedtherealnatureof\'WutheringHeights，\'andhas，withequalaccuracy，noteditsbeautiesandtouchedonitsfaults。ToooftendoreviewersremindusofthemobofAstrologers，Chaldeans，andSoothsayersgatheredbeforethe\'writingonthewall，\'andunabletoreadthecharactersormakeknowntheinterpretation。Wehavearighttorejoicewhenatrueseercomesatlast，somemaninwhomisanexcellentspirit，towhomhavebeengivenlight，wisdom，andunderstanding；whocanaccuratelyreadthe\'Mene，Mene，Tekel，Upharsin\'ofanoriginalmind（howeverunripe，howeverinefficientlyculturedandpartiallyexpandedthatmindmaybe）；
andwhocansaywithconfidence，\'Thisistheinterpretationthereof。
YeteventhewritertowhomIalludesharesthemistakeabouttheauthorship，anddoesmetheinjusticetosupposethattherewasequivoqueinmyformerrejectionofthishonour（asanhonourI
regardit）。MayIassurehimthatIwouldscorninthisandineveryothercasetodealinequivoque；Ibelievelanguagetohavebeengivenustomakeourmeaningclear，andnottowrapitindishonestdoubt？
\'TheTenantofWildfellHall，\'byActonBell，hadlikewiseanunfavourablereception。AtthisIcannotwonder。Thechoiceofsubjectwasanentiremistake。Nothinglesscongruouswiththewriter\'snaturecouldbeconceived。Themotiveswhichdictatedthischoicewerepure，but，Ithink，slightlymorbid。Shehad，inthecourseofherlife，beencalledontocontemplate，nearathand，andforalongtime，theterribleeffectsoftalentsmisusedandfacultiesabused:herswasnaturallyasensitive，reserved，anddejectednature；whatshesawsankverydeeplyintohermind；
itdidherharm。Shebroodedoverittillshebelievedittobeadutytoreproduceeverydetail（ofcoursewithfictitiouscharacters，incidents，andsituations），asawarningtoothers。
Shehatedherwork，butwouldpursueit。Whenreasonedwithonthesubject，sheregardedsuchreasoningsasatemptationtoself-
indulgence。Shemustbehonest；shemustnotvarnish，soften，norconceal。Thiswell-meantresolutionbroughtonhermisconstruction，andsomeabuse，whichshebore，asitwashercustomtobearwhateverwasunpleasant，withmild，steadypatience。
Shewasaverysincere，andpracticalChristian，butthetingeofreligiousmelancholycommunicatedasadshadetoherbrief，blamelesslife。
NeitherEllisnorActonallowedherselfforonemomenttosinkunderwantofencouragement；energynervedtheone，andenduranceupheldtheother。Theywerebothpreparedtotryagain；Iwouldfainthinkthathopeandthesenseofpowerwereyetstrongwithinthem。Butagreatchangeapproached；afflictioncameinthatshapewhichtoanticipateisdread；tolookbackon，grief。Intheveryheatandburdenoftheday，thelabourersfailedovertheirwork。
MysisterEmilyfirstdeclined。Thedetailsofherillnessaredeep-brandedinmymemory，buttodwellonthem，eitherinthoughtornarrative，isnotinmypower。Neverinallherlifehadshelingeredoveranytaskthatlaybeforeher，andshedidnotlingernow。Shesankrapidly。Shemadehastetoleaveus。Yet，whilephysicallysheperished，mentallyshegrewstrongerthanwehadyetknownher。Daybyday，whenIsawwithwhatafrontshemetsuffering，Ilookedonherwithananguishofwonderandlove。I
haveseennothinglikeit；but，indeed，Ihaveneverseenherparallelinanything。Strongerthanaman，simplerthanachild，hernaturestoodalone。Theawfulpointwas，thatwhilefullofruthforothers，onherselfshehadnopity；thespiritwasinexorabletotheflesh；fromthetremblinghand，theunnervedlimbs，thefadedeyes，thesameservicewasexactedastheyhadrenderedinhealth。Tostandbyandwitnessthis，andnotdaretoremonstrate，wasapainnowordscanrender。
Twocruelmonthsofhopeandfearpassedpainfullyby，andthedaycameatlastwhentheterrorsandpainsofdeathweretobeundergonebythistreasure，whichhadgrowndeareranddearertoourheartsasitwastedbeforeoureyes。Towardsthedeclineofthatday，wehadnothingofEmilybuthermortalremainsasconsumptionleftthem。ShediedDecember19，1848。
Wethoughtthisenough:butwewereutterlyandpresumptuouslywrong。ShewasnotburiedereAnnefellill。Shehadnotbeencommittedtothegraveafortnight，beforewereceiveddistinctintimationthatitwasnecessarytoprepareourmindstoseetheyoungersistergoaftertheelder。Accordingly，shefollowedinthesamepathwithslowerstep，andwithapatiencethatequalledtheother\'sfortitude。Ihavesaidthatshewasreligious，anditwasbyleaningonthoseChristiandoctrinesinwhichshefirmlybelieved，thatshefoundsupportthroughhermostpainfuljourney。
Iwitnessedtheirefficacyinherlatesthourandgreatesttrial，andmustbearmytestimonytothecalmtriumphwithwhichtheybroughtherthrough。ShediedMay28，1849。
WhatmoreshallIsayaboutthem？Icannotandneednotsaymuchmore。Inexternals，theyweretwounobtrusivewomen；aperfectlysecludedlifegavethemretiringmannersandhabits。InEmily\'snaturetheextremesofvigourandsimplicityseemedtomeet。Underanunsophisticatedculture，inartificialtastes，andanunpretendingoutside，layasecretpowerandfirethatmighthaveinformedthebrainandkindledtheveinsofahero；butshehadnoworldlywisdom；herpowerswereunadaptedtothepracticalbusinessoflife；shewouldfailtodefendhermostmanifestrights，toconsulthermostlegitimateadvantage。Aninterpreteroughtalwaystohavestoodbetweenherandtheworld。Herwillwasnotveryflexible，anditgenerallyopposedherinterest。Hertemperwasmagnanimous，butwarmandsudden；herspiritaltogetherunbending。
Anne\'scharacterwasmilderandmoresubdued；shewantedthepower，thefire，theoriginalityofhersister，butwaswellendowedwithquietvirtuesofherown。Long-suffering，self-denying，reflective，andintelligent，aconstitutionalreserveandtaciturnityplacedandkeptherintheshade，andcoveredhermind，andespeciallyherfeelings，withasortofnun-likeveil，whichwasrarelylifted。NeitherEmilynorAnnewaslearned；theyhadnothoughtoffillingtheirpitchersatthewell-springofotherminds；theyalwayswrotefromtheimpulseofnature，thedictatesofintuition，andfromsuchstoresofobservationastheirlimitedexperiencehadenabledthemtoamass。Imaysumupallbysaying，thatforstrangerstheywerenothing，forsuperficialobserverslessthannothing；butforthosewhohadknownthemalltheirlivesintheintimacyofcloserelationship，theyweregenuinelygoodandtrulygreat。
ThisnoticehasbeenwrittenbecauseIfeltitasacreddutytowipethedustofftheirgravestones，andleavetheirdearnamesfreefromsoil。
CURRERBELL
SEPTEMBER19，1850。