Jane Eyre.

Following several rejections from various publishers for The Professor, Charlotte Brontë concentrated her attention on Jane Eyre, finishing her 'fair copy' on March 16th and delivering the manuscript to Smith, Elder & Co. on 19th August 1847. She made it clear to the publisher that she would not revise again; 'I know I should only further injure what may be already defective. Perhaps too the first part of "Jane Eyre" may suit the public taste better than you anticipate - for it is true and Truth has a severe charm of its own. Had I told all [underlined - author's emphasis] the truth, I might indeed have made it far more exquisitely painful...' (Smith I: 539/40). However, it was published to immediate critical and commercial favour.

8vo (210 x 155 mm); colour frontispiece, textblock toned, light spotting early and late, Sandown P.S.A. Society bookplate and bookseller's ticket to front pastedown, front hinge cracked but holding; original red cloth, titles to spine gilt and black, upper cover stamped in black, spine faded, corners and spine tips gently bumped, all edges gilt; very good overall.