第1部分(第4/7 页)

ones　of　society；　much　as　the　son　of　Imlah　came　before　the　throned　Kings　of　Judah　and　Israel；　and　who　speaks　truth　as　deep；　with　a　power　as　prophet…like　and　as　vital—a　mien　as　dauntless　and　as　daring。　Is　the　satirist　of　“Vanity　Fair”　admired　in　high　places？　I　cannot　tell；　but　I　think　if　some　of　those　amongst　whom　he　hurls　the　Greek　fire　of　his　sarcasm；　and　over　whom　he　flashes　the　levin…brand　of　his　denunciation；　were　to　take　his　warnings　in　time—they　or　their　seed　might　yet　escape　a　fatal　Rimoth…Gilead。

Why　have　I　alluded　to　this　man？　I　have　alluded　to　him；　Reader；　because　I　think　I　see　in　him　an　intellect　profounder　and　more　unique　than　his　contemporaries　have　yet　recognised；　because　I　regard　him　as　the　first　social　regenerator　of　the　day—as　the　very　master　of　that　working　corps　who　would　restore　to　rectitude　the　warped　system　of　things；　because　I　think　no　mentator　on　his　writings　has　yet　found　the　parison　that　suits　him；　the　terms　which　rightly　characterise　his　talent。　They　say　he　is　like　Fielding：　they　talk　of　his　wit；　humour；　ic　powers。　He　resembles　Fielding　as　an　eagle　does　a　vulture：　Fielding　could　stoop　on　carrion；　but　Thackeray　never　does。　His　wit　is　bright；　his　humour　attractive；　but　both　bear　the　same　relation　to　his　serious　genius　that　the　mere　lambent　sheet…lightning　playing　under　the　edge　of　the　summer…cloud　does　to　the　electric　death…spark　hid　in　its　womb。　Finally；　I　have　alluded　to　Mr。　Thackeray；　because　to　him—if　he　will　accept　the　tribute　of　a　total　stranger—I　have　dedicated　this　second　edition　of　“JANE　EYRE。”

CURRER　BELL。

December　21st；　1847。

Note　to　the　Third　Edition

I　avail　myself　of　the　opportunity　which　a　third　edition　of　“Jane　Eyre”　affords　me；　of　again　addressing　a　word　to　the　Public；　to　explain　that　my　claim　to