WITHERING HEIGHTS’

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 72, 18 December 1937, Page 23

WITHERING HEIGHTS’

An Interesting Study Of Its Sources “The Sources of ‘Wuthering Heights’,” by Florence Swinton Dry. (Cambridge: Helfer.) This most interesting essay is the first of a series to be donated to the study of Bronte sources. It is a slim little volume in a strikingly appropriate cover designed by Mr. Linley Richardson, but the reader very quickly discovers that its significance is in no wise commensurate with its size. Here is a most thoroughly authenticated example of literary research. The author is a American now living in New Zealand. Mrs. Dry early discovered her interest in moorland literature. During the course of her reading she noticed a similarity between “Wuthering Heights” and “The Black Dwarf” by Sir Walter Scott which was too striking to be a coincidence. Further wide reading of moorland poets and novelists has shown how much Emily Bronte relied upon her favourite authors for her inspiration. * Further conclusions drawn from these studies will no doubt furnish Mrs. Dry with material for the remainder of her series of essays, but it is mainly with Emily Bronte’s use of the “Black Dwarf” that she concerns herself in the present volume. Revenge is the theme of both novels. Emily Bronte even uses names very similar to Scott’s —Earnsciff and Ellieslaw in the “Black Dwarf.” Heatheliff and Earnshaw in “Wuthering Heights.” Nelly Dean, who tells tile story in “Wuthering Heights,” Mrs. Dry thinks is taken from Jeanie Deans in the “Heart of Midlothian.” She is able to quote so many passages from Emily Bronte’s book and so many points in the plot which are reminiscent of “The Black Dwarf” that it is impossible to refute her contention that Emily Bronte made conscious use of characters in hooks she read when writing herself. There are also many traces of Shakespearian influence which Mrs. Dry is able to sheet home to their sources. “The Sources of Wuthering Heights” is most interesting ami informative. Il is such a complete and obvious answer to the enigma of Emily Bronte, how a young girl living in an isolated parsonage could write so powerfully and relentlessly of life of which she had no experience, that it is remarkable that no one has advanced the theory and its logical conclusion long ago. '

BOOKS IN DEMAND The chief librarian of tile Wellington Public Libraries has furnished the following list of books in demand : GENERAL. "Fi;lfh of Wellington,” bv Sir J S Elliott. China al the Crossroads.” bv General and Madame Kaishek. “Britain in Danger." bv B. Acworth. FICTIOX "The Square I'eg." In .1 Maseliebl “The Lenient God." by N. Jacob. "iVviuen in Love,” by 8. Ertz.