• Heathcliff’s first introduction to the Earnshaw family.
“See here, wife; I was never so beaten with anything in my life; but you must not take it as a gift of God; though it’s as dark almost as if it came from the devil ” - Mr.Earnshaw
(Nelly Dean)
We crowded around and over Miss.Cathy’s head, I had a peep at a dirty, ragged, black-haired child; big enough both to walk and talk - indeed it’s face looked older than Catherine’s - yet, when it was set on its feet, it only stared round and repeated over and over some gibberish that nobody could understand. I was frightened and Mrs.Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors : she did fly up - asking how he could fashion to bring that gipsy brat into the house, when they had their own bairns to feed and fend for ? What he meant to do with it, and whether he were mad ? ………all that I could make out amongst her scolding, was a tale of his seeing it starving and houseless, and as good as dumb in the streets of Liverpool where he picked it up and inquired for its owner - Not a soul knew to whom it belonged and both his money and time being limited, he thought it better to take it home with him because he was determined he would not leave it as he found it.
• Every time I see this picture I think of little Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights when he was first introduced to the family. A sullen,beautiful and lost little boy, who instantly bonded with Cathy after her wild and rebellious spirit began to appeal to his own. Although I’m not too sure about the gender of the child in the picture, the same features with perhaps darker hair and a haughtier look is how I imagine him when I read the story for the umpteenth time =) 🖤
