Donations have started to come in to save for the nation a moving letter written by Charlotte Bront.

Cheques and cash ranging from £100 to a few pence have been sent to the Bront Society, which is based at the Parson-age Museum at Haworth where the famous literary family lived in the previous century.

Other money has come from dozens of Keighley News readers who visited the museum last weekend with our free-entry coupon.

And for the first time in its history the Society put out a donations box at the museum. Director Mike Hill says: "Varying sums were put in the box, including a £20 note. We are very grateful to everyone who visited and it has spurred us on further to raise the money to buy this letter."

Last week the Keighley News gave its full backing to the bid by the Bront Society to raise £50,000 to buy the letter for the Bront Parsonage Museum.

The letter - published in full below - is regarded as unique because it gives a moving account of the remorseless series of tragedies which were striking down, one by one, the Bront family - Branwell's death, Charlotte's own sickness, the loss of Emily and Anne's deteriorating condition. Mr Hill says: "This letter is the only one we know in which Charlotte brings together in a single account the story of the final weeks of her brother and two sisters."

The letter was written on March 15, 1849, to Laetitia Wheelwright, a former pupil of Charlotte. For many years it has been in an American private collection, and was recently put up for sale through a London dealer. The initial asking price was £85,000.

After talks, the Bront Society was offered a discount of £35,000 as long as the £50,000 was raised by the end of June. The Society pledged £10,000 from its reserves and has asked its members for a minimum donation of £5 to raise another £15,000.

Contributions should be sent to the Bront Parsonage Museum, in Church Street, Haworth, making cheques payable to the Bront Society.

It is hoped to celebrate the new millennium by putting the letter on display at the museum. Mr Hill adds: "Because of its condition it can only go on display once every ten years or so. I don't think anyone reading the text could fail to be moved by its content."

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