In this excerpt from the life of charlotte brontë by elizabeth gaskell, what is the meaning of the underlined words?
even an inhabitant of the neighbouring county of lancaster is struck by the peculiar force of character which the yorkshiremen display. this makes them interesting as a race; while, at the same time, as individuals, the remarkable degree of self-sufficiency they possess gives them an air of independence rather apt to repel a stranger. i use this expression, "self-sufficiency" in the largest sense. conscious of the strong sagacity and the dogged power of will which seem almost the birthright of the natives of the west riding, each man relies upon himself, and seeks no at the hands of his neighbour. from rarely requiring the assistance of others, he comes to doubt the power of bestowing it: from the general success of his efforts, he grows to depend upon them, and to over-esteem his own energy and power.

the word sagacity means .

the word bestowing means .

The correct answers are the following.

In the excerpt of “The Life of Charlotte Bronte” by Elizabeth Gaskell, the meaning of the underlined words “sagacity” and “bestowing” are:  

In this excerpt, the word sagacity means intelligence, acuity.

In this excerpt, the word bestowing means grant, confer.

Sagacity/intelligence is used in the text to say that the Yorkshiremen have a dogged power of will that they have as a right of birth. Bestowing is used in the text to say that their skills are bestowed/granted because they rarely require the assistance of others.  

“The Life of Charlotte Bronte” was written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1857. It is Bronte’s biography.

explanation:

gay

first of all the mood needs to be defined: it is obviously a mood of deceitful relief and serenity. why? because the cape horn is one of the most violent maritime regions of earth and although it has been left behind, it is a personification of ahab’s delirium and the fact that the end of the passage speaks about it about being “hidden” but “raving” immediately conveys the feeling the calm is not permanent but fleeting.

furthermore, the oxymoron “mild stun'sails” is the first instance of such feeling as the adjective “mild” is associated with “stunned” underscoring the fleeting nature of this “tranquil” moment. and the contrasts keep piling up, with the opposition between “dark den” and “blessed light and air” to end with the final conclusion that leaves the reader with the uneasy knowledge that this is just a reprieve.