New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-12
VIEW PUBLICA1 TONS.
THE MILL ON THE FLOSS.
ruP MILL ON THE FLOSS. By 0EoRas ELIOT. III
ALL pp. 464 Harper Brothers.

lished under the above pseudOnym (now understood
TO be the production of woman's pen) presents
welcome relief to the morbid sentiment, inflated
imagination, and CHASTITY illusions which form the
staple of so large portion of the popular fiction
of the day. In her most effective creations, the
author never leaves the solid ground of everyday
experience. The routine of common life furnishes
her with abundant materials for humorous deinea-
lions and tragic catastrophes; she finds her themes
in the homely joys and unpoehcal greis OF people
who are hardly recognizedin what's called socie'y;
with indifference or seom she passes by the con-
ventionalites of fashion, to depict oInotonS 'n''
are universal in human experience. WIN perhaps
less intensity of interest than Adam bede 'he pIeSeu'
novel exhibits the same curious detection Oh ARTISTIC
elements in humble life, The same acute analysis
character anatbe same vivid simplicity ofnarrative
ond d,scr;,,,ion which crowned that extraordinary
work withsueh signal success among all class
% of readers. TheOutlmc fthe plot it would seem,
could furnish few appeals TO the Imagination; such
n dry and mcager succession Of commonplace incl
dents promised no fund eiiher oftragedy orcomedy;
but the genius of the author has triumphed over
the scantjncss of the subject; she has yiyfed the
details OF TIE ScnOci ana OF DHSlntSS WIN SoW
of natural emotion; and without presenting her
characters in light which commands either ardent
sympathy or deep respect, she throws the fascna-
ton of her pen around their undeal fortunes, and
clothes them with profound human interest which
the coolest reader cannot regard with indifference.
We viii no. anticipate curiosity by giving even the
slightest linking of the course OF the story; Dut, as
specimen OF the vitality which peryades its COM
position, We make a single extract from near the
close Of the narrative
They .lided RAPIDLY along, Stephen rowing helped
bv thc Misunderstanding tide, past the Toton trees
and LOus,s-on between TIE silent, sunny helds anna
pastufes which seemed i,iled with natural Joy that
had no Ieprcach for theirs. The breath OF the goung
unyyearied day. the delicious rhythmic dip Of the oars
the fiaguertTy song OF passing bird heard now aud
then al If il were only tho oYerh)wing OF hrniai
gadrcss u, sweet solitude OF w0fOd CONSCIOUSNESS
tot wac mingled into enc by that grave untrng gaze
which need not he avortelwhat else could there be
In thog minds for tho fret hOari Some low, Subducd,
laneniG exclamation of love came from stephen from
time 90 tao as he went on rowing idly, hai auoiiail
callv: Otherwise they spoke word; for what could
words have been but inlet 10 Thought! ana Thought
did not belong 10 that enchanted haze in which they
were cuycoVed-t belonged 10 the past and the future
that las outside the haze. Maggie was only diinIy
conscious Of TIE banks, as they passed taem ana d~eil
with recognition on tGc villages: she hhc" liett
were several 10 DC passed before they reached LUCE
reh NJ ere they always stopped and left the boat 1T
ali dues lie was so liable to s Of absence, that she
was likely enough to let her way4aarks pass unoteed
BIT at last STEPHEN who had been rowing more and
more idly ceased TO row, laid down the oars, folded
his ans and looked down on tie water as II watching
ihe PACE at which the heat glded without his help.
This fnGl;n change reused Maggie. She looked ~ tue
far-sre. hing ftds-at the banks close by-and felt
that tlCy we're entirely strange TO her. terrible
alarm tool. possession o. Ter.
4" Oh. have 80 passed IGckreth--where we were to
stop sie exclaimed, looking back to zee II the place
were ont OF sight No village was 10 be seem Sue
Turned round again. with look OF distressed question:
ing at Stephen.
lie went on watching the water, and said, in 6
strange, dreamy, absent tonc " Yes-a long way.
"Ob, what shall do D. cried Maggie, in an agony
=" We shall not get home for hours-and Lucy-Oh
God help me :" -
She caspod her hands and broke into q sob, like
frightened child she thought Of nothing bat of meeting
Lucy and seeing her look Of panied surprise and dou5
perhaps Of just upbraiding
Stephen moved and sat beside her, and gently drew
down the clasped hands.
siaggie, lie said, in "a deep tone of slow decision
let us 20 home agan-tiil 10 one can part us
till we married
Tic unusual tone, the startling words, arrested Mag.
eie's sob and she sat quite acknowledging
Stephen might have seen some possibilities that would
alter everything and annul the wretched facts.
See, Maggie, how verifying has come without
our seeking-in spite OF all our ehorts Wenever
thought Of being aOno together again has all been
done by others See how the tide is Carrying Us out
away from all those unnatural bonds that we have
been trying make faster round us-;snd trying in vain
and get carriage, and hurry ON TO York. and then
70 Seotland-and Eeyer pause moment until we are
bound 20 each other so that only death can part u.s.
Ii is tie only right thing, dcares II Is the only way
of escaping from this wTetchcd enlargement. Every
thing has conoured to point it out to Us. We have
contrvod nothing We have Thought OF nothing our
selyee.
Stephen spoke with deep, carncA pleading Maggie
Istened-passing from her startled wonderlnent 10 the
yearring after that belief that tie tide doing all
that Size might glide along with the swift, silent
stream and not struggle any more. Bat across that
stealing influence came the terrible shadow OF pas.
Thoughts and the sudden horror lest n0w AZ ast, the
moment of fatal intOXicatiOn dose upon her,
called up feelings Of angry resistance toward stephen.
let me 90 !" she said IN agitated Tone flashing
an Indignant look al him. and trying h. gel her hands
free. " You have wanted 70 deprive Of any choice.
You knew we were come too i!r--yOu have dared TO
take advantage Of my thCughtlossness Ii Is unnanly
10 bring me into such position
Stung this rcproach he released her hands, moved
back 10 his former place. and folded bis arms in sort
of desperation at the difficulty hagges words had
made present 10 HIN. II sc wOnld not consent 10 20
on be must curse himself for the embarrassment he
had led her into But the reprOaci he unendur-
able thing: the one thing wCre than parting with her
was that she should feel he had acted unwOrthy to-
ward her. At last be said, in tone OF suppressed
rage
. didn't notice that we had passed Luekreth ill we
had got to the next village; and Their came into my
mind thai we would 70 can't justify II: | ought
10 have told YOU. Ii is enough 70 make you hate me-
since you don't love me we'll enough 10 make every
thing else Indifferent to you-as do you Shall stop
the boat and try 10 get you out here Ill tell Lucy
that was mad-and that you bate me-and you shall
be clear of me for No can blame you, because
have behaved unpardOnaJy TO yon.'
Magic was parayZed: il was easier 10 resist
Stepcns pleading than this picture ho had called up OF
hnself suffering, while sne was Vindicsted-easier
even 10 turn away from his look of tenderness than
from fhis look of angry misery that seemed place