, 1872-12-25
GEORGE ELlGT.
Personal Details Concerning the Great
Novelist.

Personal Details Concerning the Great
Novelist.
From the Sep York Torid.
This woman, who is ranked by the best critics
on par with the first men Of intellect in her
OWN, If not In any poriod and who has been
honored with the title of ''the female Bacon" !"
is so extraordinary phenomenon that every one
must be curious to learn her autecedouts and
personal history Tho present particulars are
derived mainly from persons who have had op-
portunities Of knowing the facts, and, in the
main, have not been published before.
George Eliot, or A1les Evans, il of respectable
ancestry, but in earIy life ehe was left alone in
the world, and, it ia understood, has no near re-
lations Of any kind living
Hiss Evans was adopted in early life by gen
tlenan Of means, who gave her an education ut
home. This would be inferred from the absence
of any account of school life in her stories.
What the nature of that education was is not
known. It ls said On one authority that, at
quite an early period of her life, Miss Evans
became acquainted with Herbert Spencer, and
that her studies we're afterward pursued under
his directions and after the principles get forth
in his strikinglv original essays On educa-
ton. Her meeting with Spencer probably
did not occur until later period. d.
made science the supreme object Of study
as is eeen in his essay on What knowledge ia
Of most Worth, yet while in her letter writings,
especially in s' Nliddlemarch," George Eliot
makes constant references to the deep questions
early books, aud in their place VIC lind thoughts
bearing upon questions OF morals and art.
Hence We may infer. and the known facts con-
firm this supposition, that Miss Evans devoted
her early attention to general culture. She be-
camo master Of several languages, including
German, Italian, and French, besides becoming
proficient in music and student OF art, while
she read profoundly in the deepest works Of
metaphysics.
Her early life was passed in the country, and
her novels are saturated With the flavor of Eng
Hsh rural life, and no one has drawn pictures OF
nature. or men, or women, in the country part
Of England, with finer or frmer hand Tran
hers It was while acting as governess that she
gained her deep familiarity and insight into GER
tain phases Of English rural scenes which she
has described, and there is no doubt that Mrs-
Poyser, Bartle Sandy, Adam Eede, the Vicar,
and the Tuiliveri were sketched direct from
nature. Dinah was copied from Z we'll known
Methodist saint who went about preaching and
doing good in the early part Of tAis century,
precisely as she is represented as doing in
"Adam Bede."
Miss Evans first literary performance, like
those of Sir Walter Scott and Carlyle, was .
translation from tho German, and the circum-
etance that she chose a well-known work by
Feurbach for this purpose, and afterward tranB-
lated Straus' Life Of Jesus" indicates the
tendency Of her mind ut that timo toward theo-
logical subjects. She next contributed several
articles to the early numbers Of the Westminster
ReuieD, one Of which, upon "Savonarola, "
showed the strong interest which she took in the
life and character Of the italian reformer and
foreshadowed ~ Romola, which, however, was
not published until long afterward.
Possibly through these contributions she made
the acquaintance Of Dr.. Chapman. then editor
Of the Westminster, OF whose house she i'll time
became an inmate. Here she WIS brought in con-
tact with the leading literary minds Of the Eng
lish metropolis, who at once received her as an
equal, and by their sympathy and encourage
| ment stimulated as they also drew inspiration
from her powerful mind. Among those with
whom she became intimate were ]. S. hill,
Spencer, George Henry Lewes, besides others
OF tie first thinkers in London The result Of
her acquaintance with Mr. Lewes was their ulti-
mate unon tho peculiar circumstances OF which
need not be repeated here.
Herbert Spencer, IS has already bean said,
found villiu. dsciplo in llra. Loves. and e.