Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-06-10
ADAM BEDE AND DINAH MORRIS

have NO doubt that Adam Bede' is a
story Of real life; and they say that
they knew Dinah Morris by the name
Of Elizabeth Evans, and that they
knew the brothers Adam and Seth
Bede a the brothers William and Sam.
uel Evans. They believe the story Is
wrong here and there. For instance,
they say that Dinah did not marry
Adam, hut Seth. George Eliot, in q
letter begs the writer of this article to
understand that Dinah Morris was new
er intended to be a representation of
Mrs. Elizabeth Evans; and that any
Identification Of the two (or of any 9TH
er characters in adam Bede' with real
persons) would be protested against Us
not only false in fact, and tending to
perpetuate false notions about art, but
also a. gross breach Of social decorum.
But the story does not end here. We
think We have q right to say what we
know about William, and Samuel, and
Elizabeth Evans. If it turns out that
their lives are like the fiction lives of
Adam and Seth Bede and Dinah Nor
ris, this Is not reason why We should
forever hold our peace. We do not
think We ought to be silent, even though
we should now and then be faced by
Curious condolences Elizabeth Evans
played an important part in the rise of
Methodism. The story of her life de-
serves prominent place in the history
Of tho movement. We have heard
much about Susanna Wesley. Mary
Fletcher, Sarah Ryan, Sarah Crosby,
Sarah Lawrence, Lady Fitzgerald, Hes
ter Ann Rogers, Grace Murray, Eliza
beth Woodbridge, and the Countess Of
Huntingdon. We have heard some
thing. too, Of Elizabeth Evans. Why
should we not hear more? She did
probably more real work than most of
the women We have mentioned. 1t is
unfair to say that her life IL not to be
written because it has already been
done in fiction. Her name demands a
less doubtful and different kind Of hon.
or. We do not know why her name
should be concealed, or her labors, and
birthplace and burial-place. The de-
claration that the story Of such life
cannot be published because it is like
the story Of fiction heroine must be
protested against as not only false in
fact, and tending to perpetuate false
notions about the duty Of life, but also
q gross breach of common sense.
William Evans, Of Ellaston, was a
joiner and builder. Considering the
place in which he lived, he had a large
business, and rs he kept well to it, there
il not 90 much known of him IA of his
brother, who became q Methody,' and
Q preacher. Particulars are given oil
the life Of Samuel Evans in b~oekwr,
published in 1889 by Tallant 4 Co. I,
Is called Seth Bede, the Methody,' hi,
Life and Iabors; chiefly written by him.
self This little work is now very rare
We have = copy before us. In it We
are told that those who are familiar
with the county of Derbyshire cannot
have failed to notice the extreme sim.
plicity Of the inhabitants in the more
secluded rural districts. and which the
great modern innovator, the rail. has no,
yet altered in any material degree. W.
are told that the village referred TO al
Hayslope. in Adam Bede,' may still bs
seen, but little altered by the hand OF
time. True, the 'Methodys' have a
handsome chapel there. and the green
where Dinah beathed forth holy prayers
was inclosed in 1918; but the sign. board
Of the 'Donnithorne Arms still hangs
out, and the red brick hall (now with
unpatched windows) is in existence still
The peasantry have not advanced much
and have about the same twang and th.
same notions a. their fathers. Itisa slow
place that village, where people live OF
with little exertion and no care Sam
uel Evans was born at Roston, about
Is miles from Derby, and about fou
,riles from Ashbourne, being pleasant
" situated on the Dove. In 1857 i
had AS inhabitants, the sexes being o
nearly balanced that 2S7 were male
and 23S females. Samuel was born il
l777. We are told that his father wa
the village carpenter and undertaken
and was an honest and respectable man
as things went, or 'as this world goes;
but during the last years Of his life b,
passed too much Of his time in the vii
lage alehouse, to the great grief o
his family. His melancholy dealt
made great Impression upon his %,
Seth. Il appears that the poorold MAJ
was out very late one night, and. in ma
king his way home, accidently fell int.
brook, where he was found dead Oh,
sext morning, although scarcely cover