Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-19
GEORGE ELIOT.

A few days ago the cable dispatches con
taiEed the information that the eminen
English novelist George Eliot miss Marian
Evans) had been married to Mr.. Cross, the
representative of an American financial
house. The announcement created a great
deal of gossip, that took the turn of censure
of the lady. This censure would, perhaps
have been justifable the private
affairs of anybody come within the scope oil
public comment-if the report had proved
| true, but as usual it seems that the cable
blundered, and instead of Miss Evans having
been married, it turns out that the woman in
the case was Mrs. G. II. Lewis, who deserted
her husband more than twenty years ago,
and fed "with handsomer man." to Italy.
The history of the distinguished novelist
is remarkable one. Her literary tastes were
early developed. Finding great difficulty in
obtaining recognition for her productions
from the current magazines on account of
her sex she adopted the masculine nom de
plume of George Eliot. Before her identity
was discovered she succeeded in building up
reputation as writer of fiction second to
no person in Great Britain, her productions
being placed upon par with those of Dick
ems and far above those of Thackeray by the
literary critics of the English metropolis.
When it became known that the writer of
the most popular novels of the day was
woman, she readily obtained access to the
literary circles of London. Here she met the
greatest minds of the century. Among her
intimates was Mr.. Lewes, philosophical
writer of distinction, and between the two an
intimacy sprung up. Mr.. Lewes' wife
had eloped few years before,
bat owing to the popularity
of the English law he was unable to procure
a divorce from her, no act of ipfdelity hav-
ing been committed on English soil. The
intimacy between Mr.. Lewes and Miss Evans
ripened into the most ardent love, but as
there was no prospect of legal union as
long as the recreant wife lived, they decided,
after consultation with their literary friends,
to set all social laws at defiance. As result
they lived together up to the date of Mr..
Lewes' death IN October, 1873, respected BY
a large circle of friends, the most eminent
in letters that the century has produced.
Their society was co1rted by people of all
grades, from royalty down, and they we're
the center of the most brilliant coterie of
intellectual minds that has ever graced the
society of Great Britain.
The death of Mr.. Lewes proved a great
shock to Miss Evans. She abandoned all
literary work, and has ever since live life
of seclusion. She mourned as few women
are capable of mourning an associate so per-
fectly adapted to her. The announcement
of her marriage at the age of sixty years
to a man so far her intellectual inferior,
naturally created sensation among her ad
mirers. and many unkind comments have
been passed upon her conduct. 1t transpires,
however, that the woman who married Mr..
Cross was not George Elicit" but the origi
nal Mrs. Lewes, who deserted her husband
over twenty years ago. Miss Evans is still
living in retirement, and notwithstanding
the fact that she set at defiance all social
laws by her alliance with one who was more
than husband to her, will retain the re-
spect of the entire reading public who have
for 50 long profted from the productions of
her facile pen.