Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-02
George Eliot.

and Miss Field was OF Y ranking Char
acter, and turned from one subject to
another, as such imp.omptu converse.
tons usually do. Referring to George
Eliot, with whom Miss Field is very
intimately acquainted, the remark was
very incautiously made that that writer
was accused of dabbling too much in
science in her latter works; also. that
she was charged with collecting her
characters from other books instead of
creating them.
"What bosh!" was the indignant ex-
clamation. With her eyes fixed upon
one spot in the floor, Miss Field con-
tinued with evident effort, as if she
was solving some mathematical prob
lem: cts always the way with the
world. If we DO anything well we are
accused of having stolen it; If we do
anything silly it is ours. George Eliot
is great writer, and though her ear
lier works were better than her later
ones, she has labored as hard to pro-
duce the latter as the former. In her
later writings there is less spontaneity !;
they are more labored. and it must be
acknowledged she has introduced most
too much science into them. Science
and fiction can never go hand in land,
except the former be used as neces-
sary adjunct of the latter"
"How old would you take George
Eliot to be?"
II should say about sixty, but hers
is face that never grows old. Genius
never grows old either. George Eliot's
hair is not gray, nor is her face wrin
killed.. Her hair is of sandy color and
her eyes are blue"
"She has no children ?"
"No."
Is she domestic woman
"She spends nearly all her time at
home and is dearly devoted to her little
villa at % North Bank, but she is not
domestic as the word is understood in
America. Here it signifies fondness
for home, as connected with domestic
pursuits, but in England it is not that
way. Most of the housewcrk is done
by servants, and the mistress rarely ever
troubles herself about it,"
Has she an interesting face?"
Yes, and she looks like horse"
How do you mean?"
Well, have you never noticed how
some people look like animals whose
dispositions theirs resemble? For in
stance, Charles Dickens, with whom 1
was very intimate, resembled dog"
Because he was faithful, or because
he was next to the noblest work of
God?"
Not that. He was faithful to his
works for the matter of that, but he &C.
tually ressmbled dog. What kind of
dog shall I say? Well, mastiff.
He was strong, and, at the same time,
he was gentle. George Eliot resem
bles horse. in that she has high cheek
bones; and when one looks on her they
are struck with the fact that her capac-
ity for work is almost unlimited"
Is she very tall ?"
No. She is about five feet three
inches high. She is very affable, o bril-
liant conversstionalist, and lives in
beautiful villa in North Bank, London.
Every Sunday afternoon she receives
her friends, among whom rank the most
prominent itera.i and artistic people
of the town. Her disposition is very
lovable, and she is much liked"
Has she systematized method of
working-that is to say, does she allow
herself certain hours to work, or is the
most of it accomplished by inspira.
tion?"
young man. said Miss Field, with
some asperity, "those who write for
their bread are always systematic. It
is wrong idea that people have that
composition comes by inspiration-un-
hidden, as it were-and the sooner you
put the belief out of your head that
people spring out of bed at midnight
and do their writing, the better it will
be for your business"
"George Eliot was never married to
Lewes, was she ?"
It was none of my business, and I
never asked. Frankly, I don't know"
did you know Lewes?"
eyes. George II. Lewes was one of
the agliest men I ever saw, and one of
the most brilliant"
SIS George Eliot fond of public dis
play"
Heavens, no! She is the most re-
firing and bashful woman 1 ever saw.
She is generally distracted; always
thinking, and her voice is no louder
than whisper"
"She would not lecture, you think y"
cit would be physical impossible
ity. Besides she has an Independent
fortune, now"
Did you ever meet George Sand 4"
"No."
What do you think of her works 4"
"They are decidedly French. She
created her plots to suit her characters.
instead of creating her characters to
suit her plots"
~ believe" said Miss Field, at an
other time during the evening"" in pre-.
destination. Our actions are controlled,
and our course is shaped, by God.
George Eliot was destined to be great
woman. but it is not through herself
alone. "-Iateruie,o in Baltimore Gazette.
The Photograph for military telegraph
ing consists of ten.inch mirror piv-
oted so ss to swing vertically as we'll as
horizontally. A little of the silvering
Is removed from the back of the glass,
b l. en- ha