Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-28

George Eliot. whose maiden name was
Marion Evans, was born, according to the
best authorities, in Warw ickshire, in the year
1920 She was the daughter of dissenting
preacher, and was achild of singular preco-
CITY. Coming under the notice of . man OF
wealth. she received more thorough course
of instruction by his liberality than she
could have obtained through the slender
means Of her father.
Before she reached her twentieth year, her
retentive mind and exceeding depth Of
thought had enabled her to acquire aprofund-
ity of knowledge that was puzzling even to
her instructors. She went to London, and
attracted the attention of Herbert Spencer,
who materially aided her in her work. She
contributed to the Westminster Review for
some wears, but it was not until she had
reached her thirty-seventh year, that she was
recognized as a novelist of singular ability.
Her first important work, 'Scenes in Cler-
ical Life" was published at this period in
Blackwood's Magazine, under the signature
of George Eliot. Two years later in 1853,
appeared "Adam Bede,'' a work which
placed her in the first ranks of English
writers of fiction. Then followed ''The
Mill on the Floss" "Silas Marnx," Felix
Holt" ssRomola," 'Middlemarch," and
Daniel Deronda.'' She also translated
Strauss ''Life of Jesus and Feuerbach's
Essence of Christianity" Her latest work
was impressions of Theophrastus Such"
Her poetical works were, 1.-The Spanish
Gypsy" and 'The Legend of Jubal.''
George Henry Lewes. the noted English
author was attracted by Miss Evans brill
liant Intellect, and the two, thus drawn to-
hui, ptolIacfro1 cyurnafhy .antora6 int
a somewhat equivocal union, in which the
aid of the church was not evoked. Lewes,
who was already a married man, unfortunate
ly could not marry her. The reason was
that he had once condoned an offense of his
wife, who ran away from him, by taking her
back. Mrs Lewes ran away second time,
but according to English law, Lewes was not
released from his marital obligations. Miss
Evans and Lewes, however, passed very
pleasant life together living in a modest but
comfortable home in London, and mingling
with such men as Dickens. Trollope
Thlckery, Wilkie Collins, Matthew Arnold
and Charles Reade.
After the death Of Mr.. Lewes, she mar
ried John Walter Cross. member of a Lon
don banking firm, on May 6, 1880, describing
herself in the certificate as Marion Evans,
spinster
acters with all the vitality of living, sentient
beings, taking her subjects mostly from the
quiet ways of English villages. Her "Danel
Deronla' and ''Middlemarch' were surpris-
ing evidences of great intellectual develop
ment, and took strong hold on the public. as
is testified to by the fact that she received
about $50, 900 from her publishers for the
two works. Her literary efforts reaped a
r.ch reward, and Mrs. Cross, at the time of
her death, was worth about $25O,000. The
extent of her requirements was wonderful.
She was thoroughly conversant with the
French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch
languages, versed in Russian and Romantic,
understood to large degree all the sciences,
music. painting and sculpture, and was an
admirable historian and brilliant converse
tionalist. In appearance Mrs. Cross was a
very plain, almost homely woman, with grey
eyes, large features. abundant hair and a
somew hat slender figure. She possessed a
pleasant. well-modulated voice. She leaves
no immediate heirs to her wealth.