The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-25
New York Tribune. |

understood that she was the dlughter OF q
PRESBYTERIAN clergyman, graduate OF Ok
ford. and a man OF considerable learning.
For awhile he was In orders aud q minister
Of the Establishment, but be found himself
d,Snclined longer 10 accept its forms aud
economy. and left " for the Presbyterian
,burch He became for time preacher
in one of the chapels OF that denomination,
and married a member Of his congregation.
when his daughter, the subject OF this me-
NOR. was about twelve wears old, he re-
ceiyed legocy which enabled him TO give
her liberal education. Another report
states th1t she was adopted by wealthy
CLERGYMAN, no cared for her early culture.
After leavingthe academy she was the assoc
ciaie and perhaps the
PUPIL or HERBERT SPENCER.
Her father before thi> bad personally
taken great pains with her literary training,
being himself an excellent writer, 80 that at
sixteen she was able to produce papers OF
no little interest and merit. At eighteen
she was contributing to newspapers ana
periodicals and receiving remuneration.
When she was about twenty years old her
father and mother died. and she went up to
London 10 engage in literary pursuits. Her
work was Willingly accepted, but great
deal OF 1t was printed ANONYMOUSLY, and she
early adopted the pSeudODym OF "George
Eliot"
The first work Of Miss Evans which at
tracied any general attention was her
"Sccncs from Clerical Life" originally
published In Bidcictcood'S Magazine IN
1857. and i'm book form IN London In 1858.
THIS was followed by her weIl-known and
admirable novel OF
"ADAM BEDE,"
published in 1859. This work at once gave
her a foremost position among living Eng
Iish noveli>iS. IL was translated into French
and German, and went through several edi-
tions in this country. 1t was followed by
1.-THE Mill on the Floss" Il novel OF equal
merit. which met with equal success.
"SIIaS Marner.' book Of great power,
was published in 1861. Her novel Of
"Romola " was written Is a serial for the
CornhW Magazine in 1863 She published
"Fel.X Hon, the Radical" in 1866, and
Middiemarch in 1871. Her novel Of
daniel Deron "a 4" was published i'm 1876,
and her philosophical novel of "TheOphIaS.
tus Such" in 1879.
The poetical works Of George Eliot, to
which. it is said, she aitacheda higher value
than TO her novels. were 1.-The Span
ish GYPSY" published in 1868, and "Tbe
Legend of Jubal," whcn appeared in 1871.
She was for tine an associate editor OF
The Westminster ReCiCr. She trans ted
strauss
"LIFE OF JESUS"
in 1916, and Feuerback's Essence OF
Christianity" in 1854.
IL NAV be noticed that after her first lite
rary success the works Of George Eliot were
in great request, and she received large
sums from ber publishers, though not %
large as had been generally supposed. She
was paid for "Scenes from Clerical Life .
1000, for "Sil,s Mariner" Gl,5OO. fol
adam Bede" E3,500, for "The Mill on
the Floss" "a 600. for "ROmola" $1,000
for Felix Holt" "a, 800. for "The Span.
i>b Gypsy" $500. for MiddIemarch ES,.
600, for 1.-THE Legend Of Jubal" E400, and
for Daniel DeroDda" $4,000. As she is
sad 10 have worked SLOWLY and painfully,
and as these sums cover a period OF
nearly eighteen years, perhaps the earnings
of this woman OF genius will not be lie.
gaTded as extraordinary.
The life OF George Eliot was itself ro'
nance. Shrinking, ii IS said, from notorl-
ely,
HER PRIVATE CAREER
has been as much discussed as that OF any
woman in England. Information concern
ing her was hot always accurate, and what
the curious public could not determine in
any other way, 1t cODjcctured. Her FOR
tune was strangely linked with that OF d
brilliant man OF letters, with whom she
lived as a wife for many years, and 10
whom she was, notwithstanding rumorS
to the contrary, never married. When
"Adam Bede" was published it attracted
the attention OF Mr.. George Henry Lewes,
who pronounced il TO be a work OF extra
ordinary genius. Thinking thus, be eagerly
sought the personal acquaintance OF the au'
thor, especially as he was told that she was
woman OF well-marked and peculiar but
attractive character. Failing in any other
way 10 obtain an introduction. he took the
step OF writing to her and of Offering hei
any literary assistance In his power. Hell
letter OF thanks was followed by CORE
Spondence, and the letters OF Mr.. Lewes
overcoming The reserve OF George EliCt
she at last consented 10 an interview. Mr.
Lewes was in
APECULIAR POSITION.
lie was legally married. His wife. hand.
some hut waywaid woman, bad some years
before eloped with lover. Upon her pro
testaiions OF repentance he bad forgiven heI
this offence, and nad received her again a
wife. This was IA conformation OF her crime
which. when afterwards she eloped again
prevented him from obtaining a divorce
from the bond of matrimOny. He could no
marry while his wife lived. Under these
circumstances the parties. after some con
sullatIOn Of friends, determined TO dispense
with the usual iormaities OF The Church an1
ION their fortunes under no other sanction
than that of their common love. The novel
ist was always called after the union Mrs
Lewes. When
THE REAL MRS. LEWES
died il was thought that legal union woul(
ne entered into. and there were rumors tina
il had been. These. however, were dis
sipated when George Eliot, as the eXeculrlN
Of Mr.. Lewes, declared herself "a spun
ster," and affixed 10 her afhdavltS The name
Of =. Marian Evans" The popularity o.
her social position is said TO have increased
her disinchnali0n 10 mingle in general so
cjety. Her seclusion renamed ~ pei sisteD
AZ ever, though she received few OF her
own and her husbands friends.
MIR. Lewes died November 30. 1873, ant
IN May last Marian Evans, 10 The surprise,
not to say the astOnisbment, OF every ore,
was married by that name TO Mr. John wal
ton Cross, a merchant in the city OF Lon
don. lie was many years younger tnaf
herself, and this is about all that Is knowf
of him.
Nor IL much personally known oil Georg'
Eliot. She was always hard worker, some
times spending ten or twelve hours OF th'
day over her manuscripts, and toiling' OF
an average, some thirty or forty hours
week. She did moi care 10 make much ngurt