The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-30
s'GEORGE ELIOT"

Her Sudden Death in I4ondon---Sketch Of the
Life and Work Of the Great Novelist.
Marian G. Evans, better known as
George Eliot" died in London, recently,
after brief illness. Her death was quiet
and almost painless. On the 9Th of last
May deceased was married as Miss Marian
Evans to John Walter Cross of Weybridge,
Surry, merchant of London.
She was, by general consent before her
death, the greatest living female writer
She was born in Warwickshire, England.
about 1920, her father being poor curate
of the Established church. When child
she became the protese of one of her faith
ers friends, wealthy clergyman, under
whose roof she received fine education,
conducted by private tutors. She display
ed an astonishing avidity for all kinds of
knowledge, and tasked the capacity of her
instructors to the utmost. With lauadble
desire to make herself independent of the
support she received from her benefactor,
! and having moreover, embraced theological
opinions widely different from his, she
! came to London when about twenty three
years Of age with the deliberate purpose Of
| supporting herself by her pen. Her first
! engagements were naturally upon the week
| ~ literary journals, but she soon gained
| access to Blackwood's and Frazer's maya
zines, and not much later began to contri-
butte articles, bearing the stamp of
learning and thoughtfulness, to
the Edinburg and Westminster re-
| views upon topics usually reserved for mas
culine philosophers. Not many years
elapsed before she became the virtual editor
Of the Westminster, the organ of the ad-
vanced liberals in philosophy. religion and
politics. Her first publication in book
form was translation of Strauss celebrated
Life of Christ, published anonymously in
1916. She became known and appreciated
by that remarkable circle of writer's which
clustered around John Stuart Mill, and re-
ceived personal instruction from Herbert
Spencer, who was but little her senior, and
who is said to have offered her his hand
Her tales and sketches in Blackwood, af-
terward reprinted as Scenes of Clerical
Life, displayed a remarkable knowledge of
the inner circles of theological opinion in
England. In 1859 she published her first
novel, Adam Bede, which took the literary
world by storm, and remains one Of the
chief titles Of her fame. This was followed
in 1860 by the Mill on the Floss, in 1861 by
Silas Mariner, in 1868 by Romola graphic
tale of Florentine life in the times Of Saw
onarola; in 1866 by Felix Holt, the Radical;
in 1871 by Middlemarch, and in 1875 by
Daniel Denorda, all Of which are we'll known
to American readers, and placed her at the
head Of the writer's of her sex in England.
She also wrote several poems-The Span
ish Gypsy, Agatha and the Legend of ia
bal-which are highly appreciated by the
small circle of thinkers whose opinions in
art, philosophy and religion they represent.
The last prose work Of George Eliot was the
Impressions of Theophrastrs Such, publish
ed last spring. Many years ago Miss Evans al
lied herself with the distinguished philoso-
pher George Henry Lewes. 1t was impos-
sible to form a legal msrriage, on account of
technical or legal difficulties springing from
an earlier marriage on the part Of Mr.. Lewes.
Since the death of Mr.. Lewes, in Novem-
Der, 1873, she has edited two posthumous
volumes Of his treatise on philosophy. Mrs.
Cross is said to have earned $3.50, 900 by her
pen. She was of medium height, had large
features, gray eyes, gray hair. and sweet
voice. She was not handsome, but pos
sessed such facination in conversation as
to Danish all consciousness that her per-
sonal appearance did not entirely correspond
to the high standard of her character and in
telligence.