New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-12
GEORGE kLIOTS EARLY LIFE.
HER GlRLHoOD AT GR.FF-HER EDUCATION At
MISUNDERSTANDING HEBREW ALONE.
he phi WI On

her GlRLHooD AT GRpF-HER EDUCATION AT
CovEN1RY-sTUDYING HEBREW ALONE.
From The PaH MAJ Ga=rte.
Many inaccurate statements have been made re-
speeding George ElOts parentage and early life. Mr..
Herbert Spencer rs himself cOntradIcted the long
current belief to which positive form Lad been
and has testified that when his friendship with her
BEGAN in 1851, she was already distinguished by
that breadth of culture and universally of power
which have since made her known to all the world"
In one quarter she has been described as the daugh
ter of poor curate," aud i'll another as the dangh-
ter of Dissenting minister" Her h!5t literary
efforts ami in particular her translation of Slrauss's
"Leben JeSu," have been represented as following
her residence i'll London. and the natural sequel
TO the associations and influences which from that
time shaped her career. All these statements arc
alike erroneous. -
ton, on the ODD of November, 1920 Her father
Robert Evans, was land-agent and surveyor TO five
estates III Warwckshlre,thos of Lord Ayesford
Lord LifiOrd, Mr.. G. n. Newdcgate, Mr.. Bromley
Davenport and Mrs Gregory. In this capacity he
was highly respected, and his reputation for trust
worthIuess may be said to have been ploVeTbiaL
Mary Ann was the Youngest of three children by q
second marriage, Mr.. Evans having also "A son ana
daughter by his first wife. She was remarkable
clild in MANY ways. thoughtful and earnest and AT
the age of twelve might have been seen teaching IN
the Sunday school in little cottage near her fathers
house. She received her first education AZ Miss
Frankn's school in Coventry, and retained
through life afecti0nate remembrance OF
these teachers of her childhood, often speak
ing of Der obligation to Miss Rebecca Franklin
for much careful training. Her family resided at
Grill until about her twentieth year. her iEOtDer
having died when she was fifteen 1t cannot be
dOubted-there is every evidence of the f3c;-that
Der grlsh experiences IN that prosalc country dis
trIct were many boarded TIE ssures In her Teen-
aentive memory which, by means of her marvellous
wit and insight into character. served TO enrich er
first three novels and her Scenes OF Clerical Lie
Her letters Of those days show penetration, wit
and philosophical observation belonging rather to
mature life, aud they show also that her mlnd was
deeply imbued with Evangelical sentiments. Her
sisters and brothers having married she lived alone
vx-ifh harf of 10 n removed
to Foleshill, near Coventry.
In this somewhat more pOpulouS neighborhood she
soon became known as person OF more than com
mon interest. and, moreover, as most devoted
daughter and the excellent manager OF her fathers
household. There was perhaps little az first sight
which betokened genius III that quiet gentlcman-
nered girl, with pale grave face, naturally peusNe
in expression and ordinary acquaintance regarded
her CHIEFLY for the kindness and sympathy that were
never wanting to any, But to those with whom, by
some unspOken affinity, her soul could expand, her
expressive gray eyes wonld hight up with intense
meaning and huniOr, and the low sweet voice, with
Its peculiar manGeriSin OF speaklDs-whlch blythe
way, of in after vear5-would give uttcrancc 70
Thoughts rich and singular that converse with Miss
Evans. even in those days, made speech with other
people seem fat aud common. MisS Evans was an
disqualification of the fact that great genus Is not
an exceptional capricious product OF nature, but
thug OF slow laborlous growth the trut of industry
and the general culture of the faculties At FOles-
hll, with ample means and leisure, her real educa-
ton began. She took lessons in Greek and Latin
from the Rev. Il. SheepshaukS, then head master of
the Coventry Grammar School, and she acquired
An acquaintance with Hebrew the result OF her
own unaded efforts. From Mr. Sinus, the veteran
organist of 81. Michaeis, Coventry, she received
lessons in music although It was her own bne must
cal which made her IN after years an admirable
pauofortc PLAYER. Nothing once learned escaped
her marvellous memory; and her keen sympathy
with all human feelings, i'll which lay the secret OF
her power of discriminating character, caused con-
slant fund Of knowledge TO flow into her treasure
house from the social world about her.
Among the intimate friends whom she made III
Coventry were Mr. and Mrs Charles Bray-bOth
well known in literary circles. In Mr.. Brays family
abe found sympathy with her ardent love of knOwl-
edge and with the more enlightened views that had
begun to supplaut those under which as she de-
scribed M her spirit had been grievOusly burdened.
Emerson, Froudc. George COmbe, Robert Mackay,
and other men of mark. Mt various times guests
ut Mr. Bray's house at Rosehil while Miss Evans
was there either as inmate occasional visitor aud
many time might have been seen, pacing up aud
down the lawn. grouped under an old acacia, men
Of thought and research. discussing all things In
heaven and earth ana listening with marked attention
when one gentle woman's voice was heard to utter
what they were quite sue had been well matured
before tine lips opened. Few, il any, could feel
themselves her superior IN general Intelligence, aud
ii was amusing one day TO see the amazement of q
certaiu doctor who, veuturing on q quotation from
Epictetus to an unassuInng yorng lady, was, with
modest politeDess, corrected IN his Greek Dv his
fenpinc auditor. One rare characteristic belonged
10 her which gave peculiar charm To her converse
tion. She hau petty egotism. spirit of contra
dictioD; she never talked for effect. happy