Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-15
GEORGE ELIOr,s EARLY LIFE.
Authentic Information at Last on
Dates and Events Hitherto Much


Authentic Information at Last on
Dates and Events Hitherto Much
BeclOuded.
correspondent OF the Pal MA Gazette gives
some interesting particulars OF the early life OF
George kdot, correcting many familiar errors
on the subject He says: Mary Ann Evans was
born at Grin, near NuneArOn, on November %,
1890 Her father, Robert Evans. was land agent
and surveyor TO five estates In Warwfckshire;
he was highly respected. ana his reputation for
trustWorthineSS may be said TO have been pro-
verbal Mary Ann was the youngest OF three
children by second marriage, Mr.. Evans having
also son and daughter by his first wife. She
was remarkable child In many ways, thought.
full al EARNEST. and at the age OF twelve might
have been seen teaching In the Sunday ScnOol
In little cottage near her fathers house. She
Ieceiv, d her first education at Miss FranStn's
school In Coventry. Her mother died when she
was fifteen. II cannot be doubted that her girl
tsh experiences In that prosaic country district
were SO many boarded treasures1n her retentive
memory which served to enrich her first three
novels and her Scenes OF Clerical Life" Her
letters of those days show penetraion wit
and philosophical observation belonging rather
to mature life. and they show also that her life
was deeply imbued with evangelical sentiments.
Her sisters and brothers having married she
lived alone with her father who, in 1871, re-
moved from Grin to FoleShil. near Coventry.
In this somewhat more populOu5 neIglb)r-
hood she soon became known as person OF
more than common interest, and. moreover, as
most devoted daughter aud the excellent
perhaps little at first sight which betokenei
genius in that quiet, gentle hammered girl with
pale, grave face. naturally pensive 10 exp!es-
zion. and ordinary acQua1nIanceS regarded her
chiefly for the kindness and sympathy that
were never wanting to any. Blu t. those With
whom, by some unspoken affinity, her sou
could expand, her expressive gray eyes would
ught up with Intense meaning and humOr, and
the low. sweet voice, with its peculiar manner
ism OF speaking-which. by the way, wore
OH In after years-would give utterance to
Inn lrrhf Wfpl,n v,aa ty,r
with Miss Evans, even In those days, made
speech With other people seem flat and COM
mon; Miss Evans was an exemplitcation
an exceptional, caprlcioas product Of nature ire,
but thing OF slow, laborious growth, the fruit
OF industry and the general culture OF the
faculties; At Foleshill, with ample means and
lessons in Greek and Latin from the Rev. T.
Sheepsbanks. then head master OF the Coventry
Grammar School, and she acquirei French,
German ana Italian from SignOr BreZZt. An
acquaintance with Hebrew was the result OF
her own unaided efforts. From Mr.. Simms, the
veteran organisL OF st. M1chaers Coventry, she
received lessons In music, although it was her
own fine musical sense which made her In after
years an admiral planOforte player. Nothing
once learned escaped her marvellous memory;
and her keen sympathy with all human feel
ings. In which lay the secret OF her power OF
discriminating character, caused constant
fund OF knowledge to flow into her treasure
house from the social world about her. Among
D.
try were Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Bray-both well
known In literary circles In Mr.. Bray's
family she found sympathy with her ardent love
OF knowledge and with the more enlightened
der which {aS she described icy her spirit had
been previously burdened. Emerson, Ffoude,
George Combe, Robert MacKay and many
other men OF mark were at various times guests
at Mr.. Rray's house at ROsehill while Miss
Evans was there either as inmate or occasional
visitor, and many time might have been seen
pacing I'D and down the lawn or grouped under
an old acacia men OF thought and research
discussing all thugs In heaven and earth and
listening with marked a, tention when one gen.
tie woman's voice was heard to utter what they
We're quite sure had been well matured before
the lips opened. Few, II any, could feel theul-
selves her superior in general intelligence and
IL was amusing one day to see the anazemeut
OF certain doctor Who venturlag quotation
from EpictetuS to an unassumtng young lady,
was with modest politeness corrected In his
Greek by his feminine auditor. One rare char
acteristlc belonged to her which gave peculiar
charm to her conversation. She mad no petty
egotism, no spirit Of contradiction; she never
talked for effect. A happy thought well ex-
pressed filled her with delight; In moment
so that common people began TO feel them
selves wise In her presence, AMI perhaps years
after she would remind them, to their pride and
surprise, OF the good things they had said.
1t was during her residence In FoleshiIi that
she translated the "Leben Jesu." This work
she undertook at the instlgation of Mrs. Brays
oTolneT, the late CnarleS dennell, a writer now
remembered only by the few, but whose I'm
quiry Concerning the Origin OF Christianity, y
| (ls3s,l was recognized in England and Germany
as signal service to the cause of liberal
| thought. The labor OF rendering Strauss mas
| terpiece into clear id1omaic English was by
no means light, and her intimate friends OF that
time Well remember the strain 1t entalled upon
her. She completed her task (S46) in scarcely
more than year, and had the satisfaction o.
| bling complmented by Strauss upon the sue
| cess that had attended her Efforts
| Miss Evans father died in 1919, and In the
summer OF that year she accom- panied her
| r.irnds, the Brays. on a continental tour. and
| by her own choice was lett behind at Geneva
where she STAYED TIL the folltwing spring. on
her return TO England she made her home with
the same 'aniy uhtil 1851, when she was per
suaded by Dr. Chapman to take up her resi-
dence in the Strand and assist him In the con-
duct OF the Westminster RPrieir.