New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
4 EEMTNISCENCF or ADAM BEDE.

From The London nnrS
Her father, kohcrt Evans, was land agent
and surveyor. who lived III the neighborhood "i
NuncatOn and served for many wears rs agent for
the estates of more than ono old WarNickslllrc
family lie IS still remembered rs man OF rare
worth and character bv many nrighhors IN the
Midlands. The father Of George Eliot is the pIo-
totypc of moio than one character IN ne wTlinHs
MiddlcInafch" will be recognized as the chief cX-
ample but the same nota OF caractcr-the crafts
mans keen delight III perfect works struck IN
" Adam Bedc" and in tho little poem on Stradl-
varius George Eliot's early years were spent IN
tho country Of Shakespeare. ,.,.-.
adam Bedo" made the name of george tllOt n
household word throughout I.nglanu, ana htt
curiosity al work to discover the real name ana sex
of the author Those who had studied "Srcncs of
Clerical Lite" at all closely felt sure that tho
writer was a woman, notwithstanding the mascu-
line tone and breadth conspicuous III Adam Brdr."
singular controversy arose III our columns on the
subject. On April II. lSj9. few days after We
had reviewed Adam Bedc' and conlecurcd that
the author, whether man or woman, could neither
be young nor ineXrerienccd, VIC received anu pub
llshcd the following letter: .
"SIR,-Tho author Of Scenes OF Clerical Lifo 4"
and Adam Bede " il MI. Joseph Higgins, OF Nun
eaton. Warwickshire You may easily satisfy
Yourself Of my correctness by inqIirng OF anyone
IN that ncighborh0ol. Mr.. Higgins himself and the
characters whom he paints are rs familiar there as
the twin spires of Coventry. Yours Obcdicatiy,
al. AVDfES, Rector of Kirby"
This produced the next day the following
rcjoinder from tho real George Eliot
dclicacy and unquc5tiOnable inaccurlcv assured
the world through your columns that the aut hOr OF
"SccncS of Clerical Life" and Adam licde is Mr.
Joseph Higgins, Of NuneatOn. | beg distinctly to
DENY that statement. | declare my honor that
that gentleman never saw line of those works
until they were printed, nor had he any knowledge
OF them whatever. Allow me to asl, whether tho
act of publishing book drpriycs man OF all claim
to the courtcses usual among gentlemen II not,
the attempt to pry into what Is obviously meant to
be wIthheId-Iny namc-and To publish the rumors
which such pry ing may give rise To. seems 10 ne
unite iudcicnsiblc still mOIc 40 to state these
rumOrs ;t5Certalncd truths. ain SIR. yours, etc,
GEORGE ELiOI
Notwithstanding this protest. the s. crrt soon
leaked out Long before 'lhn Mill on the Floss"
the second great novel OF the series which has inn
moItalized the name Of George Eliot, was published
i'm $50, il was well known, in literary circles at
least, that George Eliot was mono other than Marian
Evans, The " estmiaoiT Ldhrcr, and translator
of Strauss.
Those who only knew her books will deplorc an ir-
reparabc loss to English letters. while those who
also knew the writer will feel that great and noble
shirt supTrlnc in intellect as III culture, as tender
Ms il was strong, has passed away from tho world.
The friends of George Eliot have long recognized
her rare and commanding gifts both OF intellect
and character and il impossible for casual
acuuantanccs to pass II few minutes i'll her society
without falling under the spell of n strangely fas-
cinatIng and sympathetic personality. Her gra-
ciOus manner CUndcSccndIng as became her genius,
but never either patrOnizlng or Indifferent, over
came at once the dilidcncc Of any Who approached
her and her winning smile irradatcd and sOltened
features that were too strongly marked for fcml-
nine beauty. Those who have seen her either in
private or in public, ut the Popular Concerts mt
which she was o constant attendant cannot but
have been struck with her resemblance to SavOna-
rOa as he appears III tue portrait by Fra Bart0lom-
mco at Florence.