New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-17
GEORGE ELIOT ON "DINAH MORRISo

GENESIS OF THE CHARACTER.
PRIVATE LITTER OF THE AUTHORIZES TO MISS SARA
HENNELL, OF COVENTRY.
From The Pan Mall Gazette.
HOLLY LODGE, Oct. z, 1859.
DEAR SARA: / should like, while the subject ls
wildly present with me, to tell you more exactly
than have ever yet done, what knew of my aunt,
Elizabeth Evans. Ny father you know. lived in
WarwIckshre all my life with him, having finally
left StaffOrdshirc Grst and then Derbyshire six or
seven years before he married my mother. There
was hardly any intercourse between my fathers
family, resident in Derbyshire and Staiiord5hire,
aud our famy-fcw aud arbetween visits OF TO
nv childish ieelmg) strange unCleS and aunts AMI
cousins from my fathers far of native county, and
once journey of my own, a little child, with my
builder, Staf1ordshire-but not my uncle aud
aunt Samuel, 80 far rs can recall tho dim ontlne
Of things-are what remember OF jnortherly rela-
tives in my childhood.
But when [ was seventeen or mOre-after my
sister was married. and was mistress of the house
my father took journey into Derby>hlre IN
which, visiting my uncle and aunt Samuel, who
were very poor and lived III humble cottage as
WrkswOrth. he found my aunt in very delicate
state of health after serious Illness and TO DO her
bodily good. he persuaded her TO return with mn,
telling her that should be very, very happy TO have
her with me for Il few weeks. was then strongly
under the influence of Evangelical belief, and ear
nestly endcavOring TO shape this anomalous Eugsh-
Christian life of ours INTO some consistency with
the spirit and simple verbal tenor of the New
aunt fnt.'i. although / had only heard her sp5-
ken Of strange person. given to
fanatical vehemencc OF exhoratlon III private as
well as public, l believed that should mud sym
pathy between us. She was then an old woman
above sixty-and, believe, had for a good many
years given up preaching A tiny little woman,
wit bright, small dark eyes, ami hPlr that had
been black, imagine, but was now gray-a pretty
woman in her youth. tut Of totally different
physical type from DInah. The differences You
will bclicve-was not SIMPLY physical: no differ
cucc IL. She "A woman OF strong natural eXcta-
bity. which know, from the description have
heard my father and hai-sister give, prevented her
from the exercise OF discretion under
tho promptngs Of her zeal, But this
yehcmenco was subGucd by age and
sickness; she very gentle and qniet
in her manners-very lOyiug-and (what she must
have been hom the very hIsp truly religious
were fused together. There was nothing highly
distinctive in her religious conversation. had had
much intercourse with llOu5 DlSsentclb before Inc
only freshness | found, IN our talk came from the
fact that she had been the greater part OF her life
a Wesleyan, and though she left tie society when
women were no longer allowed to preach, ana
ioIned the New Wesleyaus she retained the charlc.
Ter of thought that belongs to the gennno old
Wesleyan. | had never talked with a wesleyan
before, and we used to have little debates about
prcdestinatIOn, for | was then strong Calvlnist.
Here her superiority came oub anu l re-
member now. with loving ndmratlon ono thing
which at the time l dIsapproved. 1t was not
strictly consequence of her Armlnlan belief, aud
az first sight might seem opposed to II, yet u came
from the spirit of love which CllngS To the bad logic
of Arminidnism. When my uncle came TO fetch her,
after she had been with us a fortnight or three
weeks, he speaking OF q deceased minister, once
upon him had taken to small tipping, though other
wise not cupabIc But hope the good mans in hea
ven for all That said my uncle. " Oh yes," SAID my
aunt, with deep inward groan OF loyIul conviction
"Mr. AS IN heaven-thats sure" This was ~ the
time an offence to stern ascetic hard vieWs-how
beautiful ii is to Inc now!
''As to my aunts conversation. it is a fact that
the only two things OF any interest | remember in
our lonely sttngs and walks are her telling me one
sunny afternoon now she had. with another piOns
woman, visited an unhappy girl in prison. stayed
with her all night, aud gone with her to execution,
an0 one or two accounts of supposed miracles III
which she Delieved-among the rest the lace WIN
the crown Of thOrns seen IN the glass. In her nc
count of the prison scenes, remember no word she
uttered-I OHiy remember her tone aud manner and
the deep feeling | had under the recital. or the
girl she knew nothing, believe-or told me moth
ing-but that she was common coarse girl, con-
yicted of chIld-murder. The incident lay IN my
mind for years on years. as dead germ, apparently
till time had made my mind indus IN which IT
could fructfy 1T then turned ont to DO the germ Of
Isaw ny aunt twice after this. Once spent
day and night with my father III the Wlrksworth
cottage, sleeping with my aunt, remember Our
interview less interesting than III the former
time: think was less simply devoted TO religious
ideas. And once again she came with my uncle 70
see me-when father and were living at Foleshlll
then there some pain, for had gwen up the
form Of Christian belief, aud was IN crude state Oh
free-thnkng. She stayed abont three or four DAYS
think. This is all remember distinctly, as matter
/ could write down, of my dear aunt, whom really
loved. You see how she suggested Dinah but IL Is
not possible yon should see as DO how entirely net
seems to me that people should think Dnahs sermon
prayers and speeches were cOpied-when they were
written with hot tearS, as they surgd mp In my own
mind -,
As to my indebtedness to facts Of locale, and
personal history of small kind, connected with
Staffordshire and DerbYshre-you may imagine OF
what kind that is when tell you that never re-
manned in either Of those counties more than lew
DAYS together and of only two such visits have
more than q shadowy, interrupted recollection |
The details which knew az facts and have mace |
use of for my picture gathered from such I'M
perfect ausion and narrative as heard from my 1
father in his occasional talk about old times
AS TO my aunts children or grandchildren say,
ing IL they did say that Dinah is good portrait OF
my aunt-that is amply the vague easily satisfied
notion imperfecty instructed people always have |
of portraits. 1t Is not surprising that simple men
and women without pretension 70 enlightened dis |
crimination should think q generic resemblance
constitutes portrait when we SEQ the great pubic
20 accustomed to be delighted with mlsrepresenta-
ito ms life and character, which they accept as
that they are scandalzed when art
makes nearer approach 70 truth.
Perhaps am doing q superduous thing In writ
ing all this to you-but am prompted 20 do II ey
the feeling that in future years Adam Bede and
ali that concerns It may have become dim portion
Of the past, and may no be able TO recall 90 much
of the truth as have now told you. |
Once more thanks, dear Sara. Ever your low |
ING MARIAN.