New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-07
THE DISCOURSE.


London as We we're ready 20 welcome Christmas. that
George Eliot was dead. We had been fretzins over a
sad mistake which she made. to thinking and woHcer
ing what would Of it the years swept on: and
now death had solved the problem m day We had
also said TO each other that tile fires OF genius were
| abating. "Doronda" and the essays are on tho
down grade It needed but this stroke death to show
what set the least she could u.s. who
had done much. It might be Ike picking heap
OF met Seed TO use one OF her own figures searclux
for pearl but then were OF finding the pearl.
Now the band was still and cold that for many years
had tossed treasures with such splendid grace
Concerning George Eliot, the last OF great line OF
writers, ana among women. IN mr. opinion, OF rio
greatest who have ever spoken TO US In our mother
tongue wish 10 Dote rSt her outward life as far as
trace It through the scsnt data We can lay
hands and then the inward life as we touch II IN
her great and wonderful. booEs leaving out "R0mola"
because sbonld like to touch that some Sunday even
ing IN separate lecture, and also because always
think Of it separate. In sense, from the deep
life. which beats Through the ether books out
OF the woman's heart George KliOt was born snd
raised in the mdlands Of Enaand. Her fathers portrait
is drawn. no DOUBT, 10 kIddemarch1 Caleb Garth.
Her mother seems 10 have passed away when she was
child for notice sue says letter that she saeceeded
hOusekeeper when she was seventeen years
old There q near kiDswonan living in perbyshire
near her, who stands for the wonderful creation Dnah
Norris the loveest she has ever drawn There
hOugetui OF COUSINS, aIsO carpenters,
for the originals Of Adam Bede and his brother Seth
In those early years. Eise matd's mind and heart
deeply ouohed by the thought OF God snd communion
with Him In the spirit bat she was In no sense q
Methodist. Her great ane brain. like 80 many mere.
condemned the ySster and. after al deeper tsits Of
human wIli the Divine and Leave the eterDal
Conception 0f Cod was her heart He sti master
of His universe
own rank un che took the matter into her own hands
STq 20 os S 70 a yOa ~ her eg clear and a
heaven. and the wonderful s.9e which would play
and audit took note Of the no6ie head Win 10 wealth d
@GoaEn har-tne hair Iso,s s1s has Fs .,d piDas
m mIHs after s iE had N'u gone 70 Losdos and
was wording for Bookseller Chapman. quite IA;
remember the evening in 1858, when I ara. read IN
wonder and delight 1e :P q q now as rsv
ton Of nc force abroad 10 earth, genius ehal
az Ss 81 O.. sen S. " George s shall ask
you fret 70 notice che grand free hand with Whlch she
n o her e. Ss Is tie
we love first 10 all tne great books .sd a., va
cret TO my mind OF the Inspiration we md IN the great
psalms aud n the sermon on The sna
| once heard DR. Homes and Mr.. Emerson discus sing
hymns All" sand Doctor. bat there Is one nymn
OF which never tire 1t IS the greatest: in my ople,Sn
| wonderful beauty in his voice;
| Thou hidden love II God, whose height
"Yes" EeisoD "thaS Is, 10 my mind the greatest
/ of them ALL"
sne teaches us in each book that she deep
q tn the lie WITH w6ish sue was fsm thai
itself ont INTO the simplest possible Sc e,
guenets And with sse Ss,., f sasS.
ing is done On the spur OF the noaen and n9thing es
far
II Ia what all true preachers am at m ther
ans sn % sSe n pessn.
better than great ~rter Of O1r time who has made
TIE the medium Of and touching lesscn
| note George EiiOts sympathy a: che next noo!e
quality ~ hSr EsS r. ana NO. IN sreaSes
BOW. perhaps but s in likeness q is said That while
the world asking WHO tins man was DcAsns said
at once that the author OF those works was wo,Sn
He formed this conclusion because he noticed that While
men venture TO say also on this lInitstlon OF her
genius and 6Ur t is onel that are drawn most
of the feminine element in them. no doubt be-
cause she dips the pencil t1sn in aeroTD Tosns heart
mraSle hnt tSsy do not win Snr sympathy a. 90 c1Iso
Eiot turns to women aud litre children aud even 9:
dogs then her heart beats through AL her words and
WIZ WIZ " all Se r0' greatness. .is woman mas
touch OF eyer,sndurpg pain IN her BOOKS.
her later lie. One may guess that the shadow watch
lay on rer life result OF nsr drifting away from
herself says Is wonderful sabduer such love ,ay in
this great WOnans heart and lt found what ts9st can
the sadest aud most cruel ccnsuDmatiOn possible 20
OF noble, delicate aud sensitive soul. We ex
euse the fault In one 50 great but that Is the pity OF
supremacy OF the intellect gives no freedom
break away from the deep and holy safeguards bat
lie human life, ana have only to inayne
whit George Eliot herself could have imagined chat
this should have Dafaen her Dnah Norris TO see bow
vast the gulf is between that pure ideal and her own
actuai Let him without SIN cast the nrst stone SAID
long ago. II Is not question OF casting stones IL u
question like often greve over or tue actuain
a man or woman debaSed before the ideal And thas
George Eliot had lost hor way IN this we could not help
feeling when heard the last news 81 her before her
death. When the only woman EOw l!Ylag would CON-
pare with IN power heard this she said some
Trims their very and this 10 one
We must pass no Judgment, however, utter no con
demnatOn, and only aGy, God rest her SOUL ana %
eye her soul has found rest not in sleep aer the
ful fever OF the latter Gay. bit IN new waxing TO
aud better life and IN the vast surprise ana
boundless bliss OF heayen for only there could sach
soul fad It's way.