New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14

| | do not think that any one who had had the
happiness of knowing George Eliot per-
sOnally would find it easy to write or speak
in her dspraise.n 1t gems to me that my scnool-
girl memory requires further fortfcatlon, but II
it does, tO-day's TRIBUNE, which has come TO me
since writing the last sentence. ought to settle INC
matter. In your republication Of DtGckCoods trlO-
ute to George Eliot read: 1T was in the autumn
of 1856 that the late Mr. e. II. Lewes sent TO the
Editor of BIdckWood, The Sad Fortunes OF Amos
Barton as the work of an anonymous friend" 1t
is q comfort 10 fed such indisputable proof. To
assume, however because Lewes was an inspiration
to George Eliot. that he moulded her mind,
Is absurd. She was a learned woman
before she ever met Loves. acquaintance
probably begun at the house of John Chapman. the
Editor of The u Westminster, in whose house Miss
Evans lived Her first works, as all the world
knows, were TRANSACTIONS of SpinOzPs Ethics" and
Strauss Life OF Jesus" while her articles contrib
uted to The UtsiaHSr are rs indicltTe OF the study
of physical science as are her latest works Here's
sentence from an essay on "Worldliness and Other
Worldliness": Where the fdlly developed insect
il parasitic, we believe the laryie 10 usually
parasitic also. AMI we shall probably not
bc far wrong in sUppOsng that Young
at Oxford, as elsewhere, spent a good deal
Of time in hanging about possible and actual
patrons" George I4pWeS WOulu nave Oceu lile HrSt
10 dI,claim the assertions Of misinformed critics
His inspiration took the form of encouragement
than which nothing is so grateful nor so needed to
TN, doubling artist. The world is indebted
70 George Lewes because lie made George Eliot be-
licve IN herself as writer of fiction. do not think
Justice has been done TO him ~ man. Mr.. TrOllOpe
bears estimony to his goodness of heart. Mr.. Lewcs
WAS extremely kind to me, taking the trouble to act
as critic moro than one occasion; and most APP
pleciative critic he was, by which l mean that he
was the first to motto what we'll done as well as
what might be improved. once asked him to at
tend rehearsal and received this most characterIs-
tic reply:
'sMY DEAR Miss FIELD: Ce que vous me hernandez
sort tout tait de mes habItudes par consequent
(trlle est la lOgIuue humaineD will be there or
perish in the attempt Yours ever, q. ii. LEwts"
Shortly after, on being invited to dinner he
wrote:
DEAR Miss FIELD: Dining out is one OF my
costly pleasures II means headache next day. and
| therefore am very spaTIng In my indulgence On
| tins account and because l am gOlug to dine out
to-day-onc excess being enough for one week. aln
forced to decline your otherwise tempting invitation
shall invade you some afternoon with claims grow
| ing ont of this one. Yours truly, e. Ii. LEwEs."
Nothing could have been tenderer than the way III
which he always spoke of hp, and all his friends
| acknowledge tic wonderfully purifying and en-
| nobling influence that she eXerted over him.
| George Eliot saved soul George LeweS
discovered a genius The latter had long since lived
down evil tongues. She asked to dine with
! Qaeen Vlctora'5 daughter, the Crown Prln-
cess of Prussia when the Princess was in
| England fact worth mentioning. as the
royal family are very particular as to whom they dc
| and do not see. know that the eject George Eliot
produced upOn me was one OF profound admiration
aud respect. Ii would have been impossible to
have said OF done anything lgnobe in her presence
| Hotel Victoria. Feb. IL. 1891. KATE FIELD.