Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-05
WOMEN'S MEN
Captured Late in Life and After Very
Varied Experiences-Bernhardt and
s'Her Lion and 'Her Lord,
George Eliot's Platonie Passion for Lewes
and Spencer and Her Love for Cross
Ellen Terry and Irving.

The London correspondent of the Chicago
Inter Ocean writes that paper on the loves OF
noted women a very cosby letter. She
says:
Mime. Bernhart-D amala looks very much
as Mile. Bernhardt did when we all went M ad
over her in Chicsgo some seventeen months
ago. / tried, at the play of Hermann the other
night, to imagine that there was a different
sort Of expression in her genius stamped line
aments since she has added the hyphen and
the "big, big D" TO her name. But Sarah
the un~surpassable lie very much as before.
As Donna Sol" she is herself in perfection.
Have you heard the story of the first act
ing of this part when Mile. Mare was playing
it under the personal supervision of Victor
Hugo? The author had written those words
in that third act where donna Sop throws
her arms about "Hernani's" neck and pro-
claims her deathless devotion TO him: "You
are my lion, superb and generous, / love
you"
The actress did not like that word alion."
She insisted upon saying, "You are my
lord" etc. Hugo argued with her, explained
how this word would weaken the meaning,
but 10 no effect. Mile. Mars persisted in her
of the irst performance substituted her own
word for that Of the poet.
B%ernhardt, making love to her new hus-
band in this play, 'draws," of course; but
we forget all that, when seated before the
footlights, and watching the tragic tender
ness of "Donno Sol" to her faithful
"Hernani." One thing is very funny about
this NJ. Damala, whose stage name is
Jacques Darall. He does not make up"
for the stage at all. Is this part of the
clever Sarah's tactics, to see as he il, sans wig
or false mustache, the youth whom she has
married.?
SHE SAYS SHE LOVES HIM.
1t is said that she SAYS she loves him. At
all events he manages her Just as men OF
strong temperament often get control OF all
the forces of the nature of a woman like
Bernhard, nervous, imaginative, restlessly
seeking always for something outside Of
herself. That was the secret of the marriage
of George Eliot with the young Mr.. Gross,
about which we all puzzled ourselves so mucl
when the strange news was flashed over to
America.
/ heard a good deal about that wedding,
not long ago, from an old gentleman who
knew them all well-George Eliot and Mr..
Lewes and Herbert Spencer and this young
lover who won marian Evans, spinster," for
his wife such a short time before her death.
When, as a young girl, she first came up
to London TO seek her literary fortune, she
lived in the family of this kindly old man.
He introduced her to Lewes and 10 Spencer,
and he knew for yearS Of Cross's affection for
her before the death Of Lewes.
"But what in the world did she marry
Cross in the end for" l asked.
"For the simple reason that she loved him,
my child" said the old gentleman, looking
at me over his spectacles.
/ smiled incredulously. THAT would sound
very we'll in s. novel, but George Eliot was
sixty years old, and ali the world knows that
she had been in love with Albert Spencer all
her life; or at least people believe that
who don't think that she cared about Mr..
Lewes."
"Stuf and nonsense! George Eliot was in
love with Cross in just the same way that
any young woman is in love at eighteen.
Her youth came late in life. She was all in
tellect in her girltood, and when she mar
ried Lewes it was in the belief that their in
tellectual congeniality was that which the
poets write about. Certainly later on she
did care deeply for Herbert Spencer, but it
was only an exalted species of the same sort
of feeling she had entertained for Lewes.
The idolatry of young Cross awakened new
and richer emotions. He is a man of much
finer temperament, more likely to win resl
affection"
"Well, it is all very strange. ] have
always wondered" said /, "why she signed
her name as 'spinster' in the church register
when she was married"
"The simplest thing in the world" cried
George Eliot's old friend. "The law requires
it. That was merely a legal form. Do you
know young Cross is writing her biography?
The pool is sure to have a great sale, coming
from him, but / think it a very ill-advised
act. The very fact of his attachment 10 her
will make it more a %panegyrie than an inn
partial biography"
THEY ONLY NEED DIVORCES.
OF course you are all looking forward TO
the coming to America OF Henry Irving and
Miss Ellen Terry, in the autumn. 1t may
interest you TO hear that they are said to be
to each other, and when they can get
enough they are going to be mar
ried. 1 say divorces enough" because |
believe Miss Terry has had two or three,
and Mr.. Irving one or two already. If they
want one from each other by the time they
get to Chicago, it is to be hoped that Dur
in that line will let them have it
Wholesale buyers ought to have a
discount in the trade.