The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-01

Coventry Instructed her III the plHUolOtte Huu
although she gained little strictly technical
| knowledge. her rendering Of favorite CON-
poscrs. particularly beethoven was always. wo
arc assured delightful to her friends. On the
other hand for tho pictorial and plastic arts
she socIns at no period OF her life to have
shown much appreciation.
| There exists II seems, a colorod eGotch. done
by one OF hor friends. which gives us glimpse
of George Eliot nj about the age of IS. In those
| days sho had a quantity OF soft. palo- brown
hair worn In ringlots Hor head was massive.
her features powerful and rugged hor mouth
large but shapely the Jaws sinsulnrly square for
| a woman yet having IA certain delicacy OF out
line. A neutral tono Of colorinG did not help to
relinvo this general hcavinoss OF structure the
complexion being rae. but not fair. Ncvertho-
loss tho play Of expression and the wonderful
mobility of tho mouth which increased with
age. gave n womanly softness to the countc-
nance. Her eyes. Of u gray blue. wero small.
and not beautiful in them solves but when she
grew animated in conversation, her Dyes lit up
and transigured her whole face. Tho charm
of her nature also disclosed itself In her man
ner and her voice. tho latter being low and
deep and vibrating with sympathy.
Ono Of Miss Evans's chief beauties was III her
largo. finely shaped feminine hands. but she
onco pointed out to a friond that one of thom
was Drouuer across tfNn tne Othrr. saying WIN
somc pride that its grontcr breadth was due 10
the quantity of butter and cheese she had
made during hsr housekeeping DAYS Mt GriL
Apropos Of her massive head. wa are told that
ono of her acIua intanccs at Foieshill. Mr.. Bray.
was so much struck with its grand proportions
that he persuaded her to go with him to Lon
don to have u cast taken. He thought that.
aftcr that OF Napoleon. hcr head showed the
largest development from brow to ear Of any
persons recorded As regards stature. George
Eliot was not above the middle height. yet
she gave people the impression OF being much
taller, her figure. although thin and slight.
being we'll poised and not without certain
sturdnoss OF make. She was ut no period Of
her life In robust hoalth. being delicately
strung and OF q highly nervous temperament.
In youth the keen excitabiity Of her nature
often made her Maynard and historical. She
was indisputably a woman Of strong passions.
! deeply n!rcctionatn by temperament and OF u
| cinging tenderness OF disposition. In other
| words hcr extraordinary intellectual vigor did
not exclude. in her case any mora than they
| did in the case OF Mme do Stai;l. tho suscepti-
| bilities and wenknesses Of n peculiarly femi-
nine organization With all her mental activ-
! ity. she yet led an intensely emotional life.
| which, even in girlhood and young woman
hood must have held hidden trials for her. rs
III ltnOSe Gays SnB was known Dy her
ito weep bucketfuls OF tears"
Equally terestn9 with this description Of
George Eliots personal appearance is tho
biosraphers account Of the intellectual and
social influences with which sho was brought
| in contact ut Foeshil and which did much to
shape hor aftor life. In tho circle to which
| Miss Evans was now introduced. tho most con
genial and inspiriting persons wcro Mr.. Bray
and his wife, his sister in law Miss Sara Hen
! nell. and his brother-in law. Mr. Charles Hen
nell. Mr.. Bray was n man of wealth who had
| from nm early ape become ,nrrosI,d in reli,-
| ious and motnphysic,l spc,ulntions "a we'll a,
| in nolitical and social nuastions hi. "pbiIo-
| SONNY of Necessity" and "Edu,otion Of tbo
Feelings" are still read with respect Mr..
| Charles Hennell. originally a Unitarian. had
been led by his br6ther.n-l laws nrru.
| ments to examine afresh the whole ground
OF popular theology. the result beinp a
work called Inquiry Concerning thu
| Origin of Christianity" which attracted n
| good deal OF attention and was translated into
| German at the instance OF David Strauss Mrs.