The Indianapolis journal., 1885-05-23
ELIOT AND LEWES.
Some True and Timely Words as to the Re-
lation of These Two

Some True and Timely Words as to the Re-
lation of These Two.
George Eliot has none of shat proud inde-
pendence which comes from self-reliance and
strength of character. She had no strength of
character She had mastery intellect-a
superb intelligence; but her nature was of that
hothouse kind which is dependent on circum-
stance for it's own condition-which can not live
in the cold shade of neglect and which must have
the help of sympathy to live at all. Her letters
echo and re echo that one cry, Give me SYM
pathy," and are penetrated through with the
hungry longing fer love. Without sympathy
from many her gifts of mind were of no avail;
and the love of was essential to her very
existence. AS time went on, adulation grew to
be essential love, aud, as little she
could live without the personal companonship
of a lover to minister to her needs and devote
himself to her care, so little could she live with
out he adulation to which she had grown ac-
custonmed. Had Mr.. Lewes been different man
had he one touch of delicacy of conscience, of
sensitiveness of fbre-had he failed hairs
breadth in his resolute determination to get
what he wanted, to make the best job of life
possible and to play his part like the finished
actor he was-she would not have strength of
character on her SIDE to have taken the step she
did. This step, however, was not so mementous
in her unknown days as it would have been
| later, when she had come to her fame. Then,
in all probability, she would not have taken it at
all. But when they went away to Germany
together neither she Mr. Lewes gave up
WuaI the WOflu Calls social pOSlulOn, because the
one had none to give up, and the other had lost
what he once had; and both gained in personal
advantage by the association He had a help
mate whose intellect and its earnings were to his
good; and she had the devotion of man whose
love had in it that element of alteration and self
impression which is dearest of all to a woman
like George Eliot, at once jealous and dependent
demanding exclusive devotion, and needing inces-
SAINT care-but ready to give all she had in re-
turn. This power of sef-suppression for the
coxa ,f hoA haa oil Oh
Lewes's conduct to his wife-the true history of
which will never be written. Falling in love
with Marian Evans, he grew tired of the singu-
lar part he had invountariy played for some
years, and swept the board clear. And
through the twenty years of their union this
self-suppression again was the main feature in
this singular mans contradictory career. His
own works, his own fame, his own individuality
were all merged in his companions and his life
was one long act of devotion to her and their
joint interests-to making her as happy and
keeping her mind as tranquil as her
morbid temperament and fral health
permitted; protecting her from every
annoyance-making himself the fender
to keep her free from the slightest shock of alb
rasion-surrounding her with certain halo of
almost sacred mystery-keepng her in a state of
aimostre exclusivenesS-and employing all his
hlstrionic powers to perfecting the mise en- scene
and the attitude to be taken on the boards This
devotion was curious interlacing of selfishness
and unselfishness He made his own account by
it. both pecuniariy and socially: but it shows the
lovabe side OF the man as we'll as the more ig
nooie 1t is, however, pure fiction to talk of
this union as act of heroic self-sacrifce on
the part of Marian Evans for the sake of re-
deeming a wretched life-restoring ruined
home Whatever had gone on within the
four walls of that disocated home, had gone
on with Mr.. Lewes's express permission and
sympathetic sanction, and the whole story was
as well known to Miss Evans as to others. That
sermon of eulogstic forgiveness of her own in
formal connection. preached on the text of this
sublime selfsacrifce, which the world repeated
at all street corasrs to the glory of George Eliot
was sermon preached in the air. In the begin
nlng OF things, the connection, with her fame
exalted into an epic poem, was a very simple
natural and commonplace arrangement between
two people who loved each other and could not
marry by any law of any land. Afterwards all
sorts of myths grew about the bond, and those
responsibilities who crowded her drawing room.
yet did not like to countenance adultery TO the
world at large did their best to salve over their
consciences by pretending that there had been
some kind of ceremony which sanctioned and re-
deemed the ulion.