The sun., 1885-02-22
I.-II.

The breadth and depth OF Mr. Lswes's obli.
cations TO George Eliot ure recorded in his own
journal from which the following emphatic
entry is reproduced by Mr.. Cross: Jan. %.
1859. Walked along the Thames toward Kew
to meet Herbert Spencer. who was to spend tho
day with us. and wo chatted with him on mat
ters personal and philosophical. owe him
debt OF gratitude. My acquaintance with him
was the br ghtest ray In n very dreary. rdsted
period Of my life. had given up oil ambition
whatever lived from hand to mouth. and
thought the evil OF each day sufficient
I owe Spencer another and q deeper dobt. II
was through him that learned to
know Marian-to know her was TO love
her-and since then my life has been
a new birth. To her I owe all my pros
perity and all my happiness. God bless her."
That is Mr.. Lewes's testimony to the results OF
his union with George Eliot. and ii anything
is!brouGht out distinctly and conclusively by
these selections from her correspondence. 1t is
the reciprocity OF tho blessing. 1t is hard to
prove negative. yetwe may affirm with almost
positive confidence that We are indebted to the
influence OF Mr.. Lewcs. to his earnest sxhorta'
ton and genial encouragement. for the novels OF
George L lot In the following memorandum she
tells us how, at the age of 81. she came to make
her first venture in wholly new field OF au.
thorshp: September. 1856. made new era
in my life. for it was then l began to write
fiction. 1t had always been vague dream OF
mine that some time or other might write q
novel; and my shadowy conception OF what tho
novel was to be would vary, OF course. from one
epoch Of my lie to another. But never went
further toward the actual writing of tho novel
than an Introductory chapter describing STAFF
lordshire village and the lie Of the neigh
no..i farm nonses nv and nd. as the sSe% ye"rs
desponded about everything else in my fu-
tnre life. laways thought was deficient in
dramatic power, both OF construction and dla-
logue. but that should be at my ease in the de-
seriptlyo parts OF novel; II happened that
pers mad with me in Germany. and one even
ing at Berlin something led mo to rea! it 10
crets description. and 1t suggested to him the
nossi6',y N OF my bsiIg a9le 10 write uovel.
my possession of any dramatic power.
sill he began 10 think tnat might as we'll try
and by. when we came back to England and I
mad greater success than he ever expected in
other kinds ol writing. his Impression that i
power would 90 toward the production of II
noyel yry was ssTsn.yhened He began to say
e To- nI WI Wn'n were M 1t IsnGy me urged
60 IA good way toward the production OF novel.
Il = verb while FIR You to Try the experiment,
he had n" longer any. DOUBT about my ability 10
carry carr out the Plan Ran The see, scope at Cross Farm,
ment no had been doubtful about. 1t was ceaI
| could write good dialogue. There still re.
malied the question whether could command
any palhoo; and that Was to he decided by the
mode IN which l treated Miliy's death One
night Il. went To town on purpose TO leave me a
quiet evening Tor writing it. ] wrote tho chm.
ter, from the news brought By tho shepherd tc
Mrs. HhcKit to tho moment when Amos is drag
god from tho bedside. and read it TO q. when
lie came home. We both cried over it. and then
he came up to me and kissed me- saying i
think your pathos is better than your fun"
Instead OF following in deta L he innumsreble
proofs OF the ceaseiess and potent stimulus
derived from Mr.. Lewes's companionship, wa
win ronine ourselves to1uoting ne significant
Inscriptions made in his wf-'s hand upon the
mnnu-crIps OF her most valued writings. For
exampie, tho manuscript oi Adam Bsde" Ia
lnsrrlb.d. To lny dear husband. George Henry
Lewes.I give the MS. of a work which would
hanpine:s when, hi, love has conierrs"ii
o: Romoia - we read To the husband, whose
perfect love has b, en- the best source OF her in.
sGht and strength. this manuscript is given by
his devoted wife. tho writer" On the manu-.
scrnt OF The Spanish Gypsy We find the fol-
i.Yrn .i%winG ta,;, eristrnp,n;, TO my dear-every da,
haa dI"mareh lie. y she wrote: :. TO my dear hus.
oand. George Henry Lewes, in this nineteenth
year OF our blessed union."