The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-26
IN. Evening Post.

Life as Related in Her Letters and Journals
(Har per & Brothers has appeared within a
lew days OF its Publication in England. ]. w.
Cross, the husband of the distinguished nov
tlists explains IN his preface that his work
hes been aimC 81 entirely that Of an editor 70
Carefully arrange and select from great
mass Of spoD5ence and journals such
extracts es Will form a complete sUtobiogrS-
ply OF George Eliot. free from the obsxu.
liOn o. any mind but Ter own Little he
believes, can be added 10 what is already
known through her works OF the intellectual
side Of her nature. The letters reveal the
sioe O. her affections which was the supre ne
pleasure of her life. They have been care.
fully Dluned OF all that Be 2 Eled TO the editor
irrelevant and little has been introduced By
way Of comment. The letters are printed 10
the same type as the material supplied by
Mr. Cross, the distin ction between the parts
being marked by width of margin only.
The dates the letters and the persons to whom
they were written are indicated by marginal
notes. The work appears in three volumes,
with number OF illustrations.
tits proposed in this article to present a
few Of the interesting features of these vol
umes- glimpses here and there-w ithout en-
design Of giving 3 connected sketch Ut
George Eliot's life.
Robert Evans on November -, 1919, wrote
in his diary, Mary Ann Evans was
horn at Arbury Farm at o clock this morn
moved to Griff, "a charming red brick, ivy
covtrt house on the AIbury estate;" and
there George Eliot spent the first tWenty-one
years of her life.
Her father, 1t is raid, WIS a remarkable
man, many of whose traits are portrayed In
ACam Bede. He was noted Tor his physical
strength and determination CT Character.
George Eliot once wrote of him: my father
did not raise himself from being an artisan
TO be farmer; he IaiseG himself from being
an artisan TO be a nan whose extensive
knowledge in very varied practical depart
ments made his service valued through sew
eral counties. he had large knowledge of
building of mines of plantations. CT various
branches OF valuation 2ud measure nent OF
all that is essential TO the management OF
large estates"
o. the earlier years OF George Elioss Ii Q
The biography gives the following incidents:
The nfst book that George Eliot read, so
far as / have been able to ascertain, was a
little volume published in 1922 entitled
The Linneps Life, which she gave to me in
the last year Of her life at Whitley. 1t vas
present from her father. Among the books
which were her delight in childhood, were
'WaveIly,' Lamb, Tine Pilgrims Progress,
and 'Rasselas.'
During her monotonous country lie at
Grit she took lessons in 1 Il al, Gsrma a,
a. music, and developed those powers of
concentration and keen mental vision whcn
aittrward n ade her famous. These things
We CLEAN from Mr.. Cross's Introductory chap-
ter. From August Is, 1888 the corresp 3nd
Ell &c tells the story of the novelist's life
When girl OF nineteen she writes For
my part when / hear of the marrying and
civ ng in MARI age that is constantly bsiDg
uansacted l can only sigh for those who
are multiplying earthly ties which, though
powerful ens ugh TO &c ach their nta.ts
and thoughts rom ECaven, ara so brittle SIS
to be liable 10 be 81 apped asOnder at every
breeze " And few months later she
morsliZes about the evil effects of novel
reading as follows: II owe the cal
prlts a gTudge for in Sries Inflicted on my
self. When l WIS quite little child cOa
not be satisfied with the things around me.
/ mas constantly living in world of my own
creation, and was quite contented to have no
companions, that might be left 10 my own
musings, and imagined scenes in which | vas
chief actress. Conceive wfat a character
novels would give to the Utopias. | was
early supplied with them by those who
kindly sought TO crafty my appetite for
reading, and CT course mage use Of the ma
terial. they Supplied for building my castles
in the air.
Her first sllusion to authorship is in let.
ter dated July II, 1889 enclosing some dog
serel liz es, the crude fruit of lonely walk
last evening" 1t is a farewell TO earth, and
this is q specimen siaDza:
I'll ou son, to whose parental beam Owe
All tia, has elsddeneo me while here below,
Noon, stars, and covenant-conhrmiDg bow,
In March, 1S4l, Mr.. Robert Evans and his
daughter remov ed to house on the Foleschill
road, in the imn edia;e heighborhood of Gov
entry, and George Eliot experienced COM
plete char &c from her monotonous country
life. This was perlod of religious doubt
and trou bic for her.
George Eliot's first considerable literary
work, her translation OF Strauss Life CT
Jesus" was completed when she was Henty
seven. In a letter written at that time she
says: u have nothing on earth 10 complain
of but subjective maladies. Father is well,
and rave not q single excuse tor discontent
throalh the livelong day" Her biogrs pher
adds: The completion OF the translation OF
| Strauss is another milestone passed in the lie
| journey OF George Eliot and the compare
lively buoysnt tone of the letters immtdi
ately following makes Us feel that the called
meek is out of the yoke for time" On the
period during which she wrote for the West
Minister Review, made the acquaintance OF
Carlyle, Lewes, ara herbert Spencer, and
distirg uished herself in that circle of phil
| oSophers. we can not enter. 1t rs Interesting
10 note, by the way, that in 1882 allu6iDg to
the 'Bliihedale Romance which she has not
seen. but has a desire to read. she says
Hawthorne is a grand favorite OF mine. and
shall be sorry II he do not go on SURPRISING
himtelf."
George Eliots union with George Henry
LeEes, in 1854. her biogrspher considers The
most i'm porfsnt event in her life. He con
siders that the best defense of that action i:
the whole tenor of the life which followed it
/ The point OF view from which George Eliot
regarded her action Is recorded in letter
written 10 her friend Mrs. Bray ia 1885: III
/ there is any one action of my life which is
and always has been, profoundly serions, Il
! is my re alton 20 Mr.. Lewss. LiCh
and easily broken ties ere what l neithrr de
sire theoretically nor could live for prEctic
ally. Women Who are satisfied With such
ties do not act IS have done. That Any IN
worldly, interpretations parsoD who IS suf-
| fc:enuy acquainted with the relations OF ii q
can pIOn ounce my relation 70 Mr.. Lewis i'm
moral, can on understand by rememba'.