Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-18
DRIFT.

underlined, disturbing, sometimes alinos
painful, sense Of disappointment and dissat
isiaction. IL decidedly marred my enjoy
mont OF even her greatest works. I neve
stopped to think Just what the special and
particular canse Of IL might be ; but never
failed 10 feel the vague but positive unpleas
antness Of the general efIcct whenever laid
aside one OF hor novels. ! am sure WAS moi
alone In this experience. l know that sev.
eral very Intelligent lady acguaintances com.
planned TO me Of having the same feeling,
only much intensified. II had ~ depressing
| an effect ON them that one of them, at least,
declared that she hated George Eliot, and
vowed she would never read another page of
her writings
To ALL who have folt this harrassinq un-
pleasantness, this dissatisfaction In the midst
of their admiration and enjoyment OF the
| productions OF this wonderful literary artist,
j would recommend = little book Just issued
by Harper q Brothers, New York. IL In not
long II In quite unassuming and modest In
| It's pretensions but It In decidedly tho best
critque Of George Eliot that has been writ
ten, and that is saying good deal, for the
number OF books about h or and her works is
legion. The title of the neat little volume In
"George Eliot and Her Heroines," and II in
from the pen Of a woman, Mrs. Abba Goold
"oo''oh'
Mrs. WooLsoN has ~ ardent an admira-
tion for George Eliot, the literary artist, a.
even her most enthusiastic adorers could de-
mand. She says, for example and truly /:
Whatever rich gifts the future may have
In store for Its readers, 1t Is doubtful IL over
again upon the novelists' page will be found
such nice observation of character and life.
snch searching anal vsis of mo,ive sucb rich.
60 =, I,,..,.o -, ,,,t,.-.,t, - ,-,r
.r. ,.,,,,, ~ ,,,e,,,.,,, r..-a - " ''.,,.,A
a"o ooPlh vi uho"shI ihoso raIo 1ualt'es
have won from her contemporaries the Imme-
diate and earnest attention OF not merely the
ordinary novel reader, but OF philosophers,
scientlsts ana observant men OF affairs and
such recognition, we must believe they will
continue TO demand" Certainly no one will
question the intellectual power and ability
oi woman VINO, IN her hours OF recreation,
diverted her mind by reading Herbert Spen-
GERS principles OF Psychology, perhaps the
most intricate anu diihcuit of any oil that pro-
iouhd thihkers Voiumes.
IN some important respects george Eliot
was the English forerunner of the American
James Howells school of fiction First of all
il her subtle anaIv,ic akin. IN which Mr..
Iyon,.o,, -o,or, -, IT, - a, ,,,
', ,oeis "no" s,'o s"ys ono re-
Prooucos ior us, aiso' 'he inner iiie OF her
N'a ",so''' VV 'Oo Wv woi inihsS va tuoukut
and conscience, detect the hopes that impel,
the .iears that restrain, and thus become spec
tators OF TWO related contests Beyond the Wis.,
lDie drama, IN whlch her heroes play their
part belnr" men, we witness the warfare
Ni.nin Ihe soni' 1i wnich outward acts are
but tho results Just in this, too, 1t seems
In less degree, she sometimes becomes wear
"a n,,an,.,,e nnu ,.,,.s, a., o no, 'e, US 700 o,'en
ber chayacteys instead of ia,iins ,hair an,ions
reveal 1t.
SIZE certainly does also share with James
and Howells another conspicuous fault Her
fully eaujpped and fne,v drawn character,
49,, ~, ,,,,1 ...-.. -,
.,,,,,,,a g,'i ,,, WIN uei,
apiiitieS rms ~ Propabiy one element II
ment after reading her novels. BY bringing
before us her fine characters, and showing
forth all their points, she raises our expecta-
tons TO the highest pitch. We eagerly wait |
ior some great, important heroic action on |
,a ,ne prt VI 'ucr, poings. but tne action never
Nct Gnr iacr -, aG;i;,, n',, 'e,'.1t., sa
nj onnor,nni,y 'rto n"'aI;a, ..yy, ~. "a.
them into cIrcnmsts,ca. whi.h s,aI p,t putt
forth their nowers their snianaid off. ena
lead them on 10 graat .nd ,nt,Iss na.a.. u
This / cannot but t6ink is a defect an Inner.
iection and hIemish in the nova',s,," ~ ~,
ia a iacr of hs,anna ~ ha,as.n' ,no ~ st ~
ana tho act;nn th.t o,oiis IT, 80 @ a. 80. 49, ~,
norfact barmnnv Of ,bo .,nr,, y y 'no
" w
Mps won,so~ ,,o,,,s o,, ~, ;,,oxo,,