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

husband, and, sftsr HIS shameful death, end
hef forlorn days among strangers, In nobl
selfimmolati0n, ~ kind Of Sister Of Charity
n % ,.s, IwG n, nr,asS ns q
scurity, with all her rare endowments IN
recognized and unused. Tho Opportunit
for that enlightened philsnthropic labo
which she was fitted to achieve, and 70
| which she 10 strenuously aud pathetically J
sought was never found. Poor dwendolen'
lot II the saddost OF all, since she has not, lik'
| the others, an untroubed conscience IN sus
tain hor In tho wreck Of all her hopeA" AL
this il surely anything but uplifting and On
| nobling. II Is discouraging and depressing
| 10 the last degree.
THE third article OF George Eliot's creed
| was = necessary consequence Of the other
two, which "required her 10 consider only
mans relations upon earth with feliow-men;
and, accordingly, she defines duty TO be that
course Of action which tends 10 mako tho -
around US the happiest possible, or rather the
least miserable. Right and wrong resolve
themselves, then, into mere question Of re-
suits. An act must indicate its near and
ultimate sequences before its place can be
assigned In tho category Of moral acts.
"s1Sh thing % q absolute right can have
tempt TO do ones duty, regardless OF conse-
quences, would DO simply an abAurdity |;
since conse uences are the chief factor In de-
terminiDg what duty is" 1t IN tho utilitar.
Ian positivists idea OF duty, that denies the
authority OF conscience, and calls the moral
sense a mere irrational sentimentality or
prejudice.
IT is the unconscious application OF this
terly Inadequate and narrow utilitarian
principle that leads 10 some of the most un.
satisfactory and unpleasant situations and re-
suits In her novels. First OF all, in all ques-
tions OF grave ethical import, Of choice be.
tween good and evil, right and wrong, it pre-
sents the choice rs q matter OF calculation,
not OF intuitive obedience 10 principle for the
principles sake. This In itself and at once
has weakening, / might say, degrading
effect 1t robs virtue of It's garb of celestial
beauty, and brings it down to mere matter
OF earthly profit and loss "Her heroines,n
says our critic on this point, drought to con-
front such problem, and standing irreso-
Lutte before Il, show no instant recognition OF
the nature Of the two courses before them,
and make no appeal to God or to time
honored principles OF right as their stay and
defence against temptation. Instead OF this
they are represented as undergoing
strangely protracted exercise Of mind, with
the purpose Of determining which is the
right and which the wrong of the two oppo-
site paths" Although the choice OF her
characters in most eases ultimately results
correctly yet the very fact that they hesita-
ted, calculated, and weighed the reasons pro
and con they did, before making it
divests 1t Of most OF its good influence on the
reader. takes away the charm of spontaneity
from the virtue, casts shadow of self con-
sideration and self-interest over the transac-
tion, in short takes all its iniectionsness and
enthusiasm out of the goodness Besides all
which 1t In unreal and untrue.
MOREOVER, as might he expected, II virtue
and vice are mere matters OF calculation and
opinion, 1t sometimes happens that the
mi, ,tpnn nj ha rit tar Anaa not xritt
that OF the reader that the former calls GER
tain actions right which the rest OF the world
always did and ever will call wrong. II ow
In this wise George Eliots theory of ethics |
did violence to that OF the whole Christian
world by her living as she did with Mr.. |
Lewes Is known to all. 1t is evidenced Just |
as clearly in the case of several of her |
heroines. As Mrs. :Woplson says, "Her |
heroines shock us occasionally, when they |
do not shock her. Their most important |
acts sometimes appear at variance with attri- |
butes previously assigned them, and are /
needlessly ignoble and weak. Such mistakes L
include Maggie's flight with stephen Guest /
"a false and impotent outcome Of the ard /
ent self denial and exalted aspirations of
Maggie's youth, and weak point upon
which to turn the determining issues Of her |
life. Hardly more satisfactory are |
Deronda's acquiescence in a secret cores
pondence with Gwendolen, as the best means
OF strengthing her good resolves and Adams
marriage to Dinah, with their subsequent pro-
sale careers These are mistakes against
which all readers protest"
lr must not he imagined from the quota.
tons j have given that 'George Eliot and her
Heroines" Is throughout an adverse criticism
OF the great novelist, or that 1t does not fully
appreciate all her excelences, and her nobil-
bility OF character, powerful intellect, warm
heart, and matchless strength and skill as a
thinker and writer. 1t does all this and
more. In short IL is the most thoughtful,
most thorough, and the fullest and fairest
study of the. Interesting subject l have yet
seen, and model of its kind in spirit and ex-
ecution. Mrs Woolson's evident eagerness
to claim George Eliot as the great standard
bearer aud champion of her sex in the strug-
gle for woman's rights and for emancipation
from the letters of a conventional age, makes
her criticisms all the more weighty and
worthy OF earnest consideration and respect
W. are all the more certain that it is not pre-
judce or the desire to belittle this champion,
but only the weight OF unquestionable evil
dence the force OF truth upon an honest ana
sincere mind, that causes her to express this
just verdict with which all who
study the subject must, think, agree:
SIT Is evident that the theory of life and /
morals which George Eliot espoused tends |
TO rob the soul OF its noblest attributes-of |
Iaith, hope, courage and joy, of deep rever- |
snce, ferveut gratitude and serene content |
In the light OF its teaching, human existence |
contracts its boundless scope and lofty aims |
and sinks belittled to mere succession OF 1
petty deeds" UNCAs.