Telegram-herald., 1889-06-22


eay C her writings sItrsyag4ntly imProo-
su-s si--atlols or unaeSrc-Cr zIa t1apossl-
be Characters
AL - G1erge Eilot's early aa1 most IN
presslonaDls pears were passed In the, 70
u4ost people, D.t-er-of facg, uGFs1altic MD
laad c0a2Llos II Eng.ane-a district which,
Ia Der best storiss sac has most faithfully
described Ogtof t4-s simpLs, hosa-iy he Of
middle England shs has woven together
characters and scenes walch have made
'Ths Midi4ats' immortal, and. II there
h-d never been KeaiiwortA, or a Bir-
nIasl-m, H4r~.ekshire would DC des-
tined u 1--we for ever Ia george EliOt's
"LO4mshire
IL j. George Elots knowledge Of human
nature, her power 20 an-lyzo motives and 20
clsseCt principles which actu.te the most
ofdlaary indig IL uals motives and principles
which lead u what are Ofttimes considered
mere commonplace results, but which she
IA her marvellous manner, could show 20 DO
OF iasting import Ia molding the cha racter
and shaping tue destiny OF the BUNDLES 81
nan or wonau-It Is thIs keen appreciation
Of every day dedd-tevel humanity which in
diSidnaliZed as well IS lmmortallEed the
works OF George Eliot
Marian Evans, who later assumed the
we'll known nom de plume, WAS born at
South Farm, on the Grir estates, in tho
parish OF Cotton, Warwickshire, IN NOvem-
Der, 1919. A few months later her father
took up his residence al Grir, which was
Marian's home al through girlhood II is =
pleasant old country manor house, located
about midway between Nuneston a small
manufacturing town, and Bedworth, a min
ing village. These places are worked up
into both Adam Bede" aad Felix Holt. -
GriH Hollow IL minutely described as the
Red Deops in the mill on the Floss Caleb
Garth in "Middlemarch'i is fair portrait Of
/ George Eliot father, and the character Of
| Adam b-de n also largely drawn from the
same source. Robert Evans, though Of good
family, started out as a master carpenter,
afterwards becoming a land agent in Charge
( ef no less than five extensive estates. Mar
I ian mother was Robert Evans second wife,
and was just the busthng housewife so well
pictured IN Mrs. Poyser.
I George Eliors own IDEAS and views Of life
- girl are yiyidly portrayed in Maggie Tul-
7 liver, which, as a character, - "a ma ster-
piece. When very young she was "A great
student Of Greek and Latin and especially
fond OF works on philosophy Until Miss
Evans was eighteen years old she was a
sincere Christian Of the strictly orthodox
type. She was raised in the Episcopal
church, though many Of her near relation ns
were Methodists. As she grew older she
7 drifted OF into free thought, though in her
researches and discussions on religious
matters she was ever most earnest and
devout Among her Methodist kin was her
aunt, Mss Elizabeth Evans who was Ii
ceused 10 preach aud who furnished the
81 -
"Adam Bedcn-Dinah Morris.
George Eliot did not astonsh the world
with her writings during childhood's years
She waited uatL she was twenty-seven years
old, aud IN 1916 furnished some translations
and essays for the Westminster Review
In ls5l she was appointed assistant editor
OF that great magazine, and in 1853 became
t-e wife OF George Henry Lewes, though
P for peculiar reasons she was not legally
married 70 him. The question of her
welded life, however, either with Mr.
Lewes or subsequently with Mr. Cross IL is
not necessary here % discuss.
George Eliot was thirty-seven years old
when sac first INDUCED her pea ia works o,
fction. That was in 1855, when "Scenes
from Clerical Life" was published Tive
years later she wrote her greatest story
Adam Bede," which was printed the fol
/ loving year, 1Sj9 AL rhis time no one
knew the true name O. George Eliot, few
dreaming that she tsleu ed writer could by
any possibility De woman. Before ions
her publishers found is necessary 20 an
uounce George Elist : personality, and Ms:
I Evans success as a novelist was fully as
sgred. During tns next Eteen years al
her other splendid efforts saw the light, anC
when, three years ago, George Ehot died
the luster OF her name 10 the literary frma
meat remained nGsimmed.
W III = ATKTysoy