The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-08

tellect and heart Of all English speaking
people is instinctiyely grouped with that OF
Scutt and Shakespeare, and her grand,
strong, plain face which You lnsuncIlVely
group with those Of Dante, BrOnte, SaYon-
arola and List, you come TO the pleasant
region where sue grew to her full stature OF
person and genius with something akin TO
the same indetinable feeling OF dTeamtul I'M
reality, touched with reverence AID almost
flushed with awe, as when you tread the
quaint streets OF old Stratford, close to the
shrine of the immortal bard Of Avon.
Indeed the Shakespeare country Is truly
George EliOt's land. Straf0Td, Warwick,
bennington, Coventry ana Auneaton all
lie in a direct line from the southwest to
the northeast boundaries Of Warwick
shire. One Of the finest highways in
England, elm-shaded for more than hall
its length, connects them all EiOt'S War
wickshire was the Arden of Shakespeare.
The same Avon smiled back from its muir
muTing waters upon them both. Tue same
bilOWy hills, gentle slopes and sunny
valleys gave both their inspiration and
imagery. Their hearts warmed to the same
peasantrY. In the subtle dellneailon OF
these. Eliot was to the early Victorian age,
at least 10 a degree, what Shakespeare was
20 the early Elizabetban. Aud Shakespeare's
birthplace aud grave at StTatIoTd, are not
30 miles distant from George ElloEs Elrlhood
home.
1t lies on the olden highway between
Coventry and NuneatOn. These towns are
but nine miles apart Bedwortb, sleepy
old Dit village, is midway between; and
about half way from BedWorth to Nunea-
ton, near ATbury Hall. the seat Of the New
digates, is GTiff. fine old English farm
home and stealing. belonging to the great
ATbury estates now as when George Eliot
MARY Ann Eyans) baby eyes first looked
upon the great frs, cedars, elms and lines
which shade this old and ample stone
II, Of col
and tiny paned bOw-windows George Eliot
lived from March, 1920, when she was
babe but months old, until March, 1871,
when her family removed from Grih to
Foleshill, Coventry, period OF y years
These were the 2lyears IN which were nur-
tured and matuTed all those bodily, heart
and mental forces which gave her the high
est place in literature OF any woman that
ever lived.
Her father, Robert Evans. was tenant
Of Mr.. Francis Newdigate, at Kirk Hallem,
Derbyshire. On the death Of old Sir Roger
Newdigate the Arbury estate in Warwick
shire came to Francis Newdigate for life,
and Robert Evans accompanied him to Ar
bury as his tenant and agent. By first
wife there had been two children. Their
mother died in 1909. TER father married
Christiana Pearson in 1913. Three children
were born of this uniOn-Christiana in 1914,
Isaac in 1916, and Mary Ann George Eliot
in 1919, at the South Farm, ATbury, which
had been given the father temporarily.
Cross, 10 his biography of George Eliot,
tTanscTibes from an old diary of tie father
where il had been penned in his Own hand
November %, I819-Mary Ann Evans
was born at Arbury farm CHS was South
farm, Arbury) at O'Clock this morning"
1t was st. Cecilia's day. 1t is also OF
record that the child was baptized in the
ancient church Of Chilvers Cotton, which
TeaTs its cTumbling Norman tower over
landscape that viii strongly remind you OF
the moOrs about Hawortb, where the sisters
Bronte struggled nearly all their lives 10
pathetic silence. This quaint old pile mid
way between the Griff farmhouse and Nun
eaton, and the half dozen houses under its
caves, is the SheppertOn Of Amos Barton"
The three Evans children, then, most and
longest associated with Grih were the three
born among the Arbury estates. Christiana
married surgeon named Clark OF Merlden,
WarWickshire, and died In 1853. George
Eliot died in 1880. Isaac, as / learned after
arrival here, who bad remained at Grlf and
succeeded the DovellsPs father as It's tenant
and the NewdIgates' agent, suddenly died in
his chair on returning from service at Chill
Ters Cotton Church in October, 1890
His children, nephews and nieceS OF George
Eliot. are four in number. 1t is au unpleas-
ant but truthful statement that while they
command a certain Difference on account Of
a relationship, without which their own
small affairs would never have reached the
confines Of their little parish. they are un-
loVable and unloved by the few Of quality
aud the thousands of lowly around them.
They are stern, cold, miserly money-grab-
bPTs, all: extensively conscious of their radl-
ated importance and snappishly churlish
snd repelant to all who bring a whole
hearted reverence TO spot made luminous
by the presence Of mighty soul.
One daughter. maiden lady OF severe
and awful aspect was Isaac's hnusekeeper
for many years at Griff. She now resides
at BedwoTtbs and the lowly Of the place
dread her austere vsage and her cruel plati-
tudes, they freely confessed to me, when
her purse, hand and gentle words might re-
IieYe great suffering. A brother, the Rev.
Frederic Evans, is the present rector OF Bed
worth. he performs his eanonical offices
with mechanical accuracy and metallic sod
denness; enjoys his fat living" as though
the Almighty had arranged the parishes
and population OF England with special
references TO the vicarious relations Of the
Evans family to his affairs, and has no heart
or eyes for the poverty ana suffering about
him.
For Bedworth is a pit village, with a
few Insignificant and struggling manufac-
tories Wages are at as low a point as at
any place in England. There is not half
enough for half the year for half the folk
20 do. These clutch at any life-sustai1ing
labor with positive ferocity; and / could
take the Rev. Frederic Eyansint not only
q dozen but a hundred pitiful homes in
Bedworth where attention, sympathy, con-
ISOLATION, and even now and then few
copper pence, would make the name and
the religion of Bedworth rector stand for
much that is seemly in any minister Of
Christ.
Another sister is the wife of clergyman
named Griffith. The other brother Is Walter
Evans Esq, the present tenant OF Grif and
agent for Colonel NewdiRate. the present
owner Of Arbury estate. In all England /
have not found any man who has seemed so
capable CT justly mourning the resentment
OF English pilgrims to an English shrine !;
and during five years largely passed in
wandering up and down the face OF this