The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-10
LOCKERS "REMINISCENCES.
He Recalls Some Interesting Things
About George Eliot.

Review in New York Sun
OF George Eliot and George Henry Lewes
eur author a good deal, and he gives US
a vivid idea OF both OF them. He says that
Mature had disguised George Eliots aD-
parenuy stoical. yet really vehement and
sensitive spirit. and her soaring genius in
homely and insignificant form. Her coun-
-tenance eQuine-she rather like a
horse. and her head had been intended for
2 much longer body-she was not a tall
woman. She wore her hair in not pleasing.
0ut-of-fashi0n loops, coming down on either
side Of her face. so hiding her ears: and her
her a~waist like a milestone. You will see
her at her very best In the portrait by Sir
Frederic Burton To ny mind George Eliot
was a plain woman. She had a measured
way OF eoDversing. restrained, but impress
sive- When / happened to call, she was
on low chair. and she bent forward when
she spoke. AS she often discussed abstract
subjects, she might have been thought
pedantic: especially as her language was
do not think she was bit of a pedant.
Then, though she had very gentle voice
and manner, there was. every now and then,
Just suspicion OF meek satire in her talk.
Her sentences unwound themselves very
neatly and completely, leaving the impress
sion OF past reflection and present readine IS
she spoke exceedinly well. but not with all
the simplicity and verve, the happy abandon
Of certain practiced women OF the world;
however, IL was IN way that was far more
interesting. | have been told that she was
most agreeable en- tete-a-tete: that when sur
rounded by admirers she was apt to become
oratorical-a different woman. She did not
strike me as witty or markedly humorous
she was too much In earnestly she spoke as If
with sense of responsibility, and one can
not be exactly captivating when one is doing
that. Madame de Sable might have said Of
good listener"
1t appears that when our author first be-
came acquainted with them he was told
that she and Lewes had been married in
Germany. Assuming this TO have been the
- a 81 "a rhAr~4 -. dfnrn l.f 10
meet Dean Stanley and his wife. Lady
Augusta The Stanleys appreciated the
dinner; they did not think Mr.. Lewes at
The Dean was considerably taken aback,
however. when he subsequently learned
that Mrs. Lsewes was in no way Mr.. Lewes,s
WIFE, II Is well known that George Eliot's
more transcendental friends never for
gave her for her second mar
n Tase they wa mGFdy hep vrtnons
hands OF her. Our author, for his part.
thought IT the most natural thing for the
Isdened o' but interestins, derelct drifting
among the breakers, without oars or rud-
der. when. all at once, the brave Cross
towed her INFO harbor. Mr.. Locker feels
sure that "she very sensitive. and
must have had many painful half hour as
the helpmeet of Mr.. Lewes. By accepting
the position she had placed herself in oppO-
sitfon to the moral instincts of most OF
those whom she held dear. Though intel
tecIudlfy sell contained Deneve sue was
singularIy dependent on the emotional side
of her nature. With her. as with nearly all
women. something was needed TO lean upon.
Though her conduct was socially indefensi-
BILE, It would have been cruel. IL would be
stupid TO judge her exactly as one would
Judge an ordinary offender. What genius
she must have bad to be able TO draw so
many hgh-minded people to her! have
an impression that she felt her position
acutely. and was unhappy. Mr.. Locker
adds: Those who saw more of George
Eliot than did tell me that as Mrs. Cross
she seemed changed woman; she was
more natural, more cheerful. happier. We
cannot even guess what is meant by the
following enigmatic sentence: "A good deal
when revealed. will lack the zest OF nov
As for George Henry Lewes. he is here
described as very clever. acute and viva
cious. with an essentially asl-round intelli-
eence. able to turn the talent that was In
him to full and immediate account HIS
hostile critics said that he was literary
among men OF science and scientfnc among
literary men, Unquestionably he was one
ug-iness of the grotesque, startling. haunt
ing type exemplified in Victor Hugo S
s'L'Homme qui rit-" He was simply COM
monplace, uninteresting, repulsive plain
ness We are told. nevertheless. that he Is
credited with having been Lothario, VINO
could have boasted 'personne ne connait
Ia puissance de ma belle laideur." but when
Mr. Locker knew him II was said that
George Eliot or time had tanned him. he
had long hair. and his dress was an un,
evening costume, combining the least pleas
. ING points OF both. The opinion Is here ex-
pressed that Lewes was a good-tempered
person. and IL Is averred that nothing could
for he was ever on the alert to shield her
from worries and annoyance.