The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
GEORGE ELIOT'S OLD TOWN.
Mn. TAYLOR TELLS OF CHIL TERS
COTOA'S QUAINT PEOPLE OF OLD.
As n Boy There Ho Knew Many OF Those
Who Figure In the Great AuthoresH's
Earlier Stories-All Her Book Folk Real.

A. n Boy There He Knew Many OF Those
who Figure In the Great Authoress's
Earlier Stories-All Her Book Folk Real.
hillside streets lives an elderly retired silk
weaver. Bernard Taylor. among his books. BY
hard work. first In England where he was born
and afterward in this country. he has accu-
mulated enough money to assure his comfort
for the rest OF his life, and he Is taking that
comfort largely in reading. aud chiefly in read
ing the works Of George Eliot and all that per-
tains to her and her work. For Dir. Taylor az n
boy knew the great authoress in Chilvcrs
Cotton. the Shenperton OF her stories. where
his father was a ribbon weaver. and tho char
acters in her books are many OF them real per-
sons to his memory. His remembrance OF her
is merely that Of a boy who used to carry
notes sometimes OF a clandestine character
to the young ladies' school which she was then
attending in Nuneaton. near Chilvers Cotton.
Getting Mr.. Taylor to talk about his knowl-
edge Of George Eliot is a matter Of time and
patience. He is inclined to guard with some
jealousy his treasures of erudition. When a
SIN reporter called on him at his home and
stated his errand the white-haired old man
looked at his visitor with his sharp. deep-set
brown eyes and shook his head emphatically.
Tell you what I know about George Eliot?
Why should ~ She was the greatest woman
that ever lived. Isn't that enough for you to
know2 Go and read her books. Thatll tell
you more than | could. They're the best books
in the language except Shakespeare's. and
l don't know as l would put him any
ahead. People are always getting wrong
notions about her. and there don't seem to
be any good trying to set them right. for
as fast as one lie is shown up another follows
it. Now. there was a Catholic lecturer here
named Adams: tried to prove that Georse
Eliot was a Catholic. Here Mr.. Taylor paused
to snort.l She wasn't any moro OF a Catholic
than ] am. She was an aRnostic: that's what
she ives. l haven't got anything to say about
her. Now IL you was to interview me about
the fouling of the Passaic River that the papers
have so much about could show you that there
Is no harm in it."
This Mr.. Taylor did at some length. and also
expatiated profusely upon local politics and
other ma tiers more or less kindred. and at the
end OF a half hour he pulled down from a book.
shelf, at which he had been casting loving looks,
q map Of that part OF Warwickshire around
Chilvers Cotton, and setting his finger on n
spot said:
That's where George Eliot lived. at Grin.
Her father was agent for the Newdigate fam
lily. They're the family she calls the Oldin
ports In her stories Of the locality. Old-in- port,
New-di-gate 1t don't take a very keen man to
s'N"' ~NN 'S "Ao " u "
when she left the place. and a great scandal
there was after 1t was known she was living
with that man Lewes. and the Newdigates were
talking Of it. too. for they were much interest
ell in her. Since then I don't think they're
much pleased at being put forward for the
world to see in the stories. Sir Edward Newdi-
gate is the present head OF the family. and a
fine man he is. When / was last there. about
four years ago. he shook me by the hand at a
", aatiny IL tho y,I1a- I rvo. a
Bermudas at one time.
George Eliot's father was the homeliest
man in the county. but he was a good man. too.
His name was Robert Evans. and she was the
only daughter he had. Her name was Mary
Ann. Don't you believe it was Marian. for all
folks say, Afterward she may have liked to
have people think il was Marian. but she wasn't
called so at the school. When l was 3 or 8
years old I'd make a few pennies now and again
carrying notes for the young men over to the
young ladies' at the school at Nuneaton. where
she went. She walked It from her house
every day in fine weather. and that was a mat
ter q three miles. From what l remember OF
inG masculine in her Appearance. but she d hne,
DARK; sr LEM eyes, | don't tsmembsr that
for the young men: too clever for them. 'ifs sup
pee; AZ that time she wa5n,t writing any.
the time getting to know people. That's the
great secret OF her stories; they're right out Of
Take the Scenes from Clerical Life l
3 don't cr,dn know low whers she got the name Of shsp,
Church is, the church where / went as a hoy.
and 10 mistake; and the Rev; Amos Barton Is
many years. | remember well enough the old
gallery in the church and the sexton with his
bow bong w ws"a a 70 Ri tec cpr oress a aF@nts M vi e0sS irg II Ia a
moving about. whack. would come the wand.
S SSh', tbs hin, .nx 9Ssr t tSid he sohis 80 that We used to
George Eliot didn't put, him in some ofahsr
books; a rare &C character stet he'd n have made; The
with a wife so beautiful and gentle that she
% va q a. s?F roc o. fairy t. all US boys; To read
eyes" Mr Taylor tookiown a book and read
churchyard. The ST yerliGht that falls asiant
s on eh h1ach and tomb enables YOU to see his
tisnt Ta"SH SSnIs as f t lit. last "r the the f pa's srav "y
stones lilo walks with, a quick step, and is now
l5a a"G, win f a. Tr. f Bsr,oo haiti at the nv gi e.. hs;
in tn" passage, you see that a narrow face Of
no particular comrlexion-even. the SMALLPOX
m MOI ini"Hnite k%ind"wsit'2R f nate 9@en nf ?f no a
naT' r ianrrs share, and an ID rye Z, Of no pa,tisuIsr
iu! 4SL bin e., riG ! lG;t to be about f,Fty. p,ua.
chestnut crrIs beside her wcil-roupded Checks.
Tia fowing lines Of a tall ignre made sy the
iimrest dress look graceful. anil her Old frayed
black silk seemed to repose on her bust and
limbs with Il placid eleganc" and sense % dil-
t~Inctiun,, II! strong contrast with the uneasy
R"nse O. being no fit, that seemed to express t.
self IN the %rustling of Mrs. Farqlhar's gros de
Naples. Thrcap she wore would have h"en pro-
bounced, when of her had, utterly heavy and
hideous-fnr in those DAYS even fashionable
cans we're large aud foppy; but surrounding
her long. archcd neck, and mingling Their
borders o fcheap lac" and ribbon with hercl.e-t-
n,ti, curls. they seemed miracles Of successful
millinery. Among. strangers she was shy md
tremuIous. IA a girl OF fifteen she hlushed
crimson IL my ore Appealed to her opinion;
yet %thattall. graceful. substantial presence was
SO Sor IRrGS,i IN in ITS mIidness that men spoke to
THE, Farqnhars." Mr.. Taylor continued.
were Squire Harper and his wife. and "A nice
BIT OF properly they had. too. In the next
story Of the Scenes from Clerical Life the
Rev. Maynard Gilal came before my time.
He's the hunting Pnrson and a. common type
enough. George Eliot got that character from
tho Roy. Gilpin Ehdell. the man who married
my father and mother Ny mother has often
could see the red OF his hunting coat UNDER
meath his s%urTlice. 1t was nigh noon. and he
NBaG M D,t - rtla . - I.,.,I -. Il