The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-26

velopment for her. One can not help wish
ing that she had had a spiritual ply
stefan" at this formative period Of wo-
mans life-the period when opinions
crystalline into beliefs The Brays were
| highly cultured. intellectual people, but
| they leaned toward the modern theory OF
philosophy and Miss Evans became tainted
with its poison. She met at their house
most of tho prominent literary people of
| the day. While here she made her first
venture into literature. the translation of
| the life of Jesus, from the German of
| Strauss
| In 1874 when she was 80 years old she
was invited to London to assist in the
editorshlp OF the Westminster Review. She
! became a member Of the family of DR..
| Chapman, the editor, where she was
| thrown into almost daily association with
Herbert Spencer, Huxley, George Henry
Lewes and others OF their school In 1858,
when she was in her 36th year, came the
crisis of her life.
| 1t is not my purpose in this brief paper
to attempt defense of the life and char
acter of George Eliot. | am aware of the
! fact that would be in hopeless minority,
! having the entire feminine world at least
arrayed in solid phalanx against me.
leave the undertaking, therefore, TO Il more
competent critic, But even a brief sketch
of her would be incomplete without some
]
event of her career, viz, her marriage to
George Henry Lewes.
| A person who deliberately chooses to do
| an evil deed, knowing and believing Il to
be evil, deserves the condemnation of God
! and OF man He who does an evil deed
through Ignorance or frailty of the flesh
| deserves our compassion But ne who
commta deed, which according TO our
standard or to the generally accepted
standard, OF evil, but which he, person
whom we are compelled to acknowledge
to be not emily thoroughly conscientious.
but far superior to ourselves In intelloc-
tual power. honestly believes to be right
that person has forfeited nothing of our
respect admiration or esteem. There Is
a principle In ethics which declares tho
law of appreciation superior to all hui
man law but just how far person is JUS
titled in obeyinE the dictates of his own
private judgment in opposition TO the laws
and social regulations of his time, Will al
| ways be a question difficult OF decision.
This marriage presents therefore, Gu
rlous ethical problem. Condemnation and
approval seem alike difficult. Her own
teaching condemns what her life approved.
II was no mpulsive act of silly sentiment
talsm that much we know; no vulgar in
trigue with a married man, as some have
chosen to regard It, On the contrary, 1t
was the cool, deliberate act OF the most
majestic intellect ever Graded in wo-
mans brain, an intellect, moreover, having
deep regard for law and an abiding rev.
erence for social regulations. This is
what places it beyond our comprehension.
For the sake of what is purest and best,
and were il not for its marvellous develop
ing effect upon her own life, we could al
most wish that 1t had not been. but to do
so were to wish Dinah. Maggie. Gwendolen,
Janet and all her other wonderful crea-
lions back into oblivion, and this we can
not find 1t in our hearts to do. Twenty
five years of answering fidelity on the
part of both George Eliot and MIR. Lewes
hdelity which lasted until called upor
to "endure the unspeakahle grief OF a last
parting proves the sincerity OF each.
That the marriage was ethically wrong nj
one will deny, but when those who SIT in
Judgment upon her can approach her In in
tellectual achievement: when those who
apply harsh names to her can rival her II
deeds of charity, of loving kindness and o.
philanthropy; when those who condemn
her without mercy can stand forth limo
cent before the Kissing multitude and cast
the first stone, then, and not till then. vii
Il be time to arraign this woman befor
the worlds tribupal Of Justice. II, in thu
final outcome of things, there is TO ente
into the judgments OF our deeds the mo
tiyes which preceded them and the results
which followed them. who knows but tina
this act of George Eliot's may measure W
nm the standard of Him who seeth not a
. man seeth far above many boosted on
of the elect which was heraded by priest
? ly procession and accompanied by all tn
ormp and nageantry OF the worlds high
est APPROVAL Had it never happened
Mr.. I.owes' life would have gone down =
, hopeless wrock and confusion. His wors
. ! than motherless children. having nona Z,
reach forth restraining rand. would hav
/, followed in their fathers footsteps. TIL
mind Itself of George Eliot pregnant wit
! The futures mighty offspring Instead .
: Developing blossomlng and ripenng into III
! rich harvest OF song, of story and Of poem
: would have shriveled and shed It's nntlmcl
fruit upon an christening generation.
After their union Mr.. and Mrs. Eewe
travelled on the continent for six months
s Returning to London they establishe
Themselves at "Priory," where all III
], prominent literary and musical people {
Q The day we're accustomed to assemble q
a her weekly receptions. After the crisis he
I life arose serene and calm. Peace ha
Q come 10 her as the dawn rises after
3 night OF storm and tempest. Here, for
e quarter OF a century, Mr.! and Mrs. Lewe
L lived and wrote the even tenor OF the
e lives Interrupted only by frequent visit
n n the country or 10 the continent
r search OF health or OF knowledge. NJ
: Tewey was always her Inspiration and n
n rrntector--he stood between her and IN
4 howline mack and kept them at bay. II
r cav, in her the marvellous gift. the possei
: eIon ~ which she herself was unconsciou
! Ne furnished her with the one thing 81