The Topeka state journal., 1902-06-14
Kate Stephens Writes Of Leslie
Stephens George Eliot.
His Hand Assurance That Work
Is Well Done.
RELIGIOUS IN NATURE.
Biographer Dwells Upon This
Fact in His Book.
Changes Of Mental Attitude
Traced Through Her Works.

George Eliot by Leslie stephen Qatest Is
sue iii English Men Of Letters Series. ed
tied by John Morley. The MacMAlan
company 1902 PIP. 70.
on the last page of this interesting
estimate Of George Eliot the author
concludes. when compare her work
with that Of other novelists, I cannot
doubt that she had powers Of mind and
a richness Of emotional nature rarely
equaued. or that her writings-what-
ever their shortcomings-will have a
corresponding value in the estimation
of thoughtful readers"
Thoughtful readers are in the minor
ity alasl in these days Of the red-daub.
swashbuckler novel. and there is a
present fashion to view the life and
works Of this great woman through dis
torting lenses. 1t is a strange irony Of
fate Tor George Eliot's sympathy for
all apparent defects was so profound.
her sensitive pity for those manned in
body or soul,-those whose lives are
awry because of untoward surround
ings-was so completely large and OUT
spoken. Long before she began to ex-
press this sympathy in her novels-be-
fore any page of her stories existed in
fact-she wrote for one half of the
world in the Review of which she was
then editor-the Westminster: THE man
who would deny to woman the cultiva-
tion of her intellect. ought. for consist
ency to shut her UP in q harem. If he
recognise in her any quality which
transcends the qualities demanded in q
plaything or haudmaid he must
by the plainest logic, admit that life to
express itself in all its spontaneous
of tOlerance-''if you knew all. you would
forgive elH'-does not meet with like
sentiment toward those parts Of her
life which no man can judge, is a singu-
lar fate.
1t is fortunate that this estimate of
her life and works was given a man
of the eminent learning and association
and mastery in literary biography of
Mr., Leslie Stephen. His hand is an as
surance that the work is done with ut
most sympathy and knowledge, and
with every worthy element that a con-
temporary of large judgment could
bring.
Starting out with the remark that at
the present day we must begin from the
physical environment of the organism
whose history We are to study. Mr..
Stephen considers the county Warwick
shire in which the first half OF George
FliOts life was passed. and then the
sturdy farm and town population which
tion and wrought into the first tales of the
novelist. Before George Eliot was five
years old says Mr.. Stephen, she
went through the experience idealizef
in ''The Mill on the Floss"
and Maggie Tulliver's devotion She
had an elder brother whom she follow
ed with puppy-like fondness-the first
expression Of that affection and craving
for loving companiOnship which was to
be a need Of her nature all through life
School parted the youngsters, but her
Imagination and affection cOmmem-
GRATED the association not only in the
novel but in the sonnets Brother and
Sister"
but were another childish world my share
] would be born q little sister there.
Later On in her studies George Eliot
proved a docile pupil of the feminine sort.
The phrase "of the feminine sort" has
even in these few years of systematic
education for women come to have
meaning. Tt is perhaps best enlightened
by the conclusions Of some college pro
fessors and instructors. These men say
that the mental attitude of their women
auditors is distinctly different from that
OF the men-that the women are recep-
tive. unquestioning. lacking in power to
cast out original comment, apt to look
upon the Instructor as sort of su-