Year: 1873

yelopment of fiction Is the aim of this remarkable
production Ii does not belong TO tho province OF
light literature, bat is work OF profound it might
almost he said Of solemn reflection The intense re-
ality with which Its descriptions stamped allows
but little scope 70 the play offancy and demands the
perpetua exercise Of stern and vigorous thought.
Like the previous writings of George Eliot, il hnds
the material of its wonderful creations not npoetic
imaginative flights above the sphere OF common life
but in a tender religious sympathy with the actual
workings % our proSac humanity. The author cX-
hibitS insight into the secret heart OF our nature
scarcely hess subtle and manifold than that Of
Shakespeare and with the incsive, mastery touches
of her pen produces series of images glowing with
the warm breath OF vitality, and so consonant
with the revelations of experience as scarcely to
awaken the suspicion of Art. Her delicacy of con-
ception is fully matched by her vigOr of execution.
She rs strong with the energy Of truth, rather than
with exubcrance ot invention, The treasures which
she displays TO the light with 90 lavish hand are the
product OF deep and capscious intellect but the
wonderful keenneSs of her outlook affords her une
qualed sources for their illustration. With an in
finite fund OF humOr an exquisite sense OF the lud-
crouS or grOtesque IN character and SITUATION she
dweswith habitual inclination on the tragic aspects
of life, although without a trace OF ehemmate soft
ness or morbid compassion Her intellectual nature
a
becomes censorions or harsh in view Of the railtes
and folies of her kind enhances the sadness of
human experience Ivy deepening the somber and mel
Anchoy colors Of the reality. She is equally free
from the cynical hum0rs of Thackeray, and the Tol
licking gayety of Dickens. Her most effective pic
tures are without the slightest dash of carcature
She describes absurdity she finds 1t among absurd
people bat never in 50 coarse form as 10 shock the
sense of probability. Her men and women, however
preposterous, have their prototypes in people whom
We have known from their childhood, while her
ideals of character never clothed with superhu-
virtues, or represented such faultleSs para
gons To remove them from tho sphere of common
sympathies


The keynote Of Middlemaroh' is found in the aim
10 delueate rare wornanly nature, which, although
reared in the unromantic walks Of English provin-
ca society is of the type the sanity Catho
hc Theresa whose passionate ideal character yearned
for an epic life hut whose real experience was
succession Of mistakes, leaving q spiritual
kindred Is the offspring of a certain spiritual
grandeur n-matohed with the meanneSs of oppor-
tunity perhaps tragic failure which found no sa-
FRED poet. and sank uBwept into oblivion" They
tried shape their Thought and deed in noble agree
ment but their lights wen dim, and environed by
tangled and hostile circumstance, - their ardOr al
teInated between a vague ideal and the common



approved a. extravaganza, and the other condemned
~ lapse An example of such a conflict between
the possible and the real is presented to the readers
Of " Middlemarch' in the experience of its heroine
DOrOthea Brooke


This modern Saint Theresa TO begin with her per-
.onal charms had a style Of beauty that did not need
10 De set of by the entcements Of dress Her hand
and wrist so finely formed that she could wear
sleeves plain those in which the Italian painters
portrayed the Blessed Virgin. Her profile, as well
ner stature and bearing seemed TO gain dignity from
The absence OF ornament, giving her the impress
of q tine quotation from the Bible in para
graph Of a daily newspaper" With all the acknowl
sdged briancy of her intellect her younger sister
Celia was always spoken of as having more common
sense She knew by heart many passages of Pascal'S
Thoughts" and Jeremy Taylors Sermons" The
tolicitudcs of feminine fashion compared with the
eternal destinies OF mankind, seemed TO her only
worthy OF the occupants of Bedlam. She could not
reconcile "A keen interest in " gimp and artificial
protrusons OF drapcy' with the anXieties of a spir
.tnal iie She was enamored Of intensity and great
ness her mind tbeoretic craving for some lofty
conception of the world likely TO seek martyrdom,
then TO retTact and at last to find it In quarter
where she had not sought it. Having lost her parents
81 ~ early age, she completed her education at a
Swiss school and was now living with an old bach
d
temper miscellaneous opinions. and uncertain vote"
The conclusions Of this gentleman difficult
10 predict as the weather; il only safe say
that he wcnld act with benevolent intentions
and would spend little money possible
an carrying them ont DoTothea had too much
Purtanic blood in her veins be satisfied with the
EpicuTeau Indifference of her uncle TO the welfare of
the race. She longed 10 of age when she could
rommand her money for generous schemes. With
her beauty. and her pecunary advantages. it
only natural that handsome girl should look
forward TO marriage. Nothing could prevent II but
her love of extremes Her wish 10 regulate life
tording TO her sublime fancies might prompt
cautious man 10 think twice before making her an
offer or might even lead her at last TO reject all
pfferS. young lady of birth and fortune who
would kneel on a brick floor to pray for a sick la
borer who had odd wbims Of fasting like a Papist
and who up at night TO read musty old theolog
ral books might at time another have still
more decidedly incOnvenent vagarios. Such wife
might awaken you some fine morning with scheme
for spending her income that wOuld interfere with
political economy, OF keeping saddle horse. But in
spite of the prejudices which her peculiar notions
called forth. she always had "A charm for those who
knew her best Most men found her bewitchng on
.horseback She loved the fresh air, and all country
scenes and when her eyes and cheeks gOwed with
excitement she did moi look at all like "a devotee
Riding was an indulgence which she allowed herself
In spite of some ,cruples of conscience She felt
that she enjoyed i in a pagan, sensuons way, and
ALWAYS looked forward 10 renouncIng il. Her ideas
nf marriage were still very childlike. She sure
that she would have accepted the judicions Hooker
had she been born enough to save him from his
wretched matrimonial bunder; John Milton
when he was struck with blindness any other of
the e7eat and good Inen whose whimsical habits it
would have been glorious act Of piety 10 endure In
her view, the only delightful marriage was that
where your husband a sort of father, and could


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