Chapter IX (8)

"We have the pleasure of presenting to our readers an authentic portrait of George Eliot, the only one by which it is likely that she will be known to posterity. We are indebted for this privilege, as we shall presently explain, to the kindness and courtesy of her husband, Mr. J.W. Cross, who has allowed us to be the first to usher this beautiful work of art to the world. In doing so, we believe it will interest readers of The Century Magazine to learn, for the first time, the exact truth regarding the portraits of George Eliot, and we have therefore obtained from the three artists to whom, at different times in her life, she sat, some particulars of those occasions.

"Miss Evans passed the winter of 1849-50 at Geneva, in the house of M.F. d'Albert Durade, the well-known Swiss water-color painter, who is also the translator of the authorized French version of her works. At that time she had, however, written nothing original, and had attracted no general interest. While she stayed with M. Durade and his wife, the Swiss painter amused himself by making a small portrait of her in oils--a head and shoulders. This painting remains in the possession of M. Durade, who has not merely refused to sell it, but will not allow it to be photographed or reproduced in any form. He has, however, we understand, consented to make a replica of it for Mr. Cross. We have not seen this interesting work, but we hear that it is considered, by those who still remember the great writer as she looked in her thirtieth year, to be remarkably faithful. M. Durade recently exhibited this little picture for a few days at the Athénée in Geneva, but has refused to allow it to be brought to London.

"Ten years after this, in 1859, as the distinguished portrait-painter, Mr. Samuel Laurence, was returning from America, he happened to meet with 'Adam Bede,' then just published. He was so delighted with the book that he was determined to know the author, and it was revealed to him that to do so he had but to renew his old acquaintance with Mr. George Henry Lewes, whom he had met years before at Leigh Hunt's. He made George Eliot's acquaintance, and was charmed with her, and before long he asked leave to make a study of her head. She assented without any affectation, and, in the early months of 1861, Mr. Lewes commissioned the painter to make a drawing of her. She gave him repeated sittings in his studio at 6 Wells Street, London, and Mr. Laurence looks back with great pleasure on the long conversations that those occasions gave him with his vivacious sitter. The drawing was taken front face, with the hair uncovered, worn in the fashion then prevalent, and it was made in chalks. While it was proceeding, Mr. Laurence asked her if he might exhibit it, when finished, at the Royal Academy, and she at once consented. But when the time for sending in drew near, the artist received a letter from Mr. Lewes absolutely withholding this consent, and a certain strain, of which this was the first symptom, began to embarrass the relations of the two gentlemen, until Mr. Lewes finally refused to take the drawing at all. But before the summer was out, Mr. Langford, the reader of Messrs. Blackwood of Edinburgh, who published George Eliot's works, called on Mr. Laurence, and asked if he would consent to make a copy of the drawing for the firm. The artist replied that he should be happy to sell them the original, and accordingly it passed from his studio, in June, 1861, into the back parlor of Mr. Blackwood's shop, where it now hangs. Like that of M. Durade, Mr. Laurence's portrait of George Eliot is not to be in any way reproduced.

"The remaining portrait is that which we reproduce with this number. It is an elaborate chalk drawing, in black and white, with a slight touch of color in the eyes, and was executed in the latter part of 1868 and the early part of 1867, by Mr. Frederick W. Burton, at that time member of the Society of Painters in Watercolors, and now director of the National Gallery in London. George Eliot gave Mr. Burton many sittings in his studio at Kensington, and the picture was eventually exhibited in the Royal Academy, in 1867, as No. 735, 'The Author of "Adam Bede."' It passed into Mr. Lewes's possession, was retained at his death by George Eliot, and is now the property of Mr. J.W. Cross. In the spring of this year, Mr. Cross came to the conclusion that--as the shop windows were likely to become filled with spurious and hideous 'portraits' of George Eliot--it was necessary to overcome the dislike felt by the family of the great novelist to any publication of her features, to which in life she had been averse, and he thereupon determined to record in a monumental way what he felt to be the best existing likeness. Mr. Cross took the drawing over to M. Paul Rajon, who is acknowledged to be the prince of modern etchers, and in his retirement at Auvers-sur-Oise, the great French artist has produced the beautiful etching which we have been permitted to reproduce in engraving. For this permission, and for great courtesy and kindness under circumstances the peculiar nature of which it is not necessary here to specify, we have to tender our most sincere thanks to Mr. J.W. Cross and to Mr. Burton.

"These are regarded by her friends to be the only important portraits of George Eliot which exist, but Mr. Cross possesses a very interesting black silhouette, cut with scissors, when she was sixteen. In this profile, the characteristics of the mature face are seen in the course of development. There is also a photograph, the only one ever taken, dating from about 1850, the eyes of which are said to be exceedingly fine. As an impression of later life, there should be mentioned a profile drawn in pencil by Mrs. Alma Tadema, in March, 1877. Of all the portraits here alluded to, the one we engrave is the only one at present destined for publication. It may be added that there exist one or two other profile sketches, which, however, are not approved by the friends of George Eliot."

3. BIOGRAPHICAL.

Atlantic Monthly, 14:66, December, 1864, Kate Field on "English Authors in Florence." Louise M. Alcott in the Independent for Nov. 1,1866. The Galaxy, 7:801, June, 1869, Justin McCarthy on "George Eliot and George Lewes;" reprinted in "Modern Leaders," 1872 "Home Sketches in France and other Papers," by the late Mrs. Henry M. Field, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1875, p. 208, "The Author of Adam Bede in Her own Home." International Review, 10:447, 497, May and June, 1881, W. Fraser Rae. The Century. 23:55, with portrait, F.W.H. Myers, reprinted in Essays: Modern, London, 1883; 23:47, "The Portrait of George Eliot." The Nineteenth Century, 9:778, Edith Simcox. Blackwood's Magazine February, 1881. Harper's Magazine, May, 1881, C. Kegan Paul; reprinted in Biographical Sketches, London, 1883; March, 1882, E.S. Phelps. Westminster Review, 116:154, July, 1881, W.M.W. Call, "George Eliot: her Life and Writings." Le Livre, April 10, 1881, "Life in Geneva." London Daily Graphic, 23:27, January 8, 1851, "Reminiscences of George Eliot." Lippincott's Magazine, 31:510, May, 1883, J.A. Dickson, "An Afternoon at Ashbourne." Inquirer, January, 1881, Dr. Sadler's address. Pall Mall Gazette, December 30, 1880, "Early Life." London Daily News, December, 30, 1880, account of her funeral. Eclectic Magazine, March, 1881, account of her early life and of her funeral; April, A personal sketch. "George Eliot," Mathilde Blind, 1883, W.H. Allen, London. "Pen pictures of Modern Authors," Wm. Sheppard, 1882, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York. The Congregationalist, May 28, 1879, Mrs. Annie Downs, "A Visit to George Eliot." The Christian Leader, October 27,1881, Mrs. M.E. Bruce.

4. GENERAL CRITICISMS.

Quarterly Review, 108:469. Macmillan's Magazine, 14:272, J. Morley; same, Eclectic Magazine, 67:488; reprinted in "Critical Miscellanies," first series. Atlantic Monthly, 18:479, H. James. Christian Examiner, 70:227, I.M. Luyster. North British Review, 45:141, 197. H.H. Lancaster; reprinted in "Essays and Reviews," Edinburgh, 1876. National Review, 11:191. Home and Foreign Review, 3:522, Richard Simpson. Fraser's Magazine, 103:263, February, 1881, T.E. Kebbel, "Village Life according to George Eliot;" same, Living Age, 148:608. National Quarterly, 1:455, E.L. Wentworth. Potter's American Monthly, 9:260, 334. British Quarterly Review, 45:141. Catholic World, 17:775, J. McCarthy, "Comparison between George Eliot and Fleurange." Canadian Monthly, 11:261, "Later Manner of George Eliot." Dublin Review, 88:371. Southern Review (new style), 13:205, Mrs. S.B. Herrick. R.H. Hutton, "Essays, Theological and Literary," 2d vol. 1871. Contemporary Review, 20:403; same, Living Age, 115:109, Eclectic Magazine, 79:562, Professor E. Dowden; reprinted in "Studies of Literature." Atlantic Monthly, 33:681, June, 1874, George P. Lathrop, "The Growth of the Novel." A.C. Swinburne, "A Note on Charlotte Brontë," 1877. International Review, 7:17, July, 1879, Francis Maguire, Jr. Cornhill Magazine, 43:152, Leslie Stephen, "Critical Study of George Eliot;" same, Living Age, 148:731, Eclectic Magazine, 96:443. Month, 42:272. Every Saturday, 10:186. North British Review, 33:165, "George Eliot and Hawthorne." Eclectic Magazine, 88:111, "George Eliot and George Sand." The Nation, 32:201, J. Bryce, "George Eliot and Carlyle;" 31:456, W.C. Brownell. London Quarterly, 57:154. Blackwood's Magazine, 129:255; same, Living Age, 148:664; Eclectic Magazine, 96:433. St. Paul's, 12:592, G.B. Smith. Living Age, 58:274; 148:318. Eclectic Magazine, 96:353. Southern Monthly, 14:65. Tinsley's Monthly, 3:565. Victoria, 31:56. The Century, 23:619, February, 1882, "George Eliot and Emerson." Library Magazine, 7:84, Nathan Sheppard, "George Eliot's Analysis of Motives;" reprinted as an introduction to George Eliot's Essays, Funk & Wagnalls, 1883. Macmillan's Magazine, 46:488, October, 1882, Annie Matheson, "George Eliot's Children;" same, Living Age, 155:211. The Critic, January, 1881, Edward Eggleston; reprinted in Essays from the Critic, 1881. Christian Union, February, 1881, Noah Porter. The Independent, February 17, 1881, Mrs. Lippincott, "Three Great Women." A History of English Prose Fiction from Sir Thomas Malory to George Eliot, Bayard Tuckerman, New York, 1882. The English Novel and the Principle of its Development, Sidney Lanier, New York, 1883. Modern Review, 2:399, April, 1881, George Sarson, "George Eliot and Thomas Carlyle." Literary World (London), January, 1881, Peter Bayne Athenaeum, January 1, 1881:20. The Academy, 19:27, January 8, 1881. Temps, December 26, 1880, Edmond Scherer. Le Roman Naturaliste, Ferdinand Brunetère, 1883, has a chapter on "English Naturalism: a Study of George Eliot." Études sur la Littérature Contemporaine, E. Scherer, Paris, 1878. The Pen, 1880, Robert E. Francillon. East and West: 1:203, June, 1881. Papers of the Manchester Literary Club, 1881; Bibliography, Charles W. Sutton; "George Eliot as a Poet," George Milner; "George Eliot as a Novelist," John Mortimer; "George Eliot's Use of Dialect," William E.A. Axon. National Review, April, 1883, "New School of Fiction." Merry England, May, 1883, C. Kegan Paul, "The Rustic of George Eliot and Thomas Hardy." Blackwood's Magazine, April, 1883. Nineteenth Century, October, 1881, John Buskin on "Fiction: Fair and Foul."

5. DISCUSSIONS OF HER TEACHINGS.

Penn Monthly, 10:579, "The Art of George Eliot." Dublin Review, 89:433, "Religion of George Eliot." Unitarian Review, 3:357, J.E. Carpenter, "Religious Influence of George Eliot." "The Ethics of George Eliot's Works," J.C. Brown, Wm. Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, 1879. Mind, 6:378, July. 1881, "George Eliot's Art," James Sully. The Spectator, 52:751, "George Eliot's Ideal Ethics;" same, Littell's Living Age, 142:123, July 12, 1879. Scribner's Magazine. 8:685, Wm. C. Wilkinson; reprinted in "A Free Lance in the Field of Life and Letters," 1874. Westminster Review, 117:65, January, 1882, "George Eliot as a Moral Teacher." Contemporary Review, 39:173, February, 1881, "Moral Influence of George Eliot;" same, Living Age, 148:501. Unitarian Review, 16:125, 216, August and September, 1881, John A. Bellows, "Religious Tendency of George Eliot's Writings." Atlantic Monthly, 51:243, February, 1883, M.L. Henry, "The Morality of Thackeray and George Eliot." The Independent, March 24, 1883, Stopford A. Brooke, "George Eliot and Thomas Carlyle." "The Religion of Our Literature," George MacCrie, London, 1875. "George Eliot and Judaism," David Kaufmann, Blackwoods, 1878.

6. SCENES OF CLERICAL LIFE.

Atlantic Monthly, 1:890.

7. ADAM BEDE.

Blackwood's Magazine, 85:490, April, 1859. Dublin Review, 47:33, November, 1859. Edinburgh Review, 110:223, July, 1859. Westminster Review, 71:486, April, 1859. Athenaeum, February 26, 1859. Saturday Review, February 26, 1859:191 Atlantic Monthly, 4:521. Christian Examiner, 70:227, I.M. Luyster. "Seth Bede, the Methody: his Life and Labors," chiefly by Himself. London: Tallant & Co., 1859. "George Eliot in Derbyshire," London Society, 27:311, 439; 28:20, by Guy Roslyn (Joshua Hatton); reprinted in book form, London, 1876.

8. THE MILL ON THE FLOSS.

Blackwood's Magazine, 87:611, May, 1860. Dublin University Review, 57:192. Macmillan's Magazine, 3:441. Westminster Review, 74:24, July, 1860. Christian Examiner, 69:145, L.G. Ware.

9. SILAS MARNER.

Christian Examiner, 70:227, I.M. Luyster. Macmillan's Magazine, 4:305. Revue des Deux Mondes, September, 1861, C. Clarigny.

10. ROMOLA.

Blackwood's Magazine, 116:72. Land We Love, 1:134. Westminster Review, 80:344, October, 1863. Christian Remembrancer, 52:445. Revue des Deux Mondes, December, 1863, E.D. Forques.

11. FELIX HOLT, THE RADICAL.

Blackwood's Magazine, 100:94, July, 1866. Edinburgh Review, 124:435, October, 1866; same, Living Age, 91:432. North American Review, 103:557, July, 1866, A.G. Sedgwick. The Nation, 3:127, Henry James. Contemporary Review, 3:51. Eclectic Review, 124:34. Chambers's Journal, 43:508. Westminster Review, 86:200, July, 1866.

12. THE SPANISH GYPSY.

Atlantic Monthly, 22:380, W.D. Howells. North American Review, 107:620, October, 1868, Henry James. The Nation, 7:13, July 2, 1868, Henry James. Edinburgh Review, 128:525. Westminster Review, 90:183, Macmillan's Magazine, 18:281, J. Morley; same, Eclectic Magazine, 71:1276. Blackwood's Magazine, 103:760. British Quarterly Review, 48:503, Fraser's Magazine, 78:468, J. Skelton. St. James's, 22:478. St. Paul's, 2:583. London Quarterly, 31:160. Southern Review (new Style), 4:383, W.H. Browne. Every Saturday, 6:1.

13. POEMS.

Contemporary Review, 8:387, July 1868, Matthew Browne (W.B. Rands); same, Every Saturday, 6:79. Every Saturday, 16:667, G.A. Simcox. The Argosy, 2:437, November, 1866, Matthew Browne. Saturday Review, 37:75. Macmillan's Magazine, 22:1. North American Review, 119:484, Heary James. Atlantic Monthly, 34:102, July, 1874, W.D. Howells. Harper's Magazine, 49:887. Academy, 5:33, May 10, 1874, G.A. Simcox. Edinburgh Review, 128:523, October, 1868. Papers of the Manchester Literary Club, 1881, p. 108, George Milner. The Nation, 19:124. "Our Living Poets: an Essay in Criticism," H. Buxton Forman, London, 1871.

14. MIDDLEMARCH.

Quarterly Review, 134:336, April, 1873. Edinburgh Review, 137:246, January, 1873. Fortnightly Review, 19:142, Sidney Colvin. Blackwood's Magazine, 112:727; same, Living Age, 116:131; Eclectic Magazine, 80:215. The Nation, 16:60, 76, January, 1873, A.V. Dicey. North American Review, 116:432, April, 1873, T.S. Perry. British Quarterly Review, 57:407, April, 1883. London Quarterly Review, 40:99, April, 1873. Canadian Monthly, 3:549. Old and New, 7:352, H.G. Spaulding. Southern Monthly, 12:373, W.H. Browne. Atlantic Monthly, 31:490, A.G. Sedgwick. Catholic World, 17:775, September, 1873. Die Gegen-wart, 1874, Freidrich Speilhagen.

15. DANIEL DERONDA.

Atlantic Monthly, 38:084, Henry James, December, 1876. North American Review, 124:31, E.P. Whippie, January, 1877. Edinburgh Review, 144:442, October, 1876. Fortnightly Review, 26:601, November, 1876, Sidney Colvin. The Nation, 23:230, 245, October 12, 19, 1876, A.V. Dicey. British Quarterly Review, 64:472. Eclectic Magazine, 87:657. International Review, 4:68, R.R. Bowker. The Western, 3:603, O.G. Garrison. Potter's American Monthly, 8:75. Gentleman's Magazine (new style), 17:593, November, 1876, J. Picciotto; 17:411, R.E. Francillon. Canadian Monthly, 9:250, 343; 10:362. Victoria, 28:227, A.S. Richardson. Temple Bar, 49:542, "Deronda's Mother;" same, Living Age, 133:248; same, Eclectic Magazine, 88:751. Macmillan's Magazine, 36:101, J. Jacobs, "Mordecai: a Protest against the Critics, by a Jew;" same, Living Age, 134:112. Athenacum, 1876:160, 327, 461, 593, 762. Westminster Review, 106:280,574. Appleton's Journal (new style), 3:274, September, 1877, Wirt Sikes. Deutsche Rundachau, February 7, 1877. Contemporary Review, 29:348, February, 1877, Edward Dowden, reprinted in "Studies of Literature."

16. IMPRESSIONS OF THEOPHRASTUS SUCH.

Edinburgh Review, 150:557. Fortnightly Review, 32:144, G. Allen. Westminster Review, 112:185, July, 1879. The Nation, 28:422, June 19, 1879, G.E. Woodberry. Fraser's Magazine, 100:103. Canadian Monthly, 16.333. Unitarian Review, 12:292, R.W. Boodle.

INDEX

A.

Actions, _Actors and Acting_ _Adam Bede_ _Adam Bede_, quoted "Address to Workingmen," quoted Agnosticism Altruism Analytic Method _Animal Life, Studies in_ "Amos Barton," quoted _Aristotle_ "Armgart," quoted Art Art, love of Asceticism Austen, Jane

B.

Blackwood, William _Blackwood's Magazine_ Blind, Mathilde quoted Brabant Dr. Bray Charles Brontë Charlotte Brookbank "Brother and Sister" "Brother Jacob" Browning, Robert Browning, Mrs.

C.

Call, W.M.W., quoted Carlyle Causes "Choir Invisible" Chapman, John Characteristics, personal Childhood, influences surrounding Child Life Christianity "College Breakfast Party" Colvin, Sidney Combe, George Comte Conscience Conversation _Cornhill Magazine_ Cosmopolitanism Cowper Criticism Culture Cumming, Dr.

D.

_Daniel Deronda_ _Daniel Deronda_ quoted Darwin Death Deeds Dialect Dickens, Charles Dowden, Prof., quoted Downs, Annie, quoted Dramatic power Duty

E.

Emerson Environment Essays "Evangelical Teaching" Evans, Christiana Evans, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Isaac Evans, Robert Evans, Mrs. Robert Evil Evolution Philosophy Experience

F.

Familiar, influence of the Feeling Feeling for others _Felix Holt_ _Felix Holt_, quoted Feuerbach Fichte Field, Kate, quoted Fielding, Henry Fields, Mrs., quoted Foleshill _Fortnightly Review_

G.

Garth, Caleb "German life, natural history of" God Goethe _Goethe, Life of_ Griff House

H.

Harrison, Frederic Heine Hennell, Charles Hennell, Sara Heredity House Howells, W.D. Huge Humor Hutton, R.H., quoted

I.

Idealism Imagination Immortality Immortality, subjective Individuality "Influence of Rationalism" Inspiration Intuition

J.

James, Henry Jones, Owen "Janet's Repentance," quoted

K.

Kant Kaufmann, Prof.

L.

"Lady Novelists"
Law
_Leader_ newspaper
_Legend of Jubal_
Letters, extracts from
Lewes, George Henry
born
school days
early studies
in Germany
_History of Philosophy_
_Spanish Drama_
_Ranthorpe_
writes for Reviews
_Leader_
_Philosophy of the Sciences_
_Life of Goethe_, physiological studies
_Fortnightly Review_
_Problems of Life and Mind_
characteristics
death
Lewes, influence on George Eliot
Lewes, Marian Evans
born
parents
early reading
school in Nuneaton
school In Coventry
studying at home
moves to Foleshill
studies continued
early religious views
early scepticism
troubles with her family
finds friends
the Brays
the Hennells
drawn towards positivism
father dies
goes to continent
translates Strauss
Feuerbach
assistant editor of _Westminster Review_
_Review_ contributor
marriage
studies in Germany
writes _Clerical Scenes_
adopts name of "George Eliot"
again visits Germany
_Adam Bede_
controversy about _Adam Bede_
novel-writing
poems written
house
habits of study
description of person
receptions
summers in country
death of Lewes
marriage to John Walter Cross
death
literary traits
"Lifted Veil"
Liggins, Joseph
Lippincott, Mrs., quoted
Literary Methods
Literature defined
Locke
Love
Lucretius

M.

Marriage Martineau, Harriet Matter Meliorism _Middlemarch_ _Middlemarch_, quoted Midland England Mill, J.S. _Mill on the Floss_, _Mill on the Floss_, quoted "Minor Prophet" Morality Mordecai Morley, John "Mr. Gilfil's Love Story" Music, Love of Myers, F.W.H., quoted Mysticism

N.

Nemesis, Newdigate, Sir Roger Novel-writing

P.

Past, the Paul, Kegan, quoted Pessimism Philosophy, George Eliot's Philosophy, Lewes's _History of_ _Philosophy of the Sciences_ _Physiology of Common Life_ Plots Poetry Positivism Prayer Priory, The _Problems of Life and Mind_ Psychology

R.

_Ranthorpe_ Realism Reason Receptions Relativity, Moral Religion "Religion of Humanity" Renaissance Renunciation Resignation Retribution Romanticism _Romola_ _Romola_, quoted _Rose, Blanche and Violet_ Ruskin

S.

Sadler, Dr., quoted Sand, George Satire Savonarola _Scenes of Clerical Life_ Schelling Scientific illustration Scott _Seaside Studies_ "Self and Life" Sex in literature Shakspere Shelley _Silas Marner_ "Silly Novels" Simcox, Edith, quoted Society Social Organism Sorrow _Spanish Drama_ _Spanish Gypsy_ Speculation, Love of _Spectator_ Spencer, Herbert Spinoza Spiritual, the "Stradivarius" Strauss Sterling, John Sympathy Sully, James, quoted Supernatural Swinburne, quoted

T.

Tennyson Thackeray _Theophrastus Such_ _Theophrastus Such_, quoted Times Tradition

W.

_Waverley Novel_ _Westminster Review_ "Weimar and its Celebrities" Whipple, E.P., quoted Wieland "Woman in France" Woman, Literary Wordsworth

Y.

Young, Edward