EVANS, Miss MARIAN, known under the nom de plume of " George Eliot," was b. in Warwickshire about the year 1820. Before she became known as the author of the remarkable series of fictions with which her name is popularly associated, she had already acquired reputation in the literary circles of the metropolis as a writer of dis tinguished ability. She contributed largely to the Westminster Review, of which she was at one time editor; and translated the famous Leben Jesu of the late Dr. Strauss, her English version of which was published in 1846; and also Feuerbach's Essence of Christianity. During 1857, there appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, with the signature of George Eliot, a series of stories under the title of Scenes of Clerical Life, the very unusual merit of which instantly attracted attention. They seemed to proclaim with great distinctness the advent of a new novelist of fresh and original power. It was from the first sufficiently well understood that the signature was a mere nom de plume; and no little curiosity was excited as to the personality of the author unknown. This feeling was much deepened by the publication in 1858, by the Messrs. Blackwood, of the novel of Adam Bede, which attained an immense success, and at once secured for the writer almost undisputed rank with the most eminent novelists of the day. This was followed, in 1859, by The Mill on the Floss, which amply sustained the reputation of the writer; and in 1861 by Silas Marner, the Weaver of Raveloe, a tale in one volume, which, as to art, is perhaps the most perfect of any of this series of works. In 1861, the Scenes of Clerical Life were republished from Blackwood's Magazine, to meet with a renewal of the favor with which they were originally received; and in 1863, Romola, an elaborate historical novel of Italian life, was published by Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co.,
in whose Corn'hill Magazine it had previously from month to month appeared. This work has never had quite the popularity of its predecessors, but is considered by a selecter circle of readers—and perhaps on the whole with justice—the greatest intel lectual effort of the author. Meantime—though the avowal has never in any formal fashion been made—it had by degrees become positively certain that Miss E. was the " George Eliot" of these works; and by not a few competent critics a place had been frankly assigned her at the very summit of this branch of our literature. Felix Holt, the Radical, published in 1866 by Messrs. Blackwood, was distinctly the book of time season, and was almost everywhere received with acclamation. Middlemarch, a Study of English, Provincial Life, began to be published in divisions by Messrs. Blackwood in 1871. It was completed in S divisions, the last of which was issued in 1872, and simul taneous with it the entire work appeared in 4 vols. The divisions had an enormous circulation, and enhanced Miss E.'s great reputation. Daniel Deronda was published in the same way in 1876. Miss E. has also published poetry of a high degree of merit. The Spanish Gypsy was published by Messrs. Blackwood in 1868; in 1869 appeared Agatha, a poem; in 1870, The Legend of Jubal, a poem of great power; 4nd in 1871, Armgart, a dramatic poem. In 1879 appeared a volume of essays, The Impressions of Theophrastus Such, which in a month or two reached a fourth edition.