ever admired the writer. "For
years," said she to us, "I wrote reviews because I knew too little of
humanity." In the maturity of her wisdom this gifted woman has startled
the world with such novels as "Scenes from Clerical Life," "Adam Bede,"
"Mill on the Floss," and "Silas Marner," making an era in English
fiction, and raising herself above rivalry. Experience has been much to
her: her men are men, her women women, and long did English readers rack
their brains to discover the sex of George Eliot. We do not aver that
Mrs. Lewes has actually encountered the characters so vividly portrayed
by her. Genius looks upon Nature, and then creates. The scene in the
pot-house in "Silas Marner" is as perfect as a Dutch painting, yet the
author never entered a pot-house. Her strong _physique_ has enabled her
to brush against the world, and in thus brushing she has gathered up the
dust, fine and coarse, out of which human beings great and small are
made. It is a powerful argument in the "Woman Question," that--without
going to France for George Sand--"Adam Bede" and the wonderfully unique
conception "Paul Ferroll" are women's work and yet real. Men cannot know
women by knowing men; and a discriminating public will soon admit, if it
has not done so already, that women are quite as capable of drawing male
portraits as men are of drawing female. Half a century ago a woman
maintained that genius had no sex;--the dawn of this truth is only now
flashing upon the world.

We know not whether George Eliot visited Florence _con intenzione_, yet
it almost seems as though "Romola" were the product of that fortnight's
sojourn. It could scarce have been written by one whose eye was
unfamiliar with the _tone_ of Florentine localities. As a novel,
"Romola" is not likely to be popular, however extensively it may be
read; but viewed as a sketch of Savonarola and his times, it is most
interesting and valuable. The deep research and knowledge of mediaeval
life and manners displayed are cause of wonderment to erudite
Florentines, who have lived to learn from a foreigner. "_Son
rimasti_" to use their own phraseology. The _couleur locale_ is
marvellous;--nothing could be more delightfully real, for example, than
the scenes which transpire in Nello's barber's-shop. Her _dramatis
personae_ are not English men and women in fancy-dress, but true Tuscans
who express themselves after the manner of natives. It would be
difficult to find a greater contrast than