HEROINES OF GEORGE MEREDITH

TH E H E RO I N ES O F GEO RGE M E R E D I TH

WITH TWENTY MINIATU RES IN COLOU RS

H E R BE RT BE D FO R D

H OD D ER AND STOUGH TO N

IL L USTRATION S

THE COU NTESS LIVIA (fro m T/ze Ama z ing M a rriage)

F R ONT I SPI E CE

FROM THE ORDEAL OF RICHARD PEVEREL

C Y I . LU

M Rs . B II . ELLA MOUNT

FROM EVAN HARRIN GTON

III . CAROLINE

H E IV . LOUISA (T COUNTESS DE SALDAR)

C Y V . ROSE JO EL N

SANDRA BELLONI I L L USTRATIONS

P AG E FROM RHODA FLEMIN G

H VII . R ODA

D AII LI A VIII .

V IX . MARGARET LO ELL

FROM VITTORIA

PI AVE NI X . LAURA

FROM TH E ADVENTU RES OF HARRY RICHMOND

TH E P XI . LITTLE RIN CESS OTTILIA

FROM BEAU CHAM P ’ S CAREER

E C R OI SNEL XII . REN E DE

FROM THE EGOI ST C XIII . LARA MIDDLETON

LJE T I T I A XIV . DALE ILL USTRATIONS

PAGE FROM DIANA O F THE CROSSWAYS

W W CK XV . DIANA AR I

L Y D UNSTANE XVI . AD

FROM ONE OF OU R CON ! U ERORS

C XVII . NESTA VI TORIA

FROM LORD ORMONT AND HI S AMINTA

XVIII . AMINTA 1 5 2

FROM THE AMAZ IN G MARRIAGE

H XIX . CARINT IA JANE 1 6 0

TH E V XX . COUNTESS LI IA FRONTISP IEC E

I N T R O D U C T I O N

' ’ Geo r e M erea it/z s H /Ie ia rzce to Femin ism g g .

OMEN have us back to the conditions o f the primitive man , or y shoot us higher than lea se the topmost star . But it is as we p . u s fo r Let them tell what we are to them ; us , they ’ f o f f : are our back and ront li e the poet s Lesbia , the ’ poet s Beatrice ; ours is the Choice . And were it proved that some o f the bright things are in the pay o f o f Darkness , with the stamp his coin on their palms , and that some are the very angels we hear o f th e sung , not the less might we say that y find

u s n . us out , they have by our leani gs They are f to us what we hold o best or worst within .

' Tfi e E o zst So wrote George Meredith in g , in a chapter devoted to the excogitations o f that amaz ing person in an incredible position . It is a chapter illustrative o f the Meredithia n method o f plumbing GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

f o f Tfi a re to the eelings the man through woman . ey ’ ’ ' ' ’ s fwfia t w e /zo/a o aeri a n a w rst w ztfi zrz u f o . Meredith s men are o f suffi ciently diverse metal to flash us splendid contrasts when brought strikingly together ; fi but at a deliberate review we nd that , with scarcely ’ an exception , Meredith s man is conditioned by his i women ; and through them , and through his relat ons with them (in the widest sense o f the word) is he propounded and revealed to us . They are to him the scientist ’ s lamp before which he must pass that it may Shadow forth fo r u s all that is best and worst

Within him . ’ Meredith s whole- hearted allegiance to the cause o r o f feminism cannot but excite u utmost admiration . It w a s with him no trumpet to be blown fo r the sake o f demanding o r o f retaining his hold upon o ur attention ; nor need we a sk ourselves whether it was that he regarded its furtherance in the light o fa duty

l t D u o o n e o e o e a l h e w a . ty s tir s, l v g s y

His enthusiasm carries us along with him ; he

touches us , he convinces us ; and it is because he is

fs o s o . himsel deeply touched , desperately convinced ’ H a mme rto n s tf e r e In Mr . J . A . deligh ul book (G o g ' / M er ea it/z in An ew ate a n d Cr iticism) he writes “ Since the little printer o f Salisbury Square e n chained the whole feminine world o f his time with his GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Pamela and his Clarissa , no novelist has rivalled Meredith R in the appeal to femininity . ichardson most faith fully interpreted the contemporary feminine Character f Meredith has sought to breathe into woman a larger li e . And indeed Meredith has created fo r us women o fa larger f li e : they cannot be matched outside Shakespeare . They are a distinguished company that has been aptly termed “ o f by James Thomson , the poet , the aristocracy the ” o f imagination , and with them , as with all the greatest - o fth e the wonder people imagination , we scarcely need o ur close eyes , and we have them with us , more real than reality . “ I have not studied women more closely than I have “ ff men , wrote Meredith , but with more a ection , a deeper interest in their enfranchisement and develop ” Fo r ment . him they were nearer than men to Nature .

His men are marvellous studies , and splendidly true to ’ f hi s li e ; but uncanny insight into the women s minds , and his intuitive understa nding both o ftheir feelings and o f - o f the secret well springs their actions , compel us to s regard them a the fr uit o fhis highest inspiration . Her heart was at the head o fher thoughts and led the file , is a penetrating description that he applies to one o f our best fli e n ds— not necessarily in the camp o f the Amaz on advance- guard— and that strikes upon a broad truth with a clarion ring that proclaims him master o fthe secret o fthe essential difference between th e mind GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES o f a o f wom n and the mind man . There is something it in Tfi e P r irzeesr F o r o a n n o t un de velo t ma n w m is p , Bu t e e o u w e a e h e r a s th e ma n div rs ; c ld m k , S e e o e e e a n : e a e o n w t l v w r sl i his d r st b d is this ,

N o t e to e b ut e in ffe e n e . lik lik , lik di r c Ye t in th e l o n g y e ars like r m ust th e y g ro w ; Th e ma n be o e o f o an sh e o f ma n m r w m , ; H e a n in e e n e a n d in o a e g i sw t ss m r l h ight , N o r l o se th e wre stli n g th e w s th a t th ro w th e w o rld ; Sh e e n a e a n o r fa in C a a e m t l br dth , il hildw rd c r , No r lo se th e childlike in th e l a rge r min d ; T a t th e a s h e se t e se f to man ill l st h r l , r L ike p e rfe ct m usic u n t o n o ble wo ds .

’ in a fi er in es Tée Woo g a n tfie Ma ting of ir H o .

’ ITH Tennyson s subtly sweet music in our ears , we naturally throw a glance into the flower o f se e garden the Meredith heroines , to which o f set f f them hersel to man , like per ect music unto noble ” fi words . One is distressed to nd the survey proving , as i o f we progress , a heartbreak ng one and even with them whom such a phrase might honestly be written , and

whose history , as we know it , records them truly mated , the ordeals through which they have been compelled to pass on their road to happiness are too deeply and tra gically impressed upon our memory fo r us to tolerate o f the idea their perpension in a summary .

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

mentioned . This then , is how we may recognise true lovers “ o f the First all , a humility common to the two , enraptured reflection o feach in respect to the nature o f f ff the other , delight in seeing that nature un old itsel reely , f o f o r ear touching it lest it should be shaken lessened , ’ the feeling that one s o w n nature is o fsmall account and is o n e that the nobler that which contemplates . The o f o n e true lover loves the very soul his adored , loves it fo r in her and her sake , loves it distinct and sometimes f a s if wholly apart rom her , by that means he could see ” f sh e r her more per ectly as is , delighting in her va iety . is o f f This particular interest coming , as it does , rom the artistic appreciation o f the English novelist by the di t s inguished French littérateur .

’ Tae L ove- en es a n a tfieir ettin s S c S g .

’ E R ED ITH S o f love scenes are infinite beauty , and their settings are no less distinguished tha n

- are the love scenes themselves . In the several to notes the various heroines that I have painted , I have been permitted to include some memorable examples o f If o f each . one may strip the expression any suggestion o f — fo r n o t o f the stage they are the stage , but all nature— I should like to write that he was a master o f

1 4 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

- o f love scenery . The treasures the imagination upon which he draws in the painting o fthe landscapes through i which he leads us , mak ng us participators with him in a re as these delicious meetings , such are available only to w as o f f a poet . Meredith course a poet be ore he became a novelist also , and my personal opinion is with those that hold that he was never more a poet than in his novels . He could exert the double vision to which Mrs Browning ’ refers in Aur ora L ezgnas being essential fo r a poet s eyes

To se e n e ar thi n gs a s c o mpre h e n sive ly A if afa e o o e o n o f s r th y t k th ir p i t sight , An d dist a n t thi n gs a s i n tim a t e ly d e e p As if th e y to uch e d th e m .

He was possessed o f an intimate knowledge o f the ’ woodland and o f the deniz ens o f the woodland s Shy recesses ; and again and again in his landscape has be given us the instinctive note to complete a harmony o r to reveal a contrast needed to transform a sylvan picture few c a n to a poem . With a magic words he lead you into the woods and lose yo u there ; he will encircle you about with the shafts o f mighty beeches that arch high in the upper darkness like the pillars o f a Gothic cathedral , all filled with a holy stillness , until he Choose o f — to break it with , perhaps , the call the night jar , or with ’ o f — the sweep the white owl s wing . Who that has ever been there with Lucy but loves the woods bordering o n Raynham— yo u can see them I S GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES f — rom the Abbey , across the meadows where Richard “ ” f f o f ? ound her , and le t her empty his heart Who but loves to picture the tardy little stream— all overhung as is— it that Slips through the park at Beckley Court , beside ’ “ ” fo r f which Rose Jocelyn waited Evan s orgiveness , and saw not the moon o f silver rising through the aspens ? Or who can ever forget the enchanted wood near f fi o ur Brook ield , where rst we heard Sandra singing to the night ? It would be easy to multiply examples o f love o f scenery , all touched in with the hand the master ; and a s s o it is with Nature and her colours , is it with the arts and with the legends o f all ages ; fo r an allusion seems ever to be in apt attendance at his hand to give accent

alike to a situation or to a description . There is a ’ passage in Oscar Wilde s E ng/is/z Ren a issa n ce of 1 4rt that — f o . I propose to quote the courtesy Mr Robert Ross ,

his literary executor , enables me to include this and the other quotations from his works— I t sums the attitude and function o fthe poet thus “ The poet is the spectator o f all time and o f all F o r n o f o ut existence . him orm is obsolete , no subject o f o f f date ; rather , whatever li e and passion the world f O has known all lies be ore him like an pen scroll , f f o f all is still instinct with beauti ul li e . He will take it W fo r o w n hat is salutary his spirit , no more ; Choosing some facts and rejecting others with the calm artistic GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES control o f one who is in possession o f the secret o f beauty . Wilde might well have penned this passage with o f George Meredith in his mind , so wide was the wing his imagination , so penetrating the vision that in a glance could embrace the ages .

ae Pi tor ia l As ect o fi is H er oin es T c p f .

B f AVING landscapes and settings , beauti ul though o f o ur they be , let us pass to the consideration

heroines in their personal pictorial aspect . “ if o u Women are pictures , said Lord Illingworth , y want to know what a woman really means ; look at her , ’ don t listen to her . If we intently regard the portrait o f a great o r fi if striking personality , we nd ourselves , the painter be his equal to subject , involuntarily drawn to the eyes he has intentionally led us to them that they may speak fo r a to us , pictured lips say nothing . It may be th t fi they have but just nished speaking , perhaps saying something deep or something adorable that has left o n them its impress o r its shadow ; o r they may appear to be on the very verge o f giving utterance to an idea ; but they will never utter it : pictured lips are mute . a o f But the eyes can speak , and the most casu l survey ’ a group o f one s Meredith-favourites reminds us that

C GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

sa they have eyes that not only speak , but that y many ff di erent things . f The quick human eye is in itsel an exquisite thing , o scarcely capable f being spoiled except by its setting . Meredith lets us know his heroines ’ eyes most frequently f rom what they say and mean , but occasionally he gives us their purely pictorial aspect . Thus we remember

“ - large , long , grey eyes , dimly rimmed purest water grey , o f lucid within the ring beneath the arch lashes . Diana “ ’ o f Warwick had eyes like stars winter s night , and is Sh e o f — it noteworthy that , all the Meredith heroines , is the only o n e possessed o f beauty o n strictly classic lines . He was , nevertheless , no niggard in endowing if o f them with beauty , and it be a kind that has little or to o —f o f no pretention to rigid correctness , it is brim ull fo r To o n e fi meaning mere prettiness . he gives eyes lled with mystery that provokes to a plunge another has a gaz e that welcomes you with intent kindness ; and to a third he gives the eyes that smile in repose— perhaps an embarrassment to their owner . But I do not propose to a o f cat logue his delineations their perceptible properties , though they are both picturesque and illuminating , merely remarking that he has a preference fo r features ” that are playfellows o fo n e another rather than regular disciplinarians . When he has a mind to spare a fe w moments fo r c a n mere trappings , none dress a damsel in more delicious

I 8 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Yo u raiment than he . will recollect how Clara Middleton “ wore a dress cunning to embrace the shape and flutter ’ o f loose about it in the spirit a summer s day . Calypso ” — Clad , Dr . Middleton would have called her and would at the same time have straight-jacketed the enthusiasm fo r that would , save his doctorial dictum , have been set o f o f bubbling in every man us at the sight her . I have no intention o fdwelling upon this side— issue o f mere millinery but cannot pass from it without re a f D ia n a o tne C r ossw a s calling paragraph rom f j , which a s f appeals to one the per ect exemplar . Diana Warwick o n e o f was at Rovio , and was bent upon those early morning Climbs in the mountains that so sturdily appealed ’ o f to Meredith s sense physical enjoyment . She was o f o f dressed in some texture the hue lavender . A violet scarf loosely knotted over the bosom opened o n her o f throat . The loop her black hair curved under a hat o f f grey beaver , memorably radiant was her ace

Some sweet wild cyclamen flowers were at her breast . She held in her left hand a bunch o f buds and blown o f cups the pale purple meadow crocus . Is it not an exquisite colour—harmony that Meredith has made ? Through all his lavenders and purples we are -fl o f insensibly led up to the carnation ush her cheeks , the colour that Ruskin called the most beautiful in nature : and o f f f in se r in the radiance the ace , Meredith has ound the vient note , has given it emphasis and made it memorable . GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Tfie ir Gift of B ra in s .

T is probably the gift o f brains that is the most ’ o f insistent distinction Meredith s heroines , more especially among his la ter creations ; but it will be my better plan to confine this fascinating subject here

within the narrowest limits , and duly allow each in her

turn to make her own impression in her proper place . E ss in C omea ' f his In the ay j , a ter discussing two ’ f o f o f especial avourites the Comedy Manners , Congreve s ’ Millama n t e C élimen e fi and Moli re s , we nd Meredith ’ ’ ’ employing the r ea a ctio a o a osn r a a m and arriving at this : so so But those two ravishing women , copious and o f f Choice speech , who ence with men and pass their ! f to guard , are heartless Is it not pre erable be the pretty o f idiot , the passive beauty , the adorable bundle caprices , f o f very eminine , very sympathetic , romantic and senti fi ? s o mental ction Our women are taught to think . His rej o in der that they are n o t necessarily heartless ” from being Clear— sighted is a truth that he has upheld and illustrated in splendid profusion throughout his n o t o f works . Brains his women possess ; brains any o f single pattern , but brains multiple diversity . Readiness with the apt word is one o fthe gifts o fwhich Meredith h a s has been notoriously lavish . To some he given f crystal wit , and , in varying degrees , acility in word

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES o f - f h several well contrasted subj ects ; but rom t is novel , ’ f B ea a cfia m s Ca r eer f as rom p , I have limited mysel to o n e , and Chosen the little lady that exerted the greatest influence upon the hero— and not the o n e he married o n e the little princess Ottilia in case , and Renée de “ ” isn el C ro . , the smoky pearl , in the other Tae E oist From g , I have taken Clara , all sweet with ” o f f— the radiance an English so t breathing day , and the ae D ia n a o tfie romantic poetess , L titia Dale ; while to f C r ossw a s o w e fm o — y we the a ous her ine , a classical goddess endowed with humour— whose words were so much — d D un stan e wiser than her deeds and ear Lady , her fr devoted iend , and ideal protectress . On e on r C on ue r ors fr L o r d Or mon t From of q , and om a n d nis Amin ta o n e , I have made but portrait in each f case , Nesta Victoria , and Aminta ; and rom the o f Té e Ama z in Ma r r ia e r last the novels , g g , two , Ca inthia o f a f Jane remarkable parent ge , and the beauti ul Countess f o f - Livia , pre erably Baden Baden .

L a dies I fia ‘ve l t n a in ted ef U p .

UT looking beyond these twenty , there are many o f f fo r other his women olk whom , various reasons , I have n o t painted ; and while with them it would be impossible “ to gather up all the superficial indications ” o f f which incite women to judge Character pro oundly , GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES as it has been my aim to do in the several notes that accompany the twenty miniatures , it would be as dis agreeable to me , as to these others it would be discourteous , to pass them by without a word . There is , however , no need to treat many o fthem in so cavalier a fashion ; and as it happens that one o f the arts in which Meredith o f excelled was that reducing a personality to a phrase , I shall take advantage o fit where possible although owing to that art being , in its essence , akin to caricature , it lends itselfmore readily to the sketching o fgnarled and lo pped manhood than to the delineation o fwoman -in - f f the blossom , where the variation rom the common orm “ o r o f is less , , rather , is more subtle . The sensation ” “ power , wrote Ruskin , is in proportion to the apparent o f us inadequacy the means to the end . Let , then , regard o ur review o f these ladies as an excursion into a portfolio o fsketches in most o fwhich we shall find the — master hand .

Giving precedence , then , I will not say to age , but rather to the prestige attaching to greater dimensions fo r theirs is the most elaborate o fthese sketches— w e will a fi D uvidn e t ke rst the y ladies , Dorothea and Virginia , the o u r C n uer o rs maiden aunts o fVictor Radnor (in On e fo o q ). They were o fthe order o ffragile minds which hold together by the cement o fa mutual trepidation fo r Of the support things established , and have it not in them to be able to recognise the unsanctioned . GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

In these few words he takes them tenderly from their f o r lavender , and stands them sedately be ore us , speaking

w e f tfi eir more precisely , it is who remain standing be ore sedateness . And here is another passage that throws o f o f more light upon them ; it is the same colour , but gre ater intensity “ They were thin—sweet Old-fashioned grey gentle o f women , demurely conscious their excellence and awake i to the temptat on in the consciousness , who imposed a certain reflex primness o n th e lips o f the world when o r Fo r addressing them when alluding to them . their o f m appearance was picturesque the ancestral ti e , and their ideas and scrupulousness o fdelivery suggested the belated in ripeness ; orchard apples under a snowstorm ; o r any image that will ceremoniously convey the mind ’ s profound ’ a ppreciation together with the tooth s panic dread o f o u tartness . They were by no means tart ; only , as y is an know , the tooth apprehensively nervous uninviting

Sign will set it on edge . Even the pen which would sketch them has a spell on it and must don its coat o f ff f o ice , walk the liveried ootman behind them . It seems to me impossible even to read the last few lines at any greater pace than that o fthe liveried footman stalking behind them ! o f For the relish the contrast , let us place beside them the sketch o f another lady o f about the same ’ E lett Ormo n t s age , Lady Charlotte g , Lord sister (in

2 4 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

L o r d Or mon t a n d fi is Amin ta ) . Here we have , in — o f hale old age , a desp tic but racy personality : o ten “ rude , but always intensely and glowingly alive . I ” o f hate old age , said this grandmother three lines ’ o f grandchildren ; they shan t dismount me till a blow comes . Is not this true English oak ? With nothing more than a casual glance at Miss ’ Vincent , Aminta s schoolmistress , who , meeting in the “ f o n cricket tent little Emile rom Paris , took a slide a fe w se o n T/ze Ama z in French phra s , we will pass to g Ma r r ia e g , and indulge ourselves with the contemplation “ o f o f beauty in the person Henrietta Fakenham , golden Rie tte o f Henrietta the romantic , banner Chivalry , reader o f poetry . fi We nd her not only adorable to the eye , but adorably alive , and very human in her loveliness . f sh e She was beauti ul , was tempting , and probably o f o f the weakest players in the ancient game two , we read f She ound it diverting to be admired by many , while she knew herselfto be absorbed in the possession o f f f o f her by one . It bestowed the be ore and a ter her m f arriage . She elt she was really , had rapidly become , o f a the young woman the world , armed with a husb nd , to take the fla tte rie s o fmen fo r the needed diversion they brought .

D GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Leaving the professed beauty in the hothouse o fher o f Circle admiration , we may now come to a little group o f fr Tne Adven tu r es a r r fim n d three girls om ofH y Ric o . f in They are all resh as summer morning , but each is ff f Th e P eriban o u tensely di erent rom the others . first is , ’ fo r the Child s Charming name a young English lady , met in Venice : I remember her only fo r the sake o f her “ tenderness with the little boy ; She was like rest and f dreams to me , so t sea and pearls . What a darling , to ’ create this idea o fherselfin a Child s mind !

Janet Ilchester was handsome , but hard . She excited admiration in the county ; but fo r Harry Richmond she “ f sh e had , he tells us , no so tness ; could openly admire herself in my presence ; sh e claimed possession o f me

openly , and at the same time openly provoked a siege

f o f s e x : . rom the remainder my , she was not maidenly i She caught imag nation by the sleeve , and shut it between - square white washed walls . o f The third this group , and the last I shall recall f H a r r Ricfimon d rom y , though there are several others , — Kio mi . is the gypsy girl , the sketch is made in sanguine “ She was the personification o fwandering Asia . There

w a s o f fo r . no question beauty and grace , these have laws

The curve o fthe brow broke like a beaten wave . She “ — was a fine doe leopard . ’ To B ea ucna mp s Ca r eer are we indebted fo r Cecilia s h e Halkett . Like the yacht in which delighted , it is

2 6 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

true sh e may have been a refinement o fbeauty and o f a beautiful servicelessness : but listen to the enthusiasm the thought o f her could call forth from a youthful admirer “ English style wears best it looks best . — ’ Foreign women they re capital to flirt with . But a — ’ girl like Cecilia Halkett one can t call her a girl , and ’ sa it won t do to y Goddess , and queen and Charmer are ’ o ut o f both the question , though she s both , and angel if into the bargain . I swear I stood between a good o f and bad action , the thought that girl would keep me ’ d ve n da n ced w itn Ae r n ce a n I o o . straight , iy le /z/ e Of Tne Ta o C o . Chloe , ( f ) Mrs Meynell has ’ “ somewhere written that s h e was o n e o fMeredith s chosen fo r ladies , very loving , much enduring , smiling all wounds ,

gentle , decorous , distinguished ; and I take the liberty

' o f drawing the mantle o f h e r a dmira ble description fa r enough to give its shelter also to Nataly (in On e of ou r C on uer rs fo r ff q o ) whom I cherish an especial a ection . S a n dra B ellon i In , we are introduced to three sisters ,

the Misses Pole , but beyond a collective bow to them in deference to their reputation as experts in the theory and “ ” o f practice fine shades , we are bound to pass them in

Vittor ia . the crowd that peoples this novel and its sequel , And now we cannot take anything more than a sufli c e s fo r running glance , that merely us to recognise ; o f Tfi e Or dea l o Lady Blandish , the silken manner , (in f GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

’ Ricna r d Feve rel) whose taste fo r the Pilgrim s Scrip could not enable her gentleness to digest the entire system

Clare Doria Forcy , whose mother married her to her is o f own old admirer , and whose diary a tragedy silence Lady Jocelyn (in E va n H a r r ington ) that straight speaking lady o fgracious bearing “ Mrs t . Mel , that heavy and unsympathe ically impressive person who sa t down upon a picnic : a r e tt L or d r mon t a n d/zis Amin ta Mrs . N g Pagnell ( O the super—goose “ T/ze Tr a ic Comedia n s Clotilde (in g ) , the Rhine elf grape with the in it , and the silver harp , and the ” stained legend — if o n e may be permitted so to divert the application ; Clotilde fo r whom Rumour blew o ut a f candle , and le t the wick to smoke her escapade ’ Bea ucna m s Ca reer Rosamund Culling , ( p ) whose ’ ample bosom Cherished fo r Nevil Beauchamp a sister s ’ an d a mother s love in o n e i - - f Jenny Denham , the suck ng social re ormer , and

gallant little heart , who loved Nevil all the time and married him at the last : Noorma—bin - No o rka (in Té e Sfia ving of Sfia gp a t) who might have stepped straight out o f The Arabian Bha n avar— -bea utifii l Nights ; and the , whose beauty was her curse

And we must not miss the inimitable Mrs . Berry ,

2 8

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES but it makes itselffelt in ways as divergent as the char a c te rs o f ff the two girls are di erent . We hear n o t a great deal o fthe friendship between ’ the Princess Ottilia and Janet Ilchester ; but from Janet s “ thought o fthe Princess as her first radiant perception ” o f o f s e x f an ideal her , no less than rom the subsequent ’ ” o f happenings under the guidance Harry s Providence , fo r s o he called Ottilia , we need have little hesitation in

filling in the vacant spaces . The last that I c an refer to is the friendship o f W tha n fo r C arn ithia Rebecca y the that , once known , ” o f filled her days . It is not one to be thought lightly ; but the memory is grateful fo r the picture o f it that ff “ Meredith o ers us , with Owain to complete the chain ” Of clasped hands .

’ er d t/z s ite r / M e i L ra y Sty e . O de light An d u o fth e o e w h o o u sa tri mph p t , w ld y ’ ‘ ’ ’ ‘ ’ A a n e e e s a o an o o n n o m s m r y , w m s c mm , A e u a n o e o f a o r littl h m h p th t this, An d sa ys th e wo rd SO th a t it b urn s y o u thro ugh With spe ci a l re ve la ti o n a fa mili ar thin g ’ Be co m e divin e i th e utte ra n ce !

f Au r ora HESE lines , that recur to the memory rom

L ez /z o f g , are to me an admirable expression

o n e . what understands by style It remains , far o f however , so a matter individual taste , that what GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o n e appeals to critic as a vivid style , seems to another to be nothing more than the merest negation o f its possession . That which to you and me is a wild rose may well seem , to a blind man , only a prickly stalk . It is interesting to read the following passage from a letter written by George Meredith fo r a work o n Tfi e Ar t of An t/zors/z ip (by George Bainton) “ I have no style , though I suppose my work is distinctive . I can say that I have never written without having Clear in vision the thing put to paper : and yet this has been the cause o froughness and uncommonness ” f o f in orm speech . There can be little doubt but that this “ uncommon ness in form o fspeech is the stumbling block that ha s ’ o f tripped scores readers , to whom Meredith s heroines f are merely names , and the author himsel nothing more than a book- shelfClassic to be regarded from a respectful To distance . me it seems , that what he has done is to o f cast away not style , but the trammels style , much as “ ’ ” did the romantic poets o e rpe rc h the walls that surrounded the Classical school too closely fo r their —be f w a s f would reer flight . It reedom that Meredith a sought , and he grasped it with no uncertain h nd . f ffi To me his style is that o fa poet ree as air . Di cult it occasionally may be ; but difficult only from excess o f f f o f meaning , never rom con usion thought , and always with a sense o fthe poetic values that is unerring . He GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES c a n alternate a flight o f harmonious fantasy with a — o f - - dialogue interchange laconic thrust and parry , or with a hurling o f volcanic expletives that gives us a whole c a n scene in a flash . He whisper silvery sentences that a z float and p ss like airiest gossamer upon the ephyr , infinitely sensitive to the minutest gradation in dis tin c tio n s if c an ; or , he will , he outstrip the hurricane , and with a noble sweep that rejects a s mere dross and o f impediment all but the very core the thought , bear o ff us rhapsodically onward to a climax , to break with a o r o f clash , subside in a majestic flow rhythmic and sonorous Saxon English . ’ o n e o f o f In the early chapters Beauchamp s Career , Meredith gives us the impression made upon the mind o f a lady— Rosamund Culling— by her first attempt to read ’ H er Th e a ssa e o n e o Wo rséi . Carlyle s p , p g is that I f f would ain quote , but must limit mysel to recording “ her point o f view : To her the incomprehensible was the abominable . George Meredith ’ s style has undoubtedly been the cause o f a great spilling o f critical ink ; but I have no intention o fsetting o ut to enumerate the legion o fwriters o n f the subject , pre erring to include here , and in the f few a o f several notes that ollow , a ex mples the fine w things that they have ritten , and to remain content to forget those o f that species o f writer that centres his S O ffi fo r attention keenly upon his critical nostril , sni ng GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

f de ects , that he unconsciously closes his eyes and becomes blind to the beauties . James Thomson was o n e o f the first who wrote appreciative articles on the various novels at a time when they were little known and less valued . Here is a fine passage “ The speeches do not follow o n e another me c ha n i cally adjusted like a smooth pavement fo r easy walking ; a n d they leap and break , resilient resurgent , like running f - — oam crested sea waves , impelled and repelled and crossed by under—currents and great tides and broad breez es ; in their restless agitations yo u must divine the immense life ” abounding beneath and around and above them . 1 8 6 t B ea u This was written in 7 , in a cri ique on ’ cfia m s Ca r eer is . . p , and quoted by Mr M Buxton Forman r r r A in his Geo ge M e edit/z : S ome E a iy pp r ecia tion s . o f Let us now see what Oscar Wilde , that master

“ o f Cxpression , has written a style so dissimilar to his own . f His style is chaos illumined by flashes o lightning . As a writer he has mastered everything except language ; as a novelist he can do everything except tell a story ; as an artist he is everything except articulate . Somebody in Shakespeare , Touchstone , I think , talks about a man is i o w n who always break ng his shins on his wit , and it seems to me that this might serve as a basis fo r a criticism ’ o f t Meredi h s method . But whatever he is , he is not a e is o f r alist , or rather I would say that he a Child realism

3 3 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o n f who is not speaking terms with his ather . By de f liberate Choice he has made himsel a romanticist . He fu to has re sed bow the knee to Baal , and by means o fhis style he has planted round his garden a hedge full o f f thorns , and red with wonder ul roses . There is one other critic o fthis subject from whom fo r I shall quote , we owe to him , the French classicist ,

M . Charles Legras , a fine saying that occurs in his critical o f study George Meredith . To sum him up in a simile , “ he writes , He may be said to represent the Victory o f f Samothrace , that statue without a head , without eet , o f i e and in every sense incomplete , but such magn fic nt ” parts that it seems still to tower above the greatest .

ece tion o tne ovel o tne P uélic a n d tne C r itics R p f N s y .

Th e pe ri o d th a t e l a pse s b e twe e n th e p ublica ti o n o f a b o o k a n d its a ck n o wl e dgm e n t give s th e m e a sure o f e f a e tim by which a n a u th o r is in a dva n c e o his g . c/zo en /za er S p u . N 0 go o d thi n g o fa n y so rt sh e ws its b e st fa c e a t first ; n a th e o o n e ua o fa o o o r o fa rt if y , c mm st q lity g d w k , its e x e e n e a e a n e a n d o a is a a t fi c ll c s h v y d pth c mp ss , th t rst t sight i o cc a si o n s a c e rta in disapp o i n tm e n t . T has become the fashion in some literary circles to ’ sa far f y that George Meredith s works , so rom being o f neglected at the time their publication , never f lacked appreciation rom the first . Such a statement is

3 4 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES n o t its o f fo r fr without modicum truth , om the publication o fhis first novels there was always a limited number o f literary folk upon whose imagination his genius took an m i mediate and lasting hold . Nor among the experts were enthusiasts ever wanting to acclaim him ; but this o f does not constitute , within the customary meaning the a o f word , the accept tion a great writer . ’ Everybody knows that the progress o f Meredith s works through the reading world has been slow ; but they have steadily gained adherents and enthusiasts to follow a standard that w a s invariably carried high with f the inspiration o a great ideal emblazoned upon it . “ Thank God , said Meredith , I have never written ” to please the public . Compare the rate o fprogr ess o fhis works with some o fthose by writers that the reading public has taken to ’ — its great heart , and the bird s eye view is instructive . Tfie Or dea l of Ricfia rd Pever el w a s published in the ’ same year as Charles Dickens Ta le of Tw o C ities and ’ Vir in ia n s f Thackeray s g , and only our years later than T/ze N ew comes . E va n H a r r ington was published in the same year as ’ ’ George Eliot s Sila s Ma rn er and Charles Dickens Grea t

n s .

Sa n dr a B ellon i f mI 8 6 z dates ro 4 , and synchroni es ’ n d with the publication o fDickens Ou r Mutua l Fr ie . ’ The four most popular o f Meredith s novels are

3 5 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Tfie Or dea l o Ricfia r d Fever el I 8 f , published in 5 9 , Tne Adv en tu r es H a r r Ricfimon d I 8 I of y , published in 7 T/ze E o ist f I 8 D ia n a o t/ie C r oss g , dating rom 7 9 , and f w a s f 1 8 8 a T/ze Ama z in y rom 5 ; while his l st novel , g Ma r r ia e 1 8 g , was published in 9 5 . Compare these dates with those o fthe several latter ifn o t day novelists who , necessarily born great , have at n o t least had greatness thrust upon them , alone by the o f expert opinion the day , but also by the acclamation o f the multitude . Pleasant it is to read the generous and enthusiastic o f o f appreciation many his brother poets and novelists , o f but it is surely impossible , with the dates their publica ’ tion under our eyes , to imagine that George Meredith s novels have at the hands o fthe public received anything at all approaching the recognition and acceptance that is n tem ora ev iew I 8 8 8 their due . Writing in the C o p ry R in “ Off : Sir J . M . Barrie neatly ered his explanation It is a o f law the land that novels should be an easy gallop , but ’ Mr . Meredith s readers have to pant uphill . He reaches his thoughts by ladders which he kicks away , letting his f ” readers ollow as best they c a n . It is again his uncommonness in form o fspeech that is the stumbling block that suffices to trip and Check the f o f his aint hearted , notwithstanding the brilliancy dia logue— and James Thomson held it to be “ not only best o f o ur if o ur age , but unsurpassed , equalled , in whole

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES but the late William Sharpe wrote o fthe two poets as the only two writers o fo ur age that have depicted women with that imaginative insight which is at once more comprehensive and more illuminative than women ’ s own ” o f invision themselves . Oscar Wilde also adopted it , but added a capricious twist that need disturb nobody “ ” “ — so Meredith , wrote he , is a prose Browning but is ” Browning . Ch e vrillo n M . André brackets Meredith with Brown ing and Ruskin a s being three great exemplars o fEnglish o tism f p ; they were in love with li e , they put their trust f f in Nature , they were themselves ul illed with a great - o f r and over powering love o u human nature .

1 8 8 2 . . In , Robert Louis Stevenson wrote to W E “ fo r Henley , I see more and more that Meredith is built al if f so immort ity ; and , a ter all , that be , what matter a few years more o r less ? a Mrs . Browning has put the ide into notable lines

W a th e o e e h t p t writ s , H e e a n n a e if u writ s ; m ki d cc pts it it s its, ’ ’ An d th a t s succe ss ; if n o t th e p o e m s pa sse d F o a n to a n a n d e t f o a n to an r m h d h d , y r m h d h d , U n th e u n o n n a r n o u t til b r s tch it , c yi g ’ I n o n e fa e e n so u pity th ir th rs b i g d ll , ’ An d th a t s su cc e ss to o . GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

HERE is much that I have perforce left unwritten in this little introduction to a big subj ect ; but my position has n o t been without difficulty fo r ’ o f while any assumption my reader s not being , perhaps , as the well acquainted as I , with heroines , would have been is o f an impertinence ; to assume that he , must necessity ff o n e n t appear an unpardonable a ectation to the who is o . so The golden mean is much easier to miss than to reach , that I c a n only hope fo r an occasional hit with the aid o f my enthusiasm and o f my affection fo r the dear people

that I have painted , and about whom I am writing . F o r all o f us who count ourselves among their — o f lovers lovers , a kind unique , that know not — fo r jealousy no words are needed , we have them already o f c an in our hearts , and the mere thought them carry ’ o f us away to the land the heart s desire , where people “ ” f fo r with souls meet their ellows . But you who are — f — still , to day , only their riends perhaps even the merest acquaintances— and have not yet climbed with them to o u sa : their enchanted hilltop , to y I would y Know them ; know them w ell and assuredly you will love them ; and no matter whether o r no we see them with — en ou é the same eyes know them well g , and they will — come to you like delicious midsummer day dreams , but — n o t capriciously only when you summon them . They

3 9 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f i will come with all the witchery their persons , w th all o f the glamour their inimitable sayings , they will come “ o f o f at your call , the sweetest diversions , the wisest f delight ul companions .

RICHARD FEVER EL

1 8 59

u M M m . RS . o

LUCY

UC Y DESBOROUGH is first presented to us with the roses o f thirteen springs in her — b iz o f cheeks y her uncle , Farmer Bla e sh e f Belthorpe , into whose care had passed a ter the death o f f her ather , a lieutenant in the Navy . It is nothing more than a glimpse o fher that we are then permitted ; sh and she seems no more than a y little child . fe w — A years flit past she has become a blossom , and some magic o fthe author wafts her straight into o ur hearts . And in an enchanting idyll , straight , also , goes sh e o f P fo r into the heart the hero . Richard everel , it f f is he , had met her once be ore ; it was , in act , when we ’ saw f ourselves first her , at her uncle s arm . Richard , w a s o n — however , sadly preoccupied that occasion being at the time o n the worst possible terms with the farmer and he noticed her even less than we did . n o w to But , in a delicious scene , very Close Nature , are they truly met ! Ferdinand and Miranda (fo r so Meredith fancifully terms them fo r the moment) have now arrived at the “ i f tw o magnet c age ; but we eel that between these , GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES there is something more deeply personal to them than i o f o w e rfii l the mere magnet sm youth , p though it be ; o f tw o the and each their young hearts , recognising in “ ” o ut other its natural mate , cries , It is I , It is I . The scene is described with the fine touch o f the “ poet ; the sweet heaven—bird shivers o ut his song above them ; with exuberant youth in their hearts they laugh ” f o f to o and orget the cause their laughter, and lest we forget the cause o f the enchantment o f it all— fo r o f course it is the radiance shed by the coming o f love to these tw o — let us turn again and read a few lines o f f They stood near a stile , in sight the oam o f the weir and the many - coloured rings o f eddies i f f ’ stream ng orth rom it . Richard s boat , meanwhile , had contrived to shoot the weir , and was swinging , bottom upward , broadside with the current down the rapid backwater . “ o u Will y let it go , said the damsel , eyeing it curiously . “ Y e s if , he replied , and low , as he spoke in the “ ” o f fo r n o w ! core his thought , What do I care it f His old li e was whirled away with it , dead , drowned . f His new li e was with her , alive , divine .

I n u th e o n o f o e n n f . tr th , c mi g l v is light i g swi t It is interesting to note that although the author o f fai subjects her to none his searching analyses , and re r ns

44 THE ORDEAL OF RICHARD P EVEREL from exposing her heart to us under the microscope in the masterly but relentless fashion in which he deals with f h f other olk in t is book , we eel none the less that we o ur know Lucy , thoroughly we understand her , we love to o - - her ; with joy we share in her Short lived rapture , and o ur hearts go out to her in her trials —it is almost ” beyond endurance to see her sacrificed to the System ,

o f . barred like the Peri , outside the gates her Paradise ’ Perhaps Meredith s apparent reticence with the dissecting knife is accounted fo r by the comparative ’ absence o fcomplexity in Lucy s character as against some o f his later creations . She is by nature more direct , more — in far c a n sh e simple so as she be simple , seeing that is f true to nature , completely eminine , and in love . Modern she certainly is not ; and this has been charged a s f against her in criticism a ault , the precise complaint levelled against her being that sh e is o fthe eternal o ld f - ashioned ivy type , a definition intended , presumably , to be scarcely more than one degree in advance o f the ” i — f veiled virg nal doll heroine . Granting reely that Lucy modern o n e is not a , cannot on that account accept the a implied corollary that sh e is lacking in force o fchar cter . Her very simplicity and directness make fo r character fo r strength ; but they would almost appear to have f to w a a s deceived the critic above re erred , in the same y , o ld in the novel , they deceived Mrs . Berry , who admitted “ to having mistaken Lucy fo r o n e o f the silly - softs

4 5 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES sh e quickly discovered her error .

How the two young lovers ran away together , all may read who choose : and fo r my part I have nothing but envy fo r anyone who ha s yet to experience the first “ ” o f o f P reading The Ordeal Richard everel . Let me quote a few passages from a love scene i between Lucy and R chard , quaintly enough named A diversion played o n a penny whistle — ! Pipe , happy sheep boy , Love Irradiated angels , unfold your wings and lift your voices ! o utflo w n They have philosophy . Their instinct has o f fo r shot beyond the ken science . They were made their Eden . “ And this divine gift in store fo r me ! o f So runs the eternal outcry each , clasping each it is their recurring refrain to the harmonies . How it illumined the years gone by and suffused the living Future ! ! o n h ! Pipe , happy Love pipe to t ese dear innocents o f f sk The tide colour has ebbed rom the upper y . In the West the s ea o fsunken fire draws back ; and th e f f stars leap orth , and tremble , and retire be ore the w h o o f f advancing moon , slips the silver train cloud rom f — her shoulders , and , with her oot upon the pine tops , surveys heaven . “ did o u o f ? Lucy , y never dream meeting me ” fo r o u O R ichard ! yes ; I remembered y . THE ORDEAL OF RICHARD PEVEREL Lucy ! and did you pray that we might meet ? I did ! Young as when she looked upon the lovers in f Paradise , the air Immortal journeys onward . Fronting f her , it is not night , but veiled day . Full hal the sky is

No t : flushed . darkness not day ; but the nuptials o f the two . “ My own ! my o w n fo r ever ! Yo u are pledged to me ? Whisper ! He hears the delicious music A soft beam travels to the fern — covert under the — sit fo r pine wood where they , and answer he has her

: eyes turned to him an instant , timidly fluttering over o f fo r the depths his , and then downcast through her eyes her soul is naked to him . “ Lucy ! my bride ! my life ! The night -jar spins his dark monotony o n the branch o f f the pine . The so t beam travels round them , and l istens to their hearts . Their lips are locked . fo r ! a s o u Pipe no more , Love , a time Pipe y will you cannot express their first kiss ; nothing o fits sweet f o o f . ness , and the sacredness it , nothing So

Love is silent The woods are still . There is - o n - heard but the night jar spinning the pine branch ,

circled by moonlight .

II . MR S . MOUNT

a o n e a RS . MOUNT appe rs in but ch pter ; it bea i O o r rs the t tle An Enchantress . n two t is o f hree other occasions , it true , we hear her fia nc e o f o w n ; but within the borders her Chapter ,

it l l bo o fo n e . itt e more than the discouraged y and “ t his great ambition must be covered by a ha rm he and the c at must warm themselves o n t d me s i ner t n h tic . er e o hearth It is ndeed Chap er ,

the this once set period upon ,

she can wit , h

We first hear o — in Lon don by his scheming mla tio n v a nxio txs “ cost to keep himfrom Luc y The

II .

MRS . MOUNT

o n e RS . MOUNT appears in but chapter ; it “ bears the title An Enchantress . On two or o f three other occasions , it is true , we hear her o f at a distance ; but within the borders her own chapter ,

sh e z . monopoli es our attention She gives it its title , she

: fo r gives it its substance in it the hero becomes , the o fo n e moment , little more than the discouraged boy and “ twenty ; his great ambition must be covered by a house—top : he and the cat must warm themselves o n fi e r a Aer the domestic hearth . It is indeed Ch pter , domain , and in it she reigns without a rival . One might almost imagine that having once set the period upon this ’ o ur f lady s little hour upon the stage , author so tens to her , a n d seeks to make the a men de li on ora é/e by surrendering the sta ge into her sole possession to win our sympathy if c a n a she , with such m sterly strokes does he proceed to f bring be ore us her vivid personality . We first hear o fher when Richard is being detained in London by his scheming relations— a nxious at any f cost to keep him rom Lucy . The young man sought to amusement . He allowed his aunt drag him into GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f society , and sick that he made late evening calls on o f Mrs . Mount , oblivious the purpose he had in visiting - her at all . Her man like conversation , which he took ‘ fo r f f honesty , was a re reshing change on air lips . Call ’ ’ h : o u s e . me Bella and I ll call y Dick , said And it a c me to be Bella and Dick between them . This is h o w Meredith writes o fthe dangerous lady o u f sh e She could make y orget was a woman , and f o u then bring the act startlingly home to y . She could o n e o f f- read men with quiver her hal closed eyelashes .

She could catch the coming mood in a man , and fit f ” hersel to it . “ Later we are told that sailing the pathways o f the n o t moon it was celestial light that illumined her beauty . ” o f Millaman t o f o In an appreciation the C ngreve , Meredith writes in his E ssay on C omedy It is a piece ’ o fgenius in a writer to make a woman s manner o fspeech

portray her and it is precisely this , that , in the highest o f fo r spirit comedy , Meredith proceeds to do Mrs . Mount . “ f o f f The air Bella spoke quite openly hersel . I pretend ” ’ sh e to be no better than I am , said , and I know I m no ” worse than many a woman who holds her head high . To back this s h e told him stories o fblooming dames o f

good repute , and poured a little social sewerage into his ’ ears She told him what she liked in him . You re ’ a the only man I was ever alone with , who don t t lk to me ” o f f love and make me eel sick . THE ORDEAL OF RICHARD P EVEREL

o f Her ways wooing him have no place here ; but , la ar e though she relied upon no pp , such as the Japanese

dance to subdue the mere man , it is seen that her methods contain no less o ffantasy and forethought : sufficient be “ it to say that despite the fact o f his being a hero and ’ sh e f — o - — a emale will the wisp , the intimacy ripens apace . fo r And as with Richard , so with us , no sooner has it ” ” become Bella and Dick between them , than we are surprised at a survey to find ourselves also upon terms o f f easy amiliarity with this dangerously vivid lady . Her every sentence and her every action bring her f o f vitally be ore us ; and the occasional word the author ,

describing her person , either confirms our mental picture , o r o f a serves to steady the flight too active an im gination . We find that she had a dimple on her cheek her “ hair was black and her eyes brown . They had a

haughty sparkle when she pleased , and when she pleased f w a s a so t languor circled them . She best in her o f f character lovely rebel accusing oul injustice . Is it possible to imagine a surer passport to Richard ’ s heart ? A rumour o f his having been seen going publicly about with her reaches the ears o fhis aunt ; but although “ he admits the acquaintance o f a lady very much mis ” judged and illused by the world sh e can make but little

w The rumour came to Lady Blandish . She like ise

lectured Richard , and with her he condescended to

5 1 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

f f argue . But he ound himsel obliged to instance some “ h e o f thing had quite neglected . Instead her doing ’ do me harm , it s I that will her good . Lady Blandish shook her head and held up her

finger . This person must be very clever to ha ve given you ” that delusion , dear . is She clever . And the world treats her shame

She complains o fher position to you ? No t I a word . But will stand by her . She has no f ” riend but me . “ My poor boy ! Has sh e made yo u think that ? ” H o w unj ust yo u all are ! cried Richard .

He would pronounce no promise not to visit her , not “ to address her publicly Because I am married , am I ” to give up the society o fwomen ? Ofwomen ! ’ Isn t s he a woman ? f f sex To o much so sighed the de ender o her .

if

As we advance into the chapter , as we read on through the strangely compelling scene that is to be their ’ farewell— the farewell o fhero and will - o - the- wisp— set f o f be ore us , as it is , with a hundred magic touches a to u s imagin tion , there seems steal upon and surround us — f some strange exotic odour not a ragrance certainly ,

EVAN HARRINGTON

Published in I 8 6 I

Appea red seri a lly in 1 8 60

CAROLINE HARRIN G TON

III . CAROLINE HARRINGTON

AROLINE was the eldest o f the three handsome o f e e o f daughters M lchis dec Harrington , tailor , L m o - o n - y p rt Sea . He was commonly known as ” the rea i f o f g t Mel , and be ng a ellow infinite jest , the be st o f o f u r good company , and sing la ly handsome per so n it be am o f f , c e a custom with certain the county olk t v him to o in ite their houses . Th is no t unnaturally ended with his developing into “ an arra nt snob : and we find him referred to as a robust ” Bru e l o flo w if mm , and the Regent l e . before we open the book to begin the first Mel dies ; but n o t before the three ” shears ha ve been safe ly ma rrie d into s here s ved asc en din de re es fl o w th e s i p remo , in g g , ord d mlm o f a ilo rdo m w i ea t a had a t , hich the r rly r ining t ught che m hu rtily to despise ; but which in their ne w wa lks - o f fe e l in the tha the li , and esp cial y altitudes t y set them se lves to sc wa s e sti e d to fo s ale , d n llow them in their a cent like e n a ll in a c r a sp ctre , hovering ge er y the b kg ound , out

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Let me interpolate a short passage that shews us how , o f at the hospitable table Lady Jocelyn , a certain Mr . U lo ft f f f George p , a oxhunting squire , re ers to the amous f — Harrington and his amily all unconscious the while , o n e o f that by dwelling upon the interesting subject , the few on which he is well posted , he is compelling poor Caroline and her youngest sister to the ghastly task o f f digesting their ather at dinner . “ “ his Old Mel , said he , looked over daughters — fo r like a turkey cock . Nobody good enough them . Whacking handsome gals— three ! Used to be called the ‘ ’ o f L m o rt Three Graces y p . The eldest , I can tell ! you she was a spanker She was the handsomest gal , ’ saw I think , I ever . For the mother s a fine woman , and O what with the mother , and what with ld Mel ’ o f We won t enter into the mysteries origin , quoth

Lady Jocelyn .

“ Caroline , with her dewy blue eyes , was the first to marry ; but her husband scarcely proved a success . w a s o f He an exceedingly jealous temper , and obsessed with an overwhelming sense o f the obligation under which he had placed the handsome girl by marrying o f i fo r her , and his magnanim ty in stooping that purpose fi o m the lofty elevation o fhis position o fsubaltern in the “ if Marines ; in short , we may be permitted to suppose the Colonel o fa regiment o n friendly terms with o n e o f

5 8 EVAN HARRINGTON

o f f his corporals , we have an estimate the domestic li e o f Major and Mrs . Strike . f In order due , the second daughter is wedded , rom

o f . to f the house Mrs Strike , an opulent brewer , be ore f “ ” whom all re erence to tailordom is rigidly excluded , ’ and in whose presence the bride s parents are euph emisti “ cally referred to as the country couple . o f f With the advantage starting rom a higher level , “ it was natural that the rema ining sister should take a ho lder Of f f flight . the air Louisa and the oreign Count , ’ and how she first encountered him in the brewer s sa

loons , and how she , being a humorous person , laughed ‘ ’ f fo r at his loa her , and wore the colours that pleased him i , and k ndled and soothed his jealousy , little is known f sh e beyond the act that espoused the Count , under the o f ffl a auspices the a uent brewer , and engaged th t her children should be brought up in the faith o fthe catholic

church . m f The Count ight have spared himsel the precaution , — as she never but that has nothing to do with Caroline ,

to whom we must return . ai ai Despite a cert n unhappy t nt which , in the o f fu surrounding atmosphere watch l disingenuousness , it sh e was perhaps impossible that should escape , Caroline z was a good girl . Led and pushed by her ama ing sister , sh e the Countess , in whose enterprising hands was little fo r u s e more than a lay figure , only in such manner GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES and on such occasions as the Countess considered ex e die n t fo r f p their alse position , poor Caroline eventually f f o f ound hersel in a veritable quagmire intrigue . sh e Though attractive to the opposite sex , is little — o f o f f— given to talking least all , hersel and we have therefore to cull a passage from a letter written by the C o le sb Countess to the second sister , Mrs . Andrew gg y , to enlighten us as to the progress o f the campaign at if Beckley Court , and it happens that it unwittingly sheds — s o a side light upon its writer , much the better . “ f ! There are airies , I think , where there are Dukes Where could it have come from ? Could any human being have sent messengers post to London , ordered , and had it dispatched here within this short time ? Yo u fi ! lzin ted shall not be mysti ed I do not think I even , f o n but the a ternoon walk I had with his Grace , the first o f sna dow day his arrival , I did it very delicately how f o ur much it was to be eared poor Carry could not , that she dared not , betray her liege lord in an evening dress . u on m vera ci ! Nothing more , p y ty And Carry has this f moment received the most beauti ul green box , contain ing two o f the most heavenly o ld lace shawls yo u ever ’ beheld . We divine it is to hide poor Carry s matrimonial blue mark ! We én ow nothing . Will you imagine Carry is fo r not accepting it ! Priority o fbirth does not imply — ou . superior wits , dear no allusion to y We look o n amaz ed at the cynical acquiescence o f

60 EVAN HARRINGTON the Countess as her unhappy sister is tempted by her ducal ff o f admirer , and the o er his protection pressed upon her ; but it is not until , under the same perilous leadership , poor Caroline has approached desperately near to the brink , that a hand is stretched to her , all unexpectedly , to prevent her taking the mad plunge into the abyss .

IV LOUISA HARRINGTON

! w h o UISA HARRINGTON , became the Countess San c o rvo f thede sh e de Saldar de (never orget , “ wrote to her sisters) w a s the youngest o f the o fL m o rt o f f three graces y p , a little whose amily history ha s been sketched in the foregoing note upon her Sister

Caroline . As a f a girl , we le rn , rom a man who had then been ” sh e a in love with her , was a t rtar , and although at that sh e o f to time was no concern ours , it is illuminating find that after the lapse o f halfa dozen years he is n o t “ ’ f f o f ashamed to con ess to being still a raid her . She s ’ ”

a . more th n any man s match , said he After living fo r a few years in Portugal with her husband (a diminutive tawny man) She sailed fo r England with , perhaps , a little olive added to her complexion , something o f the flowery courtesy and the languorous ff o f a ectations the Portuguese as they appeared to her , and a more extensive and varied cargo o fsuper- humbug than one is likely ever again to encounter . No doubt it was in Lisbon that she learned that “ feminine modesty w a s most suitably protected by the

63 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

“ us e o f fa n fo r f the ; her , idlesse was ashionable ; o f exquisite languors were a sign breeding but , beneath “ z f s h e the veneer , behind her airy sorrows , gau y grie s , was a schemer to mean ends by mean methods . We are permitted to read the following extract from a letter that sh e addressed to her sister in London soon f a t l o n fo r a ter arriving Beck ey Court , a visit which she “ ” has ma n ce uvre d an invitation ; and we may take it as f o f o f a air example her florid style , and her views upon f o f — fo r England a ter her experience Portugal her pose , f a ter her return , is to exhibit her Portuguese manner , even to the length o fadopting a slight foreign accent “ w a n None o f your men treat a woman a s a om . f o r We are either angels , or good ellows , heaven knows what that is bad . No exquisite delicacy , no insinuating f o f nover in over so tness , mixed with respect , none that g tfie oor der o f in , as Papa used to say , none that happy ‘ de fi n ite n e s s o fmanner which seems to declare I would ’ ‘ ’ o u if o r do love y I might , I , but dare not tell , even when engaged in the most trivial attentions— handing a f f . o ootstool , remarking on the soup , etc You none you ’ h o w to meet o r know a woman s smile , to engage her ' — slide o tnem eyes without boldness to fi , as it were , f ” grace ully . Here are a few lines from another o f her letters to W f o f the same sister , the i e the brewer , shewing the progress o fher campaign at Beckley Court

64

GEORGE MEREDITH ’S HEROINES

“ o f th e fan firr her s se was fa s o na b e use ; , idle hi l ; a u s we re s o fbreedi but e e a h exquisite l ng or a ign ng , b n t “ ” e i d her so w s a rr r efs the veneer , b h n airy rro , p y g i , she wa s a scheme r to mean end s by mean me t ho ds . We are permitted to re ad the follo w ing e xtra ct from a letter tha t she addres se d to he r s is te r in Lo ndon s oon af i Be le o u o n is fo r whi she ter arriv ng at ck y C rt , a v it ch “ ” has ma n ce uvre d an invita tion a nd we ma y take it as . fai a m e o r he r o f v e w a r ex pl florid style , and her i s upon a d afte r her e o f — fo r Engl n xperience Portugal her pose , afte r he r re t r is to h i her rtu ue u n , ex ib t Po g se manner , i n o o i fo e e to the len gth fad pt ng a slight re ign ac cent . n o u me tr m w oma n No e f yo r n ea t a wo a n a s a . We a re ither a e ls o r o o d fe s o r he en e ng , g llow , av knows

I ! had No i o n ua i t t at t . e u cac n wha h xq site deli y , i sin t ng ’ so ft e ss mu fl w ith e ec t e o f th i flo over n , r sp , non w tire bo rde r as a se sa n n e o ftha a ia , Pap u d to y , o t h ppy ‘ de fin ite n ess o fmanner whic h see ms to de clare I wo uld ’ ‘ ’ ve o u if ! i o r I do but M 1: n o t te ll e lo y m ght , , , ev n — when enga ge d in the most tri via l a tte ntio n s ba ndin g a f o s o n th e so u etc Yo u o t tool , remarking p , ’ to meet a s le o r to know how a wom n smi ,

o f the w s i the bre er , hew ng at Beckle y Court :

EVAN HARRINGTON

I a I need not s y have my circle . My maxim in any house is— never to despise the good opinion o fthe

’ ’ tzer I n on en tz . They are the majority . think they all look o f o u up to me . But then course y must fix that by

sta r s . seducing the One praises my abilities , one my f I style , the rest ollow , and do not withhold my smiles , I I and they are happy , and should be but that sacri ficed my peace in binding myself to a dreadful sort o f ” fla —stor I I sa it — ha s y y . know did not quite y . She ai o f claimed relation to a cert n baronet the same name , the news o fwhose death has given her the bright idea o fstealing a little reflected light from his coronet It if ’ seems as Sir A . s ghost were going to haunt me . And then I have the most dr ea dful fears that wha t I have P done has disturbed him in the other world . Can it be so n o t mon e esta tes ! It is y or we took at all , dearest No ; it was only that s h e had allowed her tricksy f s h e tongue to run away with her , and ound later that f had involved hersel in a singularly awkward position , f necessitating urther lies and , worse than that , involving her in the possibility o fbeing found o ut ! We must not overlook the fact o fher being a most sh e w a s plausible person , excepting at the moments when ruffl e d— n o t ffl : f the Countess did ru e well was , in act , apt then to show her claws . She h a d the power o fa ttracting men : indeed o fmost o f them s he could ma ke mere pawns in her game ; but GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

to women she was something o fan unsatisfactory enigma ; “ ” she she and knew it . Ah , my dear , writes to her “ if c o n confidante , her sister , we had none but men to ” fo r o ur ! tend against , and only women tools ff With her preposterous a ectations , with her in ” “ ” o n veritys and my veracitys , with her nimble and f stinging tongue and her quite in amous diplomacy , with her cloak o f religious cant at hand to throw over her fo r treachery , it is not easy to find the precise word her without drawing th e obvious o n e from the infernal regions

fo r . o n e v the purpose But there is crown , howe er , to which s h e is undoubtedly entitled— and a s sh e will f assuredly wear it with an air , we may sa ely leave her to f— m o f crown hersel (a en Humbugs . V . ROSE JOCELYN

o f . OSE was the daughter Sir Franks Jocelyn , Bart , o f Beckley Court , and being the only daughter , o f ran the chance , usual in such circumstances , “ ” being what is called spoiled . Children whom it is really possible to Spoil by ff lavishing love and a ection upon them , are only those that lack the strength o f character to bear being made — in k happy short , wea lings .

' Rose Jocelyn w a s n o weakling . ’ s h e is o n e o f o f On the contrary , Meredith s types f sh e sted astness . As a young girl might perhaps be accused o f waywardness— but o f what account is way w a rdn e s s o f in a girl sixteen . “ Do you know , she said to Evan Harrington , they think me cold and heartless— Am I ? tfi e Whatever y may have thought about it , those who know her know better . Have we not seen her valiant e little h art goaded this way and that , harassed and tor me n te d ? And have we n o t watched it come again to f a s its allegiance , as un ailingly the magnetic needle to its north ? GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

Here are a few passages from a love - scene between f Rose and Evan , ollowing upon a misunderstanding “ a n d Rose saw him approach , knew him in the o f distance . She was sitting on a lower branch the f aspen , that shot out almost rom the root , and stretched over the intervolving rays o f light o n the tremulous

water . She could not move to meet him . She was not

the Rose whom we have hitherto known . Love may o f spring in the bosom a young girl , like Hesper in the o f evening sky , a grey speck in a field grey , and not be o r a s seen known , till surely the circle advances , the f aint planet gathers fire , and , coming nearer earth , dilates , and will and must be seen and known She was the first to find her wits ; but n o t before she spoke did f f she eel , and start to eel , how long had been the silence , w a s and that her hand still in his . Love is blindest just when the bandage is being removed from his fore if saw head And now , as by revelation , he that o f w a s large sole star in the bosom his darling , and blinded

by it and lose his senses . ‘ ’ I u o . Rose , beloved , love y z Her hand , her arm , her waist , he sei ed bending over o f her . And , like the flower his nightly phantasy

bending over the stream , he looked and saw in her sweet face the living wonders that encircled his image

h I . s e . murmuring , No , no , you must hate me know it

Anything but a denial , and he might have retrieved 6 8

GEORGE ME REDITH ’ S HEROI NES

Here a re a few pa ssages from a l o ve-sw a t: betw e e n f u n misun dt ma ndi : Rose and Evan , ollowing po a ng “ s s aw r n him the Ro e him app oach , and k ew in wa s o n b a of the dista nce . She sitting a lower r nc h e a o o ut f t an d stret e asp n , th t sh t almost rom the roo , ch d over the inte rvolving rays o f light o n the tremulous

wa e Sh e . Sh e wa s t r . could not move to meet him not i the Ros e whom we have h therto known . Love may S in the bo s o f e e th e pring om a young girl , lik Hesp r in n sh a f o f r n o t eveni g y , grey speck in a ield g ey , and be se e n o r k i i le nown , t ll surely as the c rc advances , the hu n fire n a h nt pla et gathers , and , comi g ne rer eart , dilates , an d w ill a nd mu s t be seen and know n She was the firs t to find her Wits but n o t be fore she spo ke did s he fe e an d r to f had ee the si l , sta t eel , how long b n lence , a wa s s — Lo ve is b n d s n d th a t her hand till in his . li e t ju s t whe n the ba nda ge is being removed fro m his fore n o w as ifb reve a t o n he sa w h head And , y l i , t at e s s ar the bo o fh is a n a d wa s l larg ole t in som d rli g , n b inded s s by it an d Lo s e hi se nse . ‘ ' I o o u Rose , beloved , l ve y .

i e f his ni a her . And , l ke the flow r o ghtly phant sy e the he ke d in bending ov r stream , loo and saw her

’

I . ha te me . know it

EVAN HARRINGTON

e his st p ; but that she should doubt his strong true love , plunged him deeper . ‘ I ‘ I love you , Rose . have not a hope to win you ; I ! ! but love yo u . My heaven My own darling I hold you a moment— and I go ; but know that I love yo u ! f and would die fo r you . Beloved Rose Do you orgive me P’ f to him She raised her ace . ’ o u fo r P Forgive y loving me she said , smiling the f o f so t inward smile rarest bliss . Holy to them grew the stillness the ripple suffused in golden moonlight ; the dark edges o fthe leaves against No t superlative brightness . a chirp was heard , nor anything save the cool and endless carol o f the happy o f waters , whose voices are the spirits silence . Nature seemed consenting that their hands should be joined , ’ their eyes intermingling . And when Evan , with a lover s sa s o craving , wished her lips to y what her eyes said well , f Rose drew his ingers up , and , with an arch smile and a blush , kissed them .

The passing o f the minutes locked them closer ; — in each had a new link a word , or a speechless breath , or a touch ; and to break the marriage o f their eyes o n e o r there must be infinite baseness on side , on the other disloyalty to love . GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

The moon was a silver ball , high up through the - o f aspen leaves . Evan kissed the hand Rose , and led his her back to the house . He had appeased conscience by restraining his wild desire to kiss her lips . ‘ In the hall they parted . Rose whispered , Till ’ death l giving him her hands . SANDRA BELLONI

“ m n Publzslzed in 1 8 64 under the title of E ilia in E ngla d.

VI . SAND RA BELLONI

o r f ANDRA BELLONI , , to give her her ull names , Em a a d i s ili Aless n ra , perhaps the most elaborate t d M s u y that eredith ever made . I n the course o fa critical article written in the yea r ’ o h the n i we . Mc Cart vel s publicat on , find Mr Justin y

su i n g his opinion that Emilia is a character wholly ”

a i . in literature , and p inted with consummate sk ll l in t it necessarily goes deeper into the hmrt o f the

‘ s ct o f - o r ubje by reason its phenomenal high polish , that e us ff i an it cr ates in more a ect on , is opinion to

which scarcely prepared to subscribe . The manner o fo ur meeting Sandra is highly original .

that a my sterio us wo o d at s night , aw ard o ut to sa ti sfy curios1ty o f oung men n d s a aide . The ea a ea c m n s rch p rty r hes spot , mo re o r le s s to geth e r ; but listen “ And sure o u h t a was the c o fthe wo o ds en g h t voi e , my The

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

f voice had the woods to itsel , and seemed to fill them , f so and soar over them , it was so ull and rich , light and O sweet Tell me , what pens heaven more flam in l o f g y to heart and mind , than the voice a woman , sk pouring clear accordant notes to the blue night y , that grows light blue to the moon ? There was no

flourish in her singing . She seemed to have caught

o f o f . the ear Night , and sang confident her charm I n o f . the middle the wood there was a sandy mound , s f o f ri ing hal the height the lesser firs , bounded by a

green grown vallum . . Lank dry weeds and nettles , and o f n o w great lumps green and grey moss , stood (there), fi r- and the moon , slanting through the clumps , o n o f — was scattered the blossoms twisted orchard trees , f gone wild again . Amid this desolation , a dwar ed pine , whose roots were partially bared as they grasped the w a s fa r broken bank that its perch , threw out a cedar f f ” like hand . In the shadow o it sat the air singer . Sa n dr a B el/071 i Through two novels , and its sequel , Vittor ia i , Em lia is developed and expounded ; and pro found have been the differences in the critical estimates o f o f o f the art value the two books . On the question o f o f the presentation the character the heroine , however , f a o . there is , generally speaking , _ consensus praise In ' ' his admirable volume Geo rge M er ea zt/z in An ecdote a n d C r iticism m m , Mr . J . A . Ha merton has sum ed up the matter when he writes that “ The novelist has made one SANDRA BELLONI o f his ff o f supremest e orts in the character Sandra , but ” all else has been subordinated to that . ’ Mr . Arthur Symons holds Emilia to be Meredith s greatest creation . He writes She does not comprehend evil , but instinctively abhors it . Without superficial cleverness , she penetrates to essentials . She has some ” thing o fthe primal gratitude and devotion o fan animal . “ ’ Mc C arth — o w n Mr . Justin y wrote thus Emilia s f o f character is the li e and beauty the story . She is genius without culture ; goodness without rule ; love without worldly restraint . I remember no character in modern literature that so faithfully pictures the nature fo r which is filled with a genius music Intellect , o f and strangely enough the more poetic phase intellect , seems often wanting in the singer whose whole soul is t filled wi h music . In everything , save that which re gards song alone , her intellectual nature is commonplace ” and prosaic . Naturally everyone may not agree with this dictum ; t I o f but to hose that do , would recommend the exercise o f fo r o ur our artistic prerogative selection , and choosing o f selves that part her that is all song and inspiration , think o fher singing : either singing alone in the moonlit f o r if f woods where we first ound her ; , you pre er it , let o f us think her in her greatest moment , chanting her o f o f inspired song Freedom , in the presence the enemies o f a Italy , robed like a noble d msel in amber and blue

7 5 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o n e silk , such an as the great Venetian might have sketched from his windows o n a day when the Doge went f ” orth to wed the Adriatic .

HODA FLEMING was the younger o f the two daughters o f a yeoman farmer o f Wre xby in “ Kent . In stature , in bearing , and in expression

they were strikingly above their class . They carried erect o f shoulders , like creatures not ashamed showing a merely fr animal pride , which is never quite apart om the pride

o fdeveloped beauty . They were as upright as Oriental f girls , whose heads are nobly poised rom carrying the

pitcher to the well . f Dahlia , the elder , was the village beauty , air , and the cherished flower o f the family ; while Rhoda w a s the “ ” darkie lass , with harder outlines , and compelled by circumstances to start life as the family drudge— a some “ — To o o f I what sullen Cinderella much a thinker , ” f ’ reckon , said the armer . She s idle , but I believe the ’ flesh o n her bones she d wear away fo r anyone that ’ touched her heart . She s a temper . f - Not a very com ortable home companion , one might imagine ; yet with o ld uncle Anthony she was the “ ” f : avourite ; and he had tried both There , cried he , o ut o f yo u never get a compliment that girl . She GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

’ gives you the nut , and you ve got to crack it , and there ’ ’ o r — me may be , there mayn t be a kernel inside doesn t

care . a The two sisters are devotedly att ched , and when f to Dahlia dri ts up the mysterious metropolis , it is their

first separation .

In a critical article by W . E . Henley , we find the subject o fthe novel finely spoken o f as a tremendous ” o f spiritual tragedy . So be it . The end its first act is ’ Dahlia s flight to London . This is h o w Rh oda c a n talk o f her sister when the half- sheltering cloak o funcertainty can no longer be held f o n e I f be ore her We are , and will be till we die . eel ’ ’ her hand in mine though she s away and lost . She s ’ fo r ! my darling ever and ever . We re one She is addressing the man who is o n fire fo r love o f

- her ; but they are at cross purposes , and a thoughtless word that he drops about Dahlia in London leads Rhoda to o far o ut to goad him . He breaks “ ’ By heaven ! the task o f taming you— that s the ’ blessing I d beg fo r in my prayers ! Though you were ’ c a t o f ! as wild as a the woods , by heaven You re a I the beauty to my t ste , and devil is what want in a woman ! I can make something o ut o f a girl with a ” temper like yours . his This man , Robert , with passionate outbursts , is in some respects n o t unlike Rhoda ; and recognising in

’ ' GEORGE MEREDITH S HEROINES

’ o u to a an d t e gives y the nut , and you ve got cr ck it , her ’ ’ o r n s — t/ze o s may be , there mayn t be a kernel i ide d e n t care . tw o e an d The sisters are devotedly attach d , when h rif to s o is i Da lia d ts up the my terious metrop lis , it the r

first separation . fi the In a critical article by W . E . Henley , we nd “ subject o fthe novel finely spoken o f a s a tremendous a a So o f a c t spiritu l tr gedy . be it . The end its first is l ' Dah ia s flight to London . This is how Rhoda can talk o f her sister when the ha lf- sheltering cloak o funcertainty c an n o longer be held die f bef . ore her We are one , and will be till we I eel ’ ’ he r an d s hand in mine though she s away lo t . She s ’ ” fo r o n e ! my darling ever and ever . We re She is addressing the man w h o is o n fire fo r love o f - a her ; but they are at cross purposes , and thoughtless word that he drops about Da hlia in Londo n lea ds R hoda to to o fa r o ut goad him . He breaks “ — ’ By heaven ! the tas k o f taming you tha t s the ’ “ blessing I d beg fo r in my praye rs ! Tho ugh yo u were ’ i o f d a ! o e as w ld as a cat the woo s , by he ven Y u r e the b auty to my taste , and devil is what

” r i s tempe l ke your . sio n ate is outbursts , in

AH LI A FLEMING was the spoiled darling o fthe f ’ f armer s amily ; she was devoted to her sister , ’ o f and n o t inappreciative Rhoda s admiration . “ The two girls tossed one another their mutual c o m li f f o f me n ts . p , drawn rom the chie book their reading ’ ’ o f ! ueen Sheba was Dahlia s title Rachel was Rhoda s . — People in story books , however , exercised their f accustomed ascination over them , especially those , we “ o f f - are told , the courtly French airy books , wherein the princes talk in periods as sweetly rounded as are their so silken calves ; nothing less than angelically , as to be

a model to ordinary men . Scarcely surprising is it , “ : o f accordingly , to read The idea love upon the lips ’ o fordinary men provoked Dahlia s irony ; and the youths o fWre xby and Penhurst had no chance against her secret Flo riz ls sh e Prince e . Them endowed with no pastoral she qualities ; on the contrary , conceived that such pure

young gentlemen were only to be seen , and perhaps met , ” o f in the great and mystic City London .

Her imagination , poor darling , was evidently capable o fa fairly wide flight ! GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

f if Dahlia was a delight ul girl ; and handicapped , a o r f o f perh ps , with a degree so more than her air share — l vanity wel , an additional degree needs little extenuation lik in o n e so flo w er e and ingenuous . Her uncle Tony was probably less her admirer than she anyone whom had met in the narrow village circle . He never appreciated her ; and if sh e scandalised his ’ o f f f antiquated sense the proprieties , her ather s hal hearted apology did her no more than j ustice . “ ’ ’ ’ i s It s fl gh tin e s ; that s all . You mustn t think ill o f D ahl o n e poor y . She always was the pretty , and a c t s he when they know it , they up to it ; was her ’ f sh e f mother s avourite was also his own , but he orgot to add it . Had he been less keenly disappointed at the impression she had made upon her uncle— o f whose testamentary generosity he was deluding himselfwith the wildest hopes— w e should have expected o fhim a little f fo r more grit in her de ence , he was not ungenerous . It is as impossible as it would be indiscreet to attempt ’ to follow Dahlia s comings and goings o n her visit to the great metropolis ; but we may at least permit ourselves a peep into some chambers occupied by Mr . Edward Bla n c o ve— nephew o fSquire Blan c o ve o fWre xby Hall f o f where we may hope (or ear)to catch an echo her . A ’ cursory inspection o fthe young man s gallery —o f— beauty reveals her to us in somewhat singular j uxtaposition n o t W fi f ithout its signi cance . One may pre ace the quotation

84

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

i fu if a i a e Dahlia was a del ght l girl ; and h nd c pp d , o r so fa i sh o f perhaps , with a degree more than her r are — w e ll an xte n na vanity , additional degree needs little e tion s w like in one o flo e r and ingenuous . Her uncle Tony w as probably less her admire r than a anyone whom she had met in the narrow vill ge circle . H e never appreciated her ; and if she sca ndalise d his ’ a d o f f lf antiqu te sense the proprieties , her ather s ha n o hearted apo logy did her more than j ustice . ’ ’ ’ I s fli tin s s t gh e ; that s all . You mustn t think ill o f o o r Da hl . o n e p y She always was the pretty , and u when they know it , they act p to it ; she was her ’ f she w a s his f mother s avourite also own , but he orgot d the to a d it . Had he been less keenly disappointed at — ini pre s s io n she had made upo n her uncle o f whose testamentary generosity he was deluding himmlfwith the wildest hopes— w e should have expected o f him a little f fo r n o t e ne more grit in her de ence , he was ung rous . ’ It is as impossible a s it would b e in disc ree t to attempt ’ to follow Dahlia s comings and goings on h er visit to the great metropolis ; but we may at leas t permit ourselves a peep into some chambers occupie d Blan c o ve— nephew o fSquire f r o tc c o f where we may hope (or ea ) t ca h an e ho her . A f- beauty singula r juxta po smo n n o t may prefac e th e quotation

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

— f letters some given at ull length , others merely indi c a te d— that propel us round the compass o f our hopes f a and ears , pointing us now this way and now th t , until we come to a hi ll stop at the fated spot opposite the meridian . We had a prevision that we were tending to “ sh e to o to o it even when wrote I am happy , I am happy j ust as the dread o f evil news o f Dahlia was a nightmare common to each o f the silent circle at the f arm . Her first touching letter to Edward Bla n c o ve is f ollowed by a series to Rhoda , culminating in an ecstasy proclaiming her marriage , and announcing her departure fo r — the continent with her husband , whose name , how s f r he . o f ever , does not divulge There is also her ather n fu a short note that throws him i to a ry . f ” To these succeed letters rom Lausanne , and Como , “ tell father that gentlemen in my Edward ’ s position cannot always immedia tely proclaim their marriage to — s o the world . There are reasons , then Venice , and “ f o f f onward rom city to city , like a radiation light rom f — o f the old arm house , where so little it was and sa sh e then , without warning , with only a word to y that neared Rome , the letters ceased ’ A chord snapped in Rhoda s bosom .

There is a short passage that I cannot refrain from ’ f o n e o f f quoting rom Dahlia s letters written rom Venice , 8 6 RHODA FLEMING

o f s h e when in the midst her happiness , looks back , a ff f o f f f perhaps h l ear ul the uture , to her home li e at the farm “ You used to spoil me at home— you and that o ur wicked old Mother Dumpling , and own dear mother , — ! ! Rhoda oh mother , mother I wish I had always thought o f you looking down on me ! You made me — so vain much more vain than I let you see I was . There were times when it is quite true I thought myself a princess .

IX . MARGAR ET LOVELL

AR GAR ET LOVELL (whose po rtrait we have alrmd se e o o f y n , hanging in ro ms her cousin , Edward Blan c o ve) was an extremely young wi o w e u fa i a s he d . s , p rilo sly sc n ting At eventeen went “ to In dia with he r husba nd— but wha t fa tal breath was - i c s in flami t oming fi o m Mrs . Lovell that wa alway s n g ” men to mutua ! animosity P — H e fought there two duels “ fo r the v a o f an d f indic tion his young terrible wi e , and s his lif i e i i lo t e in a th rd , in an encount r with a S kh S rdar . A w ee k later she received a proposal o f marriage from his colonel ! But it suited her be tte r to return to where s he amused herself by playing hostess o L lln la v tw e B n c o e . uncles , ord E i g and Squir “ It was a saying o f hers that sh e left India to sa ve he r

” ' c o x n an d al a e e truth a o n e mple io , this conce ed de p r th n o f so ri vial a apparently t remark . Be tha t as it sa v fo m o f the I ia i t an d the ing r nd n cl ma e , r e so cutio n o f e o h . wm l p la ima n ts t er ha nd . She go den an white fi e an utu al d , A mn with warm-to n ed m h in it ,

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f skin . Then too , she was tall , a nervous build , supple — and proud in motion , a brilliant horse woman , and a

- most distinguished sitter in an easy drawing room chair , ” which is no mean quality . Here is a picturesque paragraph “ f She had a name in the world . There is a ate f o f attached to some women , rom Helen Troy downward , fo r o n f that blood is to be shed them . One duel behal o f a woman is a reputation to her fo r life ; two are Ifs h e notoriety . is very young , can they be attributable to her ? We charge them naturally to her overpowering fu beauty . It happened that Mrs . Lovell was beauti l . o f Under the light the two duels , her beauty shone as f t o f rom an illumina ion black flame . Boys adored Mrs . o f Lovell . These are moths . But more , the birds air , m fo r nay , grave owls (who stand in this etaphor whiskered o f experience)thronged , dashing at the apparition terrible f sh e th e splendour . Was it her ault that had a name in world “ Later o n we learn that she had mastered the secret o fkeeping the young men respectfully enthusiastic ; so that their irrepressible praises did not drag her down to f their level ; and the emale world , with which she was perfectly feminine and as silke n ly insipid every o f f w a s evening her li e as needed to restore her reputation , sh e admitted that belonged to it , which is everything to o f — an adventurous spirit that sex indeed , the sole secure

90 RHODA FLEMING

o fO basis perations . It is not unworthy o f note that while Meredith lavishes verbal gems o f description upon this da ngerous f o f lady , and while she strikes sparks rom the wits more tha n o n e young man in his attempt to read the enigma s h e ff : o ers them , we never really know her there always a se e rem ins some veil behind which we cannot , and despite his f o f apparent rankness disclosure , something curiously is —f sh e secret . Here her method with her men riends as expounds it “ My friends are my friends because they are not If allowed to dream they will do anything else . they a m to sea - are t ken poorly , I com end them a voyage . f f They return riendly as be ore , that is , they generally do . few Let us now take a phrases , more or less illuminat o f f o f ff sh e ing either hersel , or the e ect that produced his upon her two cousins , each her admirer in individual

way . “ Blan c o ve Thus her heavy cousin , Algernon She f f never lets me eel a ool with her ; and she has a way , by ’ o f Jove , looking at me , and letting me know she s up to ’ my thoughts , and isn t angry . “ ” o n o n e Milk and capsicums , quoth Edward w h o occasion . On another he tells Algernon , is shewing ’ ’ o f signs getting singed , She s handsome , she s dashing , ” and as near being a devil as any woman I ever met . — in In a subsequent talk between them , Algernon a GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o fu n selfi sh n e s s f momentary delusion , earing it impossible f that he can ever succeed with the air widow, and anxious she should not drift o ut o fthe family— thrusts her upon

Edward , continuing “ ’ And you ll go into Parliament , and give dinners , ’ and a woman like Peggy Lovell d intrigue fo r you like ” the deuce . “ A great deal to o like — Edward muttered

f o f But ree her , as this clever young man doubtless thought himself when paying his double- edged compli fi ff ments , it is not long ere we nd him also a ected ; this “ time it is with a throb o f desire to gain possession o f f f her and crush her . He there ore sets himsel the task “ “ o f subduing her . His own subjection , we read , was fi f o f ff the rst ruit his e ort . It must not be imagined that Margaret Lovell ’ s influence was fo r evil and fo r evil only . On the contrary sh e she could be gracious , could awaken the sleeping fo r chivalry in a man , and a coward she had nothing but sh e contempt . Everything said and did held men in the ” scales , and approved or rejected them ; but Meredith is probably most characteristic and radical when he sums up f Margaret Lovell as a crucible woman , a woman ashioned a o f to do both h rm and good , and more harm than good . a woman in contact with whom you were soon resolved ” to your component elements .

92

X . LAURA PI AVENI

AURA PIAVENI was a daughter o fCount Se rabig o f his lione , a noble Lombardy , who , despite o f a o f instincts a p rasite upon the Court Austria , i o f could st ll , in the presence a sympathetic audience , display enough pride o frace to maintain tha t the fervent “ blood o fthe Italian people could outlive ten races o f conquerors . His tendency towards facing-both—ways betrayed f o fhi s itsel even in the marriage daughters . One he gave to an Austrian nobleman in the Imperial diplomatic service ; and the other , Laura , wedded the Italian patriot , Piave n i to o n Giacomo , betrayed the Austrians and shot H is Annunciation Day . compatriots looked askance at ’ his daughter s marriage to a hated Austrian , and the Count subsequently “mixed little with his countrymen the statement might be inversed . Pia ve n i fi Laura is a tragic gure , the dominant motive o f whose life was a fiery patriotism maintained at ’ white heat by the ever—present memory o fher husband s — death murder , it was , to her . The Signora Pia ve n i made no concealment o fher

9 5 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f o f o f abhorrence the House Austria , and hatred A o f ustrian rule in Italy . The spirit her dead husband f f came to her rom the grave , and warmed the rame previously indifferent to anything save his personal ” merits . Against a background that shows us Milan and — fo r I 8 8 Lombardy in revolt the story carries us up to 5 , f f u s o f and un olds be ore , now with a wealth vivid detail , and again merely touched in with a suggestion , a panorama o fthe condition o fItaly and the Italians in the last years o f the Austrian rule— Laura Piaven i stands o ut clearly f is be ore us . She always the great lady . Whether it be fo r o f f— as the goad the flagging energies the hal hearted , o r as the unfailing friend to those who were giving o r th e themselves in the great cause , whether as vessel o f fo r o f sh e scorn those who could h ld aloo , is always the great lady who h a s suffered and who knows h o w to ff endure su ering . Living in an atmosphere o f spying and counter sh e if a s spying , is never smirched by it ; and , we read , “ the savage soul o fthe woman was robbed o f its share o f far f she tragic emotion by having to hold so aloo , is not the first woman to chafe against the trammels o f

womanhood holding her passive , when all about her men a are rushing to the att ck . “ “ she I think , once said , that women are those ” w persons ho have done evil in another world .

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GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HER OINES

o f th e o f ri a ha re d o f abhorrence House Aust , and t o fh er a hus Austrian ru le in Italy . The spirit de d band f r m the fra e came to her rom the g ave , and war ed m previously indiffere nt to anything save his persona l ” r me its . Against a background that shows us Mila n an d — fo r i to r 8 8 Lombardy in revolt the story carr es us up 5 , f f i a o fv i and un olds be ore us , now w th a we lth iv d detail , i and again merely touched in with a suggest on , a panorama o fthe condition o fItaly and the Italians in th e last years o f the Austrian rule— Laura Pia ve n i stands o ut clearly be f us is ore . She always the great lady . Whether it be ‘ as a fo r o f lf-h the go d the flagging energies the ha earted , o r a s the unfailing friend to those w ho w ere giving t s o r a s th e e hem elves in the great cause , whether v ssel o f fo r o f she al a s scorn those who could h ld aloo , is w y the great lady w h o ha s suffered and w ho know s h o w to e s ff ndure u ering . Living in an atmosphere o f spying an d co unter i she if as a spy ng , is never smirched by it ; and , we re d , “ th e savage soul o fthe woman wa s robbed o f its share ” o f i v to far f is tragic emot on by ha ing hold so aloo , she n o t the first woman to chafe agains t the tramni els o f i s he womanhood hold ng her pas ive , w n are a rushing to the att ck . ( C I

a o th e n r world .

THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY RICHMOND

Publirfied in 1 8 7 1

Appea red seria lly in 1 8 70

OTT ILIA

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES It is interesting to ascertain to what extent the critic first referred to (unfortunately an anonymous writer) modifies his view o f her as sh e develops— fo r it is not s he s h e . that changes , develops Here is a suggestive passage from the same article Ottilia was o n e o fthose women whom men love passionately and know very little f f — in about . Once in a li e a man may see such a ace lonely glimpses ; hear such a voice— a music broken by o long pauses fabsence . She creates a tropical storm in his imagination ; he gives her his dreams , thinks he must ” die fo r want o fher— and lives to take to wife an utterly ff o f di erent kind woman . “ Meredith refers to her at o n e time as being endowed by nature and position to do the work o fan angel but sh e real as undoubtedly is at this or any other period , I confess that fo r me she lives more vividly as the little — W “ princess wayward but insome , regarding us with an o f absorbed comprehensive air , quite unlike the manner a child ; so quickly developing into the unfettered ff young girl , a ectionate , staunch , but always deliciously imperious . “ us Harry Richmond tells , She could pursue her studies , and argue and discuss and quote , keep unclouded f eyes , and laugh and play , and be her whole living sel , ”

f if o f . un ettered , as the pressure my hand implied nothing Now let us turn back to the paragraph in which ur Meredith gives us o introduction to her . It happens TH E ADVENTURES OF HARRY RICHMOND

his f thus in a wood through which Harry and boy riend ,

Temple , are tramping . Harry relates it thus —f A little lady on a pony , attended by a tawny aced - o n great square shouldered groom a tall horse , rode past ,

o n e . drew up on side , and awaited our coming She was dressed in a grey riding-habit and a warm winter jacket o f fur f gleaming grey , a so t white boa loose round her neck , crossed at her waist , white gauntlets , and a pretty f black elt hat with flowing rim and plume . There she a rm passed us under review with bowed at her side ,

whip and reins in one hand rocks and trees , high fi fo r silver rs rising behind her . She waited us to

march by , without attempting to conceal that we were ” o f the objects her inspection . f ff ’ Delight ul , young , una ected , as is Meredith s o f o f presentation his little Princess , under all manner a exceptional circumstances , it never escapes us th t it is the daughter— a n erratic and capricious little daughter if o u — o f s e e y will a reigning house that we , and to

whom we listen . Yet how deliciously , upon occasion , she f ” o f . trips down the steps the throne , a princess ree as air

Let me conclude by quoting a short love scene , perhaps as unique in its setting as it is fanciful in its matter : premising only that it all takes place in a — thunder storm , beside a river that flows through the Sarkeld f w ho orest , and that it is Harry Richmond

recounts it , thus GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

z o n Schwart and I ran to the boat , hauled it land , lo w f and set it keel upward against a lea y dripping branch . o f To this place shelter , protecting her as securely as I z could , I led the princess , while Schwart happed a rough o trench around it with o n e fthe sculls . We started him o n foot to do the best thing possible in truth I knew that I should have been the emissary and he the guard ; but the storm overhead was not fuller o f its mighty burden than I o fmine That hour o f tempest went swift as o n e o f its flashes over o ur little nest o f peace , where we crouched like insects On me the ff torrents descended , and her gentle e orts drew me to her side , as with a maternal claim to protect me , or to perish in my arms ifthe lightning found us It was useless to speak . Her lips were shut , but I had the intent o f o n o kindness her eyes me alm st unceasingly . ’ The good hour slipped away . Old Schwartz s splashed knees o n the level o f our heads were seen by us when the thunder had abated . Ottilia prepared to ‘ ’ f sh e rise . You shall hear rom me , said , bending with — f . brows measuring the boat roo , like a bird about to fly ‘ ’ Shall I s e e you ? ‘ ’ ! . Ultimately you surely will . Ah still be patient ‘ Am I not ? Have I not been ? ’ ‘ ’ Yes ; and c an you regret it ? ‘ ’ No ; but we separate ! ‘ ’ Would you have us be two feet high fo r ever ? sh e

1 04

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

z an d ra n the b u o n an d Schwart I to oat , ha led it l , af r in br n c h and set it keel upward against a low le y d ipp g a . To o f s c as this place shelter , protecting her as e urely I ed u h could , I led the princess , while Schwartz happ a ro g s hi trench around it with one o fthe sculls . We tarte d m o n foot to do the best thing possible in truth I knew that I should have been the emissary and he the gua rd ; but the storm overhead wa s not fuller o f its mighty burden than I o f mine That hour o f tempe s t went swift as o n e o f its flashes over o ur little nest o f peace , where we crouched like insects On me the ff ew to torrents descended , and her gentle e orts dr me her s d a s w m to i e , ith a aternal claim to protect me , or perish in my arms ifthe lightning found us It was u seless

to e . ha d e sp ak Her lips were shut , but I the int nt d s o f o n al o a l kin nes her eyes me m st unce sing y . ’ d Old t The good hour slippe away . Schwar z s spla shed knees o n th e level o f o ur heads were seen by ha d a re are to us when the thunder abated . Ottili p p d ‘ ’ Yo u l f i n di t rise . shal hear rom me , she sa d , be ng wi h ' — s i o a f l to . brows mea ur ng the b t roo , ike a bird about fly ‘ Shall I see you ? ’ ‘ b ’ Ah ! til . Ultimately you su rely will . s l e patient

’ tw o fe e t high fo r ever ? she

BEAUCHAMP ’ S CAREER

1 8 7 5

in 1 8 74-5

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o n e o f like who has broken a current speech , and waits

to . resume it She was all unsuspecting indolence , with gravely shadowed eyes . ‘ ’ I throw down the book , he said . ‘ ’ No She objected , ; continue ; I like it . Both o fthem divined that the book was there to do fo r duty Roland . fi He closed it , keeping a nger among the leaves ; a ” o f o f kind anchorage in case indiscretion .

9K 9K 9K

’ Renée was Nevil Beauchamp s romance . to o f That is why I have chosen her paint , instead either o r Cecilia Halkett , the breezy English girl , the earnest little lady whom he ultimately married . Lord Illingworth “ has told us that a man owes his happiness to the women ” ‘ n t o r he has o married . Whether not that saying may fi t be t ingly applied to Nevil Beauchamp , it is to Renée ’ that I trace a great part o fthe reader s happiness in this

book . Let us see h o w Meredith contrasts her with the fair- haired girl who was in love with Nevil Beauchamp in England “ Decidedly Cecilia w a s the more beautiful ; but on which does the eye linger longest— which draws the — a a heart radiant landscape , where the tall ripe whe t flashes between shadow and shine in the stately ma rch o f the o n Summer , or peep into dewy woodland to deep BEAUCHAMP ’ S CAREER water ? In this we see the Renée o f the gravely f shadowed eyes , who could make a young man eel her w o f itchery , who could sharpen the wits Vivian Ducie “ ” to give us her likeness in Young Endor , and could “ impel the volatile Lord Pa lme t to express her as a grand his o u smoky pearl , adding view that when y do light upon o n e o fthem the milky ones may go and decorate plaster . We must remember that it was not by any pheno menal beauty that these young men were overthrown ; “ o n the contrary Meredith tells us that dark eyed Renée was not beauty , but attraction ; she touched the double u s chords within , which are we know not whether ” harmony or discord . o f o f Renée was possessed singular charm speech , even “ fo r one o f the quick- witted French nation— thought f o f flew , tongue ollowed , and the flash meaning quivered — f a over them like night lightning . Or o tener , to spe k f truth , tongue flew, thought ollowed her age was but she newly seventeen , and was French . ffi Let that su ce .

f LARA MIDDLETON , you dear , delight ul , duti hi l but freakish daughter ! to you I must speak o r o u direct , rather , I am going to address y in an open letter . What a desperate predicament fo r you to have placed your reverend father in ! How could you so j eopardiz e his comfortable equanimity ? Your engagement to Sir Willoughby ha d lodged him in congenial quarters ; your “ fiance had produced fo r his special delectation an aged and a great wine ; but n o sooner has it s e t him his fi chirruping , than to utter mysti cation you try , I sa will not y to break your engagement , but , at least , to persuade Sir Willoughby to release you from it ! o u fo r o u Flirt I will not call y , flirt y never were ; but how you fia ve played the deuce with us all— with all o f us mere men ! Yo u helped the unhappy Sir o f Willoughby on to the horns a dilemma , and kept fo r t m him balancing there an unconscionable i e , with nothing but his precious egoism to keep him vertical . And then you calmly watched the rest o f your heterogeneous team scrambling to harness themselves GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES by their heart—strings to your fantastic chariot— your a mercurial colonels , your lean scholars , your r cy Irish ’ o f — o n e doctors , your ardent atoms schoolboy all s to o u o u fu — y , y dread l young woman and now you have flown o ff to the Tyrol and ma rried o ld Vernon ! o f ? But what about the rest us , my dear Are we o ur tamely to settle into armchairs , and seek consolation in rooting fo r fine distinctions in your treatment o four rivals ? There is n o t o n e o f u s but has received from o u o r so fla tte rin l y , at some time another , something g y o f resembling encouragement , that , in the light the flame o u f n ot to looé that y yoursel had kindled in us , it seemed , like it to ée it , but unmistakably . — Nothing more than a glance , you say But a glance c a n — convey a volume . Only a smile But what c a n flatter more than a smile— even the faintest flicker o fa smile— if it carry assurance o fa confidence divided by tw o ? A mere touch o f the hand — Yes ; but a touch o f o u t the hand can blot all the world , my dear . It was your ready tongue and musical responsiveness f o u that captured us , that made Vernon Whit ord liken y “ to Mountain Echo , and that prompted Robert Louis “ Stevenson to write to W . E . Henley that you were the best girl he ever saw anywhere ; but which o f your ’ f o f moods came to inspire Dr . Corney s antastic sketch “ you as just the whiff o f an idea o f a daughter o f a ” peccadillo Goddess , I do not pretend to understand .

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GEORGE ME R EDITH ’ S HEROINES

— by their heart—strings to vour fantastic cha riot your n a mercurial colonels , your lea scholars , your r cy Irish ’ o f s c — o ne to doctors , your ardent atoms hoolboy all s

o u drea dfiil — w n o w a y , you young woman and you h ve flown o ff to the Tyrol and married o ld Vernon ! o f us a ? Are we But what about the rest , my de r to o ur ar o s a tamely settle into mchairs , and seek c n ol tion in roo ting fo r fine distinctions in your treatment o f o ur rivals ? There is not o n e o f us but has received from o u so fla tterin l y , at some time or another , something g y s r o f re embling encou agement , that , in the light the flame t o u lf i n ot to hat y yourse had k ndled in us , it seemed , fi le it to ée it , but unmistakably . o u - Nothing more than a glance , y say But a glance ca n — Bu t a convey a volume . Only a smile wh t can fla tter more than a smile— even the faintest flic ker o fa smile —if it carry assurance o fa confidence divided by two ? A mere touch o f the hand — Yes but a touch o fthe o ut hand can blot all the world , my dear . It was your ready tongue an d musical responsiveness th a t a e f k o u at c ptured us , hat m d Vernon Whit ord li en y “ ai to Mount n Echo , Stevenson to write to best girl he

“ yo u a s just the whiff o f an idea o f a da ughter o f a 0 to n not pretend u derstand .

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GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

genius o fthoughtful laughter “ ? ” Why rogue he insisted with Mrs . Mountstuart . ” — in s h e I said porcelain , replied .

Rogue perplexes me .

Porcelain explains it . o f She has the keenest sense honour . o f I am sure she is a paragon rectitude . ” f h ea rin She has a beauti ul g. The carriage o fa young princess ! fi f I nd her per ect .

And still she may be a dainty rogue in porcelain . o u o r Are y j udging by the mind the person , ma’am

Both . And which is which ? ’ There s no distinction . o fPa tte rn e Rogue and mistress do not go together . Why not ? She will be a novelty to our neighbour o f hood and an animation the Hall . To f n o t me be rank , rogue does rightly match with . ” Take her fo r a supplement . You like her ? ” In love with her ! I can imagine life—long amuse

: ment in her company . Attend to my advice prize the ” porcelain and play with the rogue .

Sir Willoughby nodded unilluminated . THE EGOIST

o f Indeed , my dear , you were well quit that blindly fatuous ” gentleman ! See how he positively bled egoism the moment he was scratched : see how he had mislaid his sense o f a humour ; though , to do you justice , I will dmit it was o u not y that scratched him , nor was it you that helped o f him then to mislay his sense humour . However , you very soon helped him to lose it outright !

XIV LJETI TI A DALE

JETITI A DALE ! Does n o t the very sound o fthe na me carry with it a suggestion o fsome refin ement o fme la ncholy ? “ ’ She w a s a poetess and portionless — there s the rub —th e a o f al d ughter an inv id army surgeon , retired to a co tta e bo r Patte rn e the a o f g rde ing upon Park , est te the ea l h a Sir l Pattern e w t y young b ronet , Wi loughby . As a child she and young Willoughby had played o e the a s to t g r , and he grew manhood he came to accept th e i o f f i e hi u devot o n the rag le L titia as s nat ral due . There wa s n o disgui se n o r concealment about her de vo tio n ; it w a s as s pontaneously offered as it wa s

y accepted . tw o showed at their be st when the y were to gether ; without effort each drew forth the bes t that wa s h th i if nl in the ot er . True ey m ght dr t apart ; but o y o e rn a r bservie n t t r tu p allel again . Her no hit a e his n o t , but lways in r lation with , with it— so so e in much , ind ed , that order

GEORGE ME RED ITH ’ S HEROINES

He came o fage ; the shy violet emerged from her seclusion with a birthday ode that set the tongues “ wa gging— it was said at the time she almost proposed

to her hero in her rhymes , bold as only your timid a c a n cre tures be bold . Well would it have been fo r him had he played the o f ! hero , and married the poetess out hand But no ;

he turned about , and sought out Constantia Durham , a budding beauty from the other end o f the county a f racing cutter the inde atigable Mrs . Mountstuart jenkinson labelled her . We have to chronicle that on the eve o fthe wedding

she jilted him . He was a little stunned ; but not s o much as to sa fi prevent him returning , we will not y , to his rst alle ’ ia n c e Aer fir e g , but to accept again st allegiance , L titia s ,

f e . and to discern in her , merits , ormerly undiscov red f few o f A ter a months smouldering courtship , he disappointed the county by setting out to make a tour o f e ! the world . Poor L titia “ Here she comes with a romantic tale o n her ” Mrs eyelashes . It is . Mountstuart that gives us the

e ! sh e . sketch . Poor L titia knew everybody pitied her f f A ter three years Sir Willoughby returns rom abroad . Fate ordains Le titia to be the first person he meets as he

is driving home to the Hall . Here is the scene “ He sprang to the ground and seized her hand . THE EGOIST

‘ ’ ‘ e ! L titia Dale he said . He panted . Your name is sweet English music ! And are you well The anxious to question permitted him read deeply in her eyes . He f z ound the man he sought there , squee ed him passion ” ately , and let her go . fo r This as an exquisite touch the egoist , and e f although it rather cheapens L titia , I eel compelled to

quote it . fe w He presses her hand , and leaves her with a ambiguous sentences that to her constant hea rt could

o n : carry only e meaning . But that is nothing to him “ At their next meeting , we read , she was Miss o f — f This humble adorer , this heroine hope de erred , — is thus once more deposited in the waiting room . Time s he o f slips past , and is content to wait . By an irony “ fate sh e is told o f his having praised her as his image ” o f the constant woman , precisely at the time when the r a flame wretch is once more all fo forsaking her . He is “ fo r o rc e Miss Clara Middleton , the dainty rogue in p ’

e . lain , ere even her name has reached L titia s ears “ The constant woman accepts the inevitable : her

resignation is rather touching ; but , alas , it is rather f spiritless , piti ully spiritless . ’ Through all the tangles o f her hero s engagement e is to Clara , L titia kept continually at hand in order to make it easy fo r Sir Willoughby to shine before his fi a n c ee oe o n . Success crowns this ingenious man uvre GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

“ o f fo r the part the Egoist , Clara had never seen him s o h ea rin shine picturesquely as in his g with Miss Dale . o f The sprightly sallies the two , their rallyings , their fi laughter , and her ne eyes , and his handsome gestures , won attention like a fencing match o fa couple keen f with the oils to display their mutual skill . Poor Le titia ! Constancy must perforce be led forth and exhibited to serve his purpose whatever it be ! His his magnanimity sometimes gives her , in imagination , to ” o n his cousin , Old Vernon , the scholar ; but the whole he rather prefers his idea o fan arrangement on a more feudal basis “ Since his engagement to Miss Middleton , Sir Willoughby ’ s electrically forethoughtful mind has seen o f f in Miss Dale the governess his in ant children , f ” o ten consulting with him . Poor Constancy becomes a pathetic figure to u s ; but never so pathetic a s she must have seemed to the ’ Egoist when he s o egregiously mistook Clara s disgust flutterin s f fo r at his egoism , and her g towards reedom , signs o f jealousy o f Le titia ! Sir Willoughby leapt at o f this , the only explanation that came within his range o f e the possibilities . He is speaking L titia to Clara “ o u u s o f When y see together , the natural concord o f o f our minds is course misleading . She is a woman n o t f genius . I do conceal , I pro ess my admiration o f f her . There are times when , I con ess , I require a

DIANA OF THE CROSSWAYS

Publzslzed in 1 8 8 5

A ea re seria in 1 pp d lly 8 84.

D I ANA

D IANA WARWICK

A f o f rwi c k I NA ANTONIA , wi e Augustus Wa Es o f The C ms sw a s Sto rlin ss x q . , y , g, Su e ; dire c to r o fthe G re a t Railway Compa ny us t s r t o f o As we th he catalogue de c ip ion her p rtrait . a o ff u - re d it , in the us al dry catalogue voice , it all sounds l s n o t to o n eminent y re pectable , say dull ; and we are the verge o fdrifting over- page o n the chance o ffinding a i l ro m er a e t t e p ising livelier ent t inment , when th re is a ” r o fthe a i -Dan n is bur h ff whispe W rw ck g a air . a k We re quic ly before the picture . ! ” Is a s the lady ? Indeed is the comment . On — the instant the sprin g o f gos sip be gins to ba bble she “ ’ ” t to be Dan Me rio n s a r w an d urns out d ughte , the ild Yo u are incredulous ? And her mother Spaniard -These black—haire d creatures — And — and her

be her fi ther —Ye s , but in “ it no t the D uc hess o f Berwic k tha t said Men be co me o ld but the be c o me — he sa she has , y never good T y y

7. ”9

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f she the air a Greek Goddess , and is a brilliant talker But yo u never know what these too- clever women are up — f o u o n to and so orth ; and by the time y pass , you - - are wading knee deep in tittle tattle , and wondering how much less time it would take a Greek Goddess than a full “ dressed woman—o f—the - world to become Godiva to the ” gossips . No w let us take a look at the radiant creature through ’ “ w a s Meredith s spectacles . She a queenly comrade , a

spirit leaping and shining like a mountain water . She

n o t . a did seduce , she ravished The judgment was t ken f captive and flowed with her , the beauti ul dark f o f eyed , resh creature , who bore the name the divine u huntress , a tr e Dian in stature , step and o f attributes , the genius laughter superadded . None else o n t so n s o ear h sweetly laughed , one spontaneously , f Victoriously provoked the health ul openness . Her f delicious chatter , and her muse ul sparkle in listening , f ” equally quickened every sense o fli e . Is not this a masterpiece o fdescription ? It visualizes ’ fo r u s Shelley s line

- A a e e au fu a n d f . p rd lik spirit , b ti l swi t

It is o n e among the many passages that could be quoted to justify the view o f the critic who wrote that “ Meredith paints Diana in all the glowing colours o f o f love . He is not the analyser Diana ; he is her ardent DIANA OF THE CROSSWAYS

lover . He adores her unscrutinisingly , as it behoves the ” true lover to adore his lady . I beg leave to demur at “ ” the unscrutinisingly —h e certainly scrutinised ; but scrutinised delighted . It can doubtless be maintained that he is somewhat more than lenient to her when we reach the very disagreeable transaction to which she lends

: herself. The incident is almost incredible we hate to f o . read it However , when all is said , it is not that Meredith holds forth to us in palliation o f her offence ; rather is it that he absta ins from expatiating upon the m o f If enor ity it . , however , anyone should still cherish se t o n o f a grievance , let him against it , the other side fo r o f the scales , our gratitude the whole study Diana , which is worked out with unsurpassed splendour and thoroughness , so that surely it were nothing less than curmudgeonly to insist upon his exhibiting her to us f smirched rom head to heel . ’ Diana is o n e o fMeredith s creations that has provoked the keenest criticism and the most ardent appreciation ; and I propose to quote the following passage from a “ critique by the late W . E . Henley , contributed to The ” Athene um in 1 8 8 5 Fo r such a union as sh e presents o fcapacity o fheart o f o f fi in te lli and capacity brain , generous nature and ne o f gence , natural womanhood and more than womanly n n o t wit and apprehensiveness , we k ow where to look ’ save among Shakespeare s ladies , nor with whom to equal GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f sh e is her save the genius Arden . Like Rosalind , f pure woman Mr . Meredith has wrought rom f o f within , and behind his Diana you eel the presence her o f o u maker , as you are aware Shakespeare when y consort

with Rosalind and Hermione Throughout , as

with Rosalind , her royal origin is patent like ’ Orlando s mistress , she betrays her parentage in a hundred gallant and inspiring qualities— the quickness and o f brilliance her blood , her exquisite and abounding o f f spirit , her delicate vigour temperament , her swi tness o f o f perception , her generous intensity emotion She is admirable even in her delusions ; you visit her errors with unfailing respect . n o t f o n e A generous tribute is it , rom poet to the creation o f another ! We feel that it wells up spon ta n e o u sl f i y rom his heart , where D ana has taken possession and surely nothing less noble than Diana could have inspired it . And now let me gather together a fe w sayings from ’ o w n Diana s lips , words that have carried her charm f o f abroad , and helped to make her amous . She says “ f ” Poetry Those that have souls meet their ellows there . Of if — “ f L e , she says When I ail to cherish it in fi fi every bre , the res within are waning “ Of Romance : The young who avoid that region f ” escape the title o fFool at the cost o a celestial crown . — This is h o w sh e expresses what we all like Lord

1 3 2

XVI . LADY DUNSTANE

D UNSTANE ’ f — m ADY , Diana s riend her Em a

was also her protecting Goddess . Meredith des “ c ribe s her as deeply a woman and dumbly a poet . It has been held that there is more harm done in the ’ ' ' world by n ot éezng ézn a than by the whole sum o f D un stan e downright unkindness . Lady is the personi ' ' ’ fi o f é zn é zfl a o f cation e g . Her heart was at the head ” her thoughts , says Meredith . - A permanent invalid , serenely minded , we are told , “ ” o f surcharged with strength meditative vision , the author permits o fo ur becoming witnesses o fthe positive good accomplished by an active mind in a necessarily o f passive body . Diana has given her to us in one her lapidary sentences : She is perpetually in the antechamber o f death , and her soul is perennially sunshine .

- Emma loves her Diana with a whole hearted devotion , ’ is and Diana s to her is no less . Their relation perhaps the most ideal a n d beautiful o f the several friendships

between women that Meredith ha s drawn fo r us . There ’ is something touchingly maternal in Emma s attitude o f

protection toward the younger woman , and in her pride

1 3 5 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

— “ in seeing Diana shine shew her iridescent humour . The succeeding fragment from a conversation be f f- tween Diana and her hal encouraged , hal chilled D a c ie r o fh o w admirer , Percy , gives us an idea generous a tribute she could pay to her friend “ You have met Lady D un s ta n e ? D ac ie r answered that he thought he had seen her somewhere once “ ’ is ea r d r o fo ur She the w o time . o f i A bit a blue stock ng , I think I have heard

She might have been admitted to the Hotel m o f Ra bouillet , without being anything a Précieuse . She ” o f is the woman the largest heart now beating . “ ” o f . Mr . Redworth talked her ” s he As deserved I am sure . Very warmly He would ! He told me you were the Da mon and Pythias o f ” women . “ Her one fault is an extreme humility that makes

her always play second to me and as I am apt to gabble , c an I take the lead ; and I am froth in comparison . I reverence my superiors even when tried by intimacy with t hem . She is the next heavenly thing to Heaven that I if know . Court her , you ever come across her . Or ’ ” have you a man s horror o fwomen with brains ?

1 3 6

GEORGE MERE DITH’ S HEROINES

” - “ in seeing Diana shine shew her iridescent humour . The succeeding fragment from a conversation be f f-c e tween Diana and her hal encouraged , hal hill d Da c re r d o fh o w e admirer , Percy , gives us an i ea gen rous a tribute she could pay to her friend “ You have met Lady D un s ta n e ? D a c ie r answered that he thought he had see n her somewhere once “ ” i ete fo ur im She s the m r a or o t e . o f t A bit a blue stocking , I hink I have heard

She might have been admitted to the Hotel a o f R mbouillet , without being anything a Précieuse . She f ” is the woman o the largest heart now beating . “ ” o f . Mr . Redworth talked her ” As s h e deserved I am sure .

Very warmly . He would ! ” He told me you were the Damon and Pythia s o f ” women . “ Her o n e fault is an extreme humility that makes l to and as her a ways play second me I am apt to gabble ,

I tak e the lead ; and I am fr oth in comparison . re veren c by intima e to Heaven tha t I

ever come across her . Or women with brains ? ”

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

us For a last look at them together , let choose the bridal morning , when Diana is to wed with her true ’ mate . Emma must needs superintend the bride s m tw o f o f adorn ent , and the riends have spoken her t e — f o ut o f ascent rom the valley shadows , toward the hilltops “ You are beginning to think hopefully again ? ’ o f And Emma s simple question , born a mighty tender f f fi the ness , draws rom her riend a ne passage , last I need “ ’ to quote , seeing that it sums up my Emma s history . It “ is contained in a great saying straight from the heart o fdeep thoughts “ tain é sh e Who can really , says , and not think fu ? Yo u hope lly were in my mind last night , and you brought a little boat to sail me past despondency o flife f o f o r and the ear extinction . When we despair discolour things , it is our senses in revolt , and they have made the o u sovereign brain their drudge . I heard y whisper , with in Taara is fl otain tfie éoa your very breath my ear , g fy f ’ s u e r tfia t tfie s ul m n ot r o t a m f s o ay p fi } . It is my Em a s history . With that I sail into the dark , it is my promise o f the immortal . ONE OF OUR CON! UERORS

Published in 1 8 92

Seria lly in 1 8 90

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f sh e angle inclination , presented all unconsciously , a ff f di erent acet . Let us collect a few o fthe reflections and refractions ff f ff given by these di ering acets to di erent people . o n e i o f Nataly , her mother , was not given to talk ng f s o o n f her eelings , let us pass to her ather , Victor Montgomery Radnor— the immensely successful city f magnate , biassed in her avour , as he had every right to be “ “ ’ o n e to I declare , said he , she helps think . It s ’ it s not precocity ; healthy enquiry . She brings me o f o w n nearer ideas my , not yet examined , than anyone ” sa f fo r ! else does . I y , what a wi e a man He could none the less admit himself thoroughly alarmed at the prospect o f having to use the word “ ’ f to orbid her . You re dealing with Nesta Victoria , re n lla n he says to D a rt y Fe e . Spare me a contest with

that girl , I undertake to manage any man or woman ” But f living . we must not orget that he , no less than

her mother , was queasy in his conscience concerning her . “ ” ! . You innocent says Mrs Judith Marsett to her , “ ’ ‘ ’ o f I ve heard tell crystal clear , but eyes like yours

have to tell me how deep and clear . “ — a And again Mrs . Marsett woman near to going ’ ” under the world s waggon-wheels — to whom a few ’ words from a pellucid mind like Nesta s meant much : “ ’ fo r ! I thought , well , a girl she s bold I thought ONE OF OUR CON! UERORS

o u you knew more than a girl ought to know ; until , y ” s e t did , you my heart going . To the Honourable Dudley Sowerby , who was in “ his love with her in rather priggish way , his intelligence and senses gave her the form and glory o fyoung morn ” is n o t fo r ing . This bad the Hon . Dudley . We are ” o f f told he habitually wore the look a sick alcon , and o n e must not expect to o much from so unpromising an exterior ; but later , when the inevitable disclosure held t o r him hal ing between two opinions , he discovered , “ ’ she thought he discovered , that had Enigma s mouth , ” o f with the eyes morning . For Captain D a rtre y Fe n e lla n (the younger brother ’ o fher father s o ld crony Simeon) she had a nature pure ” — se a f and sparkling as mid oam . f o f a s This gives us a air range deviation , but we began o ff c o m with Victor Radnor , let us round all with his “ fo rtable thought tha t She was a young woman easily ” pleased , but hardly enthralled . No doubt the losing o fsuch a delightfu l house—sprite would be a wrench to “ : him , when it came he would sadly miss her delicious warble o f the prattle running rill —like over our daily - hum drum . Of the suitors fo r her ha nd we hear most o f the — a suc Hon . Dudley vacillating individual who never c e e ds in living down the first mental picture tha t we “ have o fhim from Victor Radnor in a bald cupid .

1 43 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

There is also the Reverend Septimus Barmby o fthe is resounding bass voice , whose suit supposed to be encouraged by mamma ; but o f course she marries neither o f these comedy figures ; indeed we perceive that there is likely to be some difficulty about her marriage . With the facts surrounding her birth disclosed to z us , we reali e that their revelation to Nesta must prove a desperate ordeal to the high—spirited girl— and to her “ parents ! They had walked o n planks fo r twenty years ; but sh e had been a swallow by the shore o fthe

Dead Sea .

As they watched her growing towards womanhood , the falseness o fher position became to their imagination a charged mine beneath her . No matter how they might

h o w. lap her in luxury , no matter they might lavish upon o f ff n o t f her the wealth their a ection , they could orget n ever— her mother , that there was this mine that had fi — fi o f to be red red by the hand love . We c a n imagine the sanguine Victor telling himself that ifthis duty to his girl— fo r he knows it his duty

’ could only be discreetly dzsefia rged— horrible word with the mine always beneath us ! What would he n o t give to save his adored girl the shock— the shock and the tumble from the height o f f s her present alse security , down to the rocks , perhap to the pit — But the art o fexploding a bomb tenderly !

1 44

GEORGE MEREDITH’ S H EROINES

There is also the Revere nd Se ptimus Barmby o fthe a o e i s su o se d to be resounding b ss voice , wh s suit pp encoura ged by ma mma but o f course s he ma rries neither o f these comedy figures ; indeed w e perce ive that there is likely to be some diflic ulty abo ut her a m rriage . With the facts surrounding her birth disclosed to u s , we realize that their revelation to Nesta must prove — a desperate ordeal to the high-spirited girl and to h er “ parents ! They had walked o n planks fo r twenty years ; but she had been a swallow by the shore o fthe

Dead Sea . an h o As they watched her growing towards wom o d , the falseness o fher position became to their imagina tion ho w a charged mine be neath her . No matter they might

la n o ho w. m p her in luxury , matter they ight lavish upon o f ff i n o t f et her the wealth their a ect on , they could org - n ever— a t i in her mother , th t here was th s m e that had to be fi — fir o f red ed by the hand love . We can ima gine the sa nguine Victor telling himself — tha t ifthis duty to his girl fo r he knows it his duty — could only be discreetly dzsCAa rged ho mble word with the mine alway s beneath us ! shock— the s hock and th e tumble eight o f her present false perha ps to the pit — But bo mb tenderly !

LORD ORMONT AND HIS AMINTA

Published in 1 8 94

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

— Matthew Weyburn Matey fo r short . True there was “ a tradition o fan usher and governess leering sick eyes until they slunk away round a corner and married ; but ’ C u e r s o f we may take it that at p , at the period the o f ir l if n o t beginning the story , the genus g , thought f o f o . little , was at least little thought o f ir l But a change comes to the school , a wave g o f sweeps over it , especially over the boys the upper school ; and it is Matey Weyburn who is directly fo r fo r responsible this change , is he not seen exchanging “ glances with that dark well -grown girl who usually made the left o fthe second couple from the front line ’ o fyoung ladies from Miss Vincents establishment ! One ’ recalls Aurora Leigh s idea o fthe first glance exchanged o w n f between her ather and mother . It was in Florence , while he stood aside to watch the passing o f a religious procession

F o a o n a o f a n n e a n d r m th t l g tr il ch ti g pri sts girls , A fa e fla s e e a a o n fa e c h d lik cymb l his c , An d o o e n an o u a n a n d e a sh k with sil t cl g r br i h rt ,

Tra n sfigurin g him to m u sic .

’ It is a fa r cry from the pomp o f Florence s priestly procession to the weekly shepherding o f o ur young school friends through the park ; but none the less “ completely on that account do we realiz e the silent clangour tha t smote upon the hearts o f Aminta a n d a s is Matey Weyburn , rendered it in Meredithian touches

1 5 0 LORD ORMONT AND HIS AMINTA

at once direct and delicious . “ o f - — Aminta , whose flush dark brown red late sunset ’ led to her being spoken o f among C upe r s boys as fo r o f Browny , became the time the centre their interest

outside the school ; and was , so soon as they could f - reconcile themselves to her oreign sounding name , acclaimed by them as the acceptable ifnot precisely the fo r o f predestined mate the captain the school . But the thought o fa sinecure is abhorrent to healthy f boys , and a position con erring such distinction demanded o f so something more than the mere flash eyes . And it fell o ut that o n the occasion o f the meeting o f the two - — fo r fi schools in the cricket meadow when , the rst time , o f Aminta was seen all round , and had her chance rising ’ to the height o fthe boys loyal anticipations— sh e failed w a s n o t utterly . It anything that she did , and did badly w a s it that she did nothing . f w a s Her all , though sudden , silent she dropped out o ff she o f ashion , slipped out mind , The flush that had

swept across the school withered to a dry recollection . Of fire éo s a n d tfi e course all this applies to y , not to ’ o fo r C u e r s — oy but p school , Aminta ceased to exist the

common enthusiasm that must be provided with a deity , f f swung round , jumped sex , and prostrated itsel be ore the — o fo ur great Lord Ormont the ideal leader cavalry , and fo r f the moment the darling o the public . Boys are thorough in their devotions or they are

1 5 1 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

nothing . So Browny was dethroned and General Lord

Ormont reigned in her stead . o f few We will now make a skip a years , and cull a f o f phrase or two rom the heart the lover , where a whole ’ - o f rose garden them is growing , in tribute to Aminta s “ eyes : (Thus the Scene Lord Ormont presented his ‘ ’ new secretary to the lady , Mr . Weyburn , he said with o f a light wave his hand , and a murmur that might be the ’ lady s This is how they appeared to Weyburn o f They were large eyes , eyes southern night . They f ” sped no shot ; they rolled orth an envelopment . They fu f o f were known beauti l eyes , in a oreign land night and “ mist ; and again — They quickened throbs they o f seemed a throb the heart made visible . It is n o t forgotten that Lord Ormont— the dashing o f cavalry leader , the victor a great campaign , the darling o fthe British public and the terror o fthe War Office — o f o ur had been the soldier hero school days . At that time there had not been wanting rumours o f duels following upon certain episodes but the boys “ had revelled in the devilish halo o fskirts o n the whirl ’ Ormo n t s encircling Lord laurelled head . And after these years Weyburn meets him face to f to fi — ace , nd a veteran with a grievance well past sixty , if u o . a heroic sixty y will , but scarcely a genial Is he married to this girl “ in her twenties — to his school ’ ' w h o o flz zs days Browny , looks like a sedate elder sister

GEORGE MER EDITH ’ S HEROINES

w as t a n d ral nothing . So Browny de hroned Gene Lord m Or ont reigned in her stead . We o f few s will now make a skip a year , and cull a tw o f t o f h phrase or rom the hear the lover , w ere a whole ’ - a d o f to rose g r en them is growing , in tribute Aminta s “ eyes : (Thus the Scene Lord Ormont presented his ‘ ’ a new secret ry to the lady , Mr . Weyburn , he said with o f a rm the a light wave his h nd , and a mu ur that might be ’ ” lady s title ) This is how they appeared to Weyburn o f They were large eyes , eyes southern night . They ” s ped no shot ; they rolled forth an envelopment . They e t f f a o f i w re known beau i ul eyes , in a oreign l nd n ght and mist ; and again They quickened throbs ; th ey e m f a s e ed a throb o the heart m de visible . It is n o t forgotten that Lord Ormont— th e da shing

' ca a a o f reat cam ai n v lry le der , the victor a g p g , the darling o fthe British public and the terror o fthe War Offi ce - o f s o o a s ha had been the soldier hero our ch l d y . At t t time th ere had not been wanting rumours o f duels following upon certain episo des but the boy s “ had reve lled in the devilish halo o fskirts o n the whirl ’ ” e i i Ormo n t s la r d h d nc rcl ng Lord u elle ea . An d after the se years Wey burn me ets him face to fa to fi e a a rie van e— we l ce , nd a vet r n with g c l past sixty ,

a e si if i l e i . h roic xty you w l , a g n al Is he “ ma rrie d to th is girl in - to hi s school elde r siste r o fIn }

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES on the traced line uprightly and while the dark rose “ f o f might overflow the so t brown her cheeks , none z knew it , none pri ed it , none loved it so utterly as

Weyburn .

And here we leave the Gordian Knot . THE AMAZ ING MARRIAGE

Publis/zed m 1 8 95

App ea red seria lly in 1 8 9 5

xix C AR NT H A . I I JANE

TH E C OUNTESS LIVIA

GEORGE MER EDITH ’S HEROINES inhuman to ask us to turn o ur backs upon his hurricane fi - o f f rst encounter his uture bride . ’ Here is Mistress Gossip s account o fit So the Countess Fanny looked round . Kirby was But he ha d doing the same . turned right about , and appeared transfixed and like a royal beast angry with his If fi wound . ever there was love at rst sight , and a fu a o f dread l love , like a runaway m ilcoach in a storm wind and lightning at black midnight by th e banks o fa f o ur fo r flooded river , which was ormerly comparison ” terrible situations , it was when those two met . f o f o f A ter a beginning such calibre , anything short an elopement amidst insuperable difficulties would reek o f timorousness ; and we feel we are but fairly treated when we learn o f the Old Buccaneer issuing his threat ff h to carry o the lady despite er. husband and all his and her relations , amongst whom we may well picture a “ to - i terrible do . When he comes , I am ready and w ll ” go with him , were her gallant words . She would be a fo r good match his boldness . Kirby swore publicly he o ff s o fa r would carry her , and went as to proclaim the fo r date and hour the adventure . The popular imagination was inflamed to red- heat ; and the thing became the f subject o fwagers involving tens o thousands . Let it here suffice to say that those who laid their odds against the Old Buccaneer lost their money ; and the heroic couple— not without an appropriate episode o fpistols o n

1 5 8 THE AMAZ ING MARRIAGE their road to the coast— were soon after hea rd o fas duly —w e married abroad must skip the details , though they are delightfully picturesque and characteristic o feveryone concerned , including the narrator . ffi Here , surely , we have a su ciently remarkable parentage fo r o ur heroine to satisfy the most ex igea n t f fi f reader ! But Carinthia ully j usti es it . Be ore we close the volume she is o fproved eminence even in her o f distinguished company Meredith heroines . f if Hers was destined to be a tragic li e ; one which , fi not actively tempestuous , could only be con ned within the bounds that prevented its so becoming by the exercise o fheroic self—repression and o fher supreme capacity fo r bearing pain . The Ama z ing Ma r r iage is her marriage with Lord Fleetwood a marria ge entered into on her side in unquestioning confidence in a man almost unknown to — o n e her unknown , be it said , to who at the time knew o n e— o u o ut o f no his side , carried in redemption his pledged word , given in haste and regretted within the ’ o f o n hour . Read the bridegroom s thoughts his bride their wedding day “ She had beauty— o fits kind But it bore no o f — if name . None her qualities they were qualities o f n o t had a name Pain breathed out her , and a sign o f pain was visible She drew the breath o f pain through the lips red lips and well cut . Her brown

I S9 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o r eyes were tearless , not alluring beseeching or repelling they did but look , much like the skies opening high — aloofo n a wreck o fstorm . Her reddish hair chestnut if — f o n e o f you will let all a skein over the rugged brows , and softened the ruggedness by making it w ilder o f f Conceived the mountains , built in their image , the ace partook alternately o f mountain terror o r splendour ; o f wholly , be remembered , the splendour when her blood ” ran warm . o f We cannot but pity , at this stage , the prisoner his ’ C a rin thia s o n e o f f word . was those aces that , while o f if having no place in the ranks beaut ul women , could at times outshine them by the very luxuriance o f her vitality . She was capable o f giving impressions differing so widely as to appear grotesquely. at variance : but is n o t that in a great measure due to the more real differences in the persons receiving and reproducing their impressions ?

Thus the Countess Livia , the recognised beauty , could “ think o fher merely as the red - haired gaunt girl o fthe ” ai mount ns , though it is only just to the Countess to add that this was after a casual first inspection under adverse conditions . A very different first-impression was received by Wo o dse er Gower , the young poet to whom Carinthia and her brother played good Samaritan in the mountains . fi f In his notebook we nd A beauti ul Gorgon , a haggard

GEORGE MEREDITH’ S HER OINES

n o t o r i o r e li eyes were tearless , alluring beseech ng rep l ng the in i they did but look , much like skies open g h gh f - aloofo n a wreck o storm . Her reddish hair ches tnut if — f o n e o f u e d s you will let all a skein over the r gg brow , and softened the ruggedness by ma king it wilder o f f Conceived the mountains , built in their image , the ace partook alternately o f mountain terror o r splendour ; o f d wholly , be remembered , the splendour when her bloo ” ran warm . o fhis We cannot but pity , at this stage , the prisoner ’ C a rin thia s o n e o f f d. a wor was those aces th t , while a n o o f fu h ving place in the ranks beauti l women , could at times outshine them by the very luxurianc e o f her v ita lity . She wa s capable o f giving impressions differing s o w idely as to appea r grotesquely . at variance : bu t is not tha t in a great measure due to th e more real differences in the pe rso ns receiving and reproducing their impre ss ions ? is Thus the Countess Livia , the recogn ed could think o fher merely a s m s h u l us t so C o un te s ountain , t o gh it is on y j the tha t this was after a ca sua l firs t ins pe ctio n un de r i condit o ns . A very differe nt first-impressio n was rec eived by o w Wo o ds ee r hor a i t a G er , the n C r n hi and

Samaritan in the moun tain s . beautiful a ar A Gorgon , a h gg d

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

o f great personality , a tragic compound strength and ten derness .

H a ppy h e With such a mo th e r ! fa ith in w o ma n ki n d Be a in o o a n d u in all n ts his bl d , tr st thi gs high ’ C o e e a to a n d th o h e a n d fa m s sy him , trip ll , H a n o n s a e sh ll t bli d his o ul with cl y . XX . THE COUNTESS LIVIA

HE COUNTESS LIVIA— the young but all — fi unwilling Dowager was thrice married ; rst , ffi o f to Lord Du eld , second , to the Earl le e tw o o d o f o w n F , whose heir was almost her age . At - fi fo r m twenty eight we nd her a widow the second ti e , - s ee and it is at this , her mid matrimonial stage , that we o f most her ladyship . We will take o ur first look at her through the eyes o f fu - Wo o dse e r the youth l poet philosopher , Gower , merely premising that his state at the moment is o n e o funusual supersensitiveness f f He ound himsel bowing to a most heavenly lady , o f composed day and night in her colouring , but more o f night , where the western edge has become a pale steel blade Men were around her forming a semi o f circle . The world men and women was mere timber f o f s e x o f and lea age to this flower her , glory her o f kind She was a miracle greyness , her eyes ” — o f . translucently grey , a dark haired queen the twilights Yet the background fo r these cool wood —notes o f

1 63 GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES description is a brilliantly lit gaming— saloon o f Black “ - o f o f Forest Baden , sprightliest the antechambers

Hades . In the Countess Livia we see an inveterate gambler ; f o f - but in de erence to her station great lady , she was willing to deny herself the indulgence o fstaking at the f tables in person , her pre erence and her practice being to employ fo r that purpose o n e o r other o fher numerous — m satellites among whom we may mention Captain Abra e , “ the giant guardsman o f the high- pitched voice — a Me e so n colossus inactive Sir Corby , the tight o ff buttoned little beau orty , perpetually at war with his fa t ; M . de St . Ombre , a stately French cavalier with a

Guise beard ; the pragmatical Chumley Potts , and poor “ n o t — Ambrose Mallard , who had a chance never had ” c o f in anything . Invariably unlu ky course they were not ; and , although their Countess managed to lose o f sh e considerable sums money , returned periodically with the other devotees o fthe sable goddess to perform sacrifice fo r nowhere else had she sensation o fthe f per ect repose which is rocked to a slumber by gales . She was not o f the creatures who are excited by an atmosphere o f excitement ; she took it as a nymph o f the stream her native wave She could make fo r herselfa quiet centre in the heart o fthe whirlwind ; but the whirlwind was required . ff She could the better a ord this luxury , as the

1 6 4.

GEORGE MEREDITH ’ S HEROINES

’ - o f Wo o ds ee r s to recall a good flying shot Gower , when “ he spoke o f her as Diana seated : it hits the mark f “ ’ neatly ; but personally I pre er the Reveller s Aurora .