EDITOR'S NOTE
AT the time of George Eliot's death, or perhaps a few years later, the manuscript which is here printed was placed in my hands for publication. Ever since then it has lain among forgotten papers, and now, in order to prevent the total loss of a literary treasure—for such I deem it—I am accepting the responsibility of printing a few copies.
There exists, I am aware, a very pardonable weakness on the part of celebrated authors—or their relatives—which takes the form of a desire to remove all traces of the scaffolding by which the summit of fame has been attained. The first fruits of literary genius are often interred in order that the reading public may concentrate its attention upon a masterpiece; and whenever this principle of action is modified it is rather to exhibit a partiality for overripe, rather than for immature, productions.
The student of literature, however, has other views: for him it is of prime importance to trace the development of literary power, whether manifested in verse or prose; and I believe I am doing
7
