“From the first the Scenes of Clerical Life arrested public attention.  Critics were, however, by no means unanimous as to their merits.  They had so much individuality—­stood so far apart from the standards of contemporary fiction—­that there was considerable difficulty in applying the usual tests in their case.  The terse, condensed style, the exactitude of expression, and the constant use of illustration, naturally suggested to some the notion that the new writer must be a man of science relaxing himself in the walks of fiction.  The editor’s own suspicions had once been directed towards Professor Owen by a similarity of handwriting.  Guesses were freely hazarded as to the author’s personality, and among other conjectures was one that Lord Lyttoll, whose ‘Caxton’ novels were about the same period delighting the readers of this magazine, had again struck a new vein of fiction.  Probably Dickens was among the first to divine that the author must be a woman; but the reasons upon which he based this opinion might readily have been met by equally cogent deductions from the Scenes that the writer must be of the male sex.  Dickens, on the conclusion of the Scenes, wrote a letter of most generous appreciation, which, when sent through the editor, afforded the unknown author very hearty gratification.

“While ‘Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story’ was passing through the magazine, the editor was informed that he was to know the author as ‘George Eliot.’  It was at this time, then, that a name so famous in our literature was invented.  We have no reason to suppose that it had been thought of when the series was commenced.  It was probably assumed from the impossibility of a nameless shadow maintaining frequent communication with the editor of a magazine; possibly the recollection of George Sand entered into the idea; but the designation was euphonious and impressive.

“Before the conclusion of the Scenes, Mr. Blackwood felt satisfied that he had to do with a master mind, and that a great career as a novelist lay open to George Eliot; and his frequent communications urged her warmly to persevere in her efforts.  When ‘Janet’s Repentance’ was drawing to a close, and arrangements were being made for re-issuing the sketches as a separate publication, he wrote to Mr. Lewes, ’George Eliot is too diffident of his own powers and prospects of success.  Very few men, indeed, have more reason to be satisfied as far as the experiment has gone.  The following should be a practical cheerer,’—­and then he proceeded to say how the Messrs, Blackwood had seen reason to make a large increase in the forthcoming reprint of the Scenes.  The volumes did not appear until after the New Year of 1858; and their success was such that the editor was able, before the end of the month, to write as follows to Lewes:  ’George Eliot has fairly achieved a literary reputation among judges, and the public must follow, although it may take time.  Dickens’s letter