Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1879 — George Eliot’s Earnings. [ARTICLE]

George Eliot’s Earnings.

For “Scenes of Clerical Life” she ro ceived but $1,500; for “Adam Bede” she got, all told, $15,0(10; something less for “Mill on the Floss.” “Romola,” perhaps the most artistic and one of tho most interesting of her novels to cultured people, has never been fully appreciated. Its earnings have to date, I am told, not been over SIO,OOO, and for “Daniel Deronda” about the same. “Silas Marner,” one of her strongest stories, was not very profitable, while “Felix Holt,” not at all equal to it, gave her six times as much money. George Eliot’s poetry—she has issued six volumes—has not been liked, nor does it deserve to be liked in any measure with her novels. Still, she prefers her poetry r , and would rather be ranked as a poet than a tictionist. Her entire earnings have been about $250,000, and she could make a contract any day for a new story for which she would be guaranteed $40,000. Her money-making powt r is not excelled by that of any writer in Great Britain. In her case genius has been rewarded. —London letter.