Gunnison Valley News | 1920-04-16 | Page 7 | How "Romola" was Written

HOW "ROMOLA" WAS WRITTEN George Eliot's Immortal the Result of an Inspiration and Much Hard Wirk. The scene of "omola" Is the Florence Flor-ence of the fifteenth century, end the plan of It came to George Fllot In the course of an Italian journey, "one of those journeys that seem to divide one's life In half so many new ideas do they suggest, so many new sources of Interest do they open to the mind." Having filed on her scheme, she returned re-turned to Florence, visiting the old streets, rummaging ancient books, seeking to Impregnate herself with the spirit of the venerable city. But she was still far from her goal. When, on her return home, she at last set to work, she 6aw its difficulties rising before her. Would not her genius desert de-sert her when she left the familiar scenes of rustic life In the England of today for" foreign countries and past ages? She despaired more than once, gave up her task, then took It up ngaln, plunged (conscientiously as she did everything) Into historical studies, and brought forth In sorrow a kind of moral tragedy which even the reader cannot behold without emotion. Ed-mond Ed-mond Scherer.