Adam Bede, the earliest of George Eliot's novels. It was published in 1859. It is her most popular tale. The hero, Adam Bede, is a young carpenter. He is a striking example of the nobility of a commonplace nature in ordinary surroundings. The character is said to be in part a portrait of Mr. Evans, George Eliot's father. Other interesting characters are Hetty Sorrel, Dinah Moore, the woman preacher, and Mrs. Poyser. The picture of Adam singing at his work presents a fine type of the young English workman. Such a voice could only come from a broad chest, and the broad chest belonged to a large-boned, muscular man nearly six feet high, with a back so flat and a head so well poised that, when he drew himself up to take a more distant survey of his work, he had the air of a soldier standing at ease. The sleeve rolled up above the elbow showed an arm that was likely to win the prize for feats of strength; yet the long supple hand, with its broad finger-tips, looked ready for works of skill. In his tall stalwartness Adam Bede was a Saxon, and justified his name; but the jet-black hair, made the more noticeable by its contrast with the light paper cap, and the keen glance of the dark eyes that shone from under strongly marked, prominent and mobile eyebrows, indicated a mixture of Celtic blood. The face was large and roughly hewn, and when in repose had no other beauty than such as belongs to an expression of goodhumored, honest intelligence. Adam is not a man of many words, but he lets fall some bits of wisdom: "I hate to see a man's arms drop down as if he was shot, before the clock's fairly struck, just as if he'd never a bit o' pride and delight in 's work. The very grindstone 'ull go on turning a bit after you loose it." "I wouldn't give a penny for a man as 'ud drive a nail in slack because he didn't get extra pay for it." "I've seen pretty clear ever since I could cast up a sum, as you can never do what's wrong without breeding sin and trouble more than you can ever see." "A good solid bit o' work lasts: if it's only laying a floor down, somebody's the better for it being done well, besides the man as does it."