'But talk of an independent politician and he will appear.'

Grayscale illustration of two sitting men, one holds a baby on his lap. A woman stands behind them and another man stands at a door.

This illustration humorously depicts the arrival of Mr. Brooke, an "independent politician," underscoring the social commentary on political ambition and the often-ironic nature of public life in Middlemarch. Mrs. Cadwallader's cynical observation highlights the town's perception of political figures and the self-serving motivations behind their public appearances. "'Oh, stinginess may be abused like other virtues:it will not do to keep one's own pigs lean,' said MrsCadwallader, who had risen to look out of the window. 'But talk of an independent politician and he will appear'" (Book 6, Chapter 61).

Unknown

George Eliot Archive , edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org

1910

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Unknown, 'But talk of an independent politician and he will appear.', George Eliot Illustrations Gallery, George Eliot Archive , edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/83438