An authoritative edition of George Eliots elegant translation of Spinozas greatest philosophical work In 1856, Marian Evans completed her translation of Benedict de Spinozas Ethics while living in Berlin with the philosopher and critic George Henry Lewes. This would have become the first edition of Spinozas controversial masterpiece in English, but the translation remained unpublished because of a disagreement between Lewes and the publisher. Later that year, Evans turned to fiction writing, and by 1859 she had published her first novel under the pseudonym George Eliot. This splendid edition makes Eliots translation of the Ethics available to todays readers while also tracing Eliots deep engagement with Spinoza both before and after she wrote the novels that established her as one of English literatures greatest writers. Clare Carlisles introduction places the Ethics in its seventeenth-century context and explains its key philosophical claims. She discusses George Eliots intellectual formation, her interest in Spinoza, the circumstances of her translation of the Ethics, and the influence of Spinozas ideas on her literary work. Carlisle shows how Eliot drew on Spinozas radical insights on religion, ethics, and human emotions, and brings to light surprising affinities between Spinozas austere philosophy and the rich fictional worlds of Eliots novels. This authoritative edition demonstrates why George Eliots translation remains one of the most compelling and philosophically astute renderings of Spinozas Latin text. It includes notes that indicate Eliots amendments to her manuscript and that discuss her translation decisions alongside more recent English editions.