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Who was Mary Ellen Nicolls and how did she become George Meredith’s first wife?
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George Meredith
George Meredith, detail of an oil painting by G.F. Watts, 1893; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Mary Ellen Nicolls was the daughter of the eccentric author Thomas Love Peacock and the sister of George Meredith’s friend, Edward “Ned” Peacock. She was a widow with a young daughter, described as brilliant, witty, and handsome, and she was approximately eight years older than Meredith.1
Meredith met Nicolls through his association with a literary circle led by his mentor, Richard Charnock. While collaborating on a manuscript magazine within this group, Meredith fell in love with her. The couple married shortly after Meredith reached his majority and gained access to the remainder of his inheritance.1