Volume I Part 16 (1/2)

M'Glashan objected to tragedy--”the ladies wouldn't like it,”--and Lever at last consented to make a more or less happy ending to his 'Tale of Ireland, Fifty Years Ago.'

When 'The O'Donoghue' was completed, Lever wrote a short novel which he ent.i.tled 'St Patrick's Eve.' He dedicated this book to his children.

Being aware that his relations with the Magazine (and consequently with the publishers of his books) were none too pleasant, Mr Pearce volunteered to take the ma.n.u.script of 'St Patrick's Eve' to London. He went straight to Chapman & Hall, and read the greater portion of the story to the brothers Chapman, who promptly purchased it.* Mr Pearce is under the impression that at the same time he made an agreement on Lever's behalf with the Chapmans for a new novel--'The Knight of Gwynne.'

* 'St Patrick's Eve' was ill.u.s.trated by Phiz. Chapman & Hall paid the author 200 on account to cover royalties on the sale of 5000 copies.--E. D.

The year 1844 furnished Lorrequer with another challenge from a testy man of letters. In the January number of his Magazine a memoir of Dr Maginn appeared. It was written by Dr Kenealy. The article was of considerable length, and Lever informed his publishers that eighteen persons, ranging from the Duke of Wellington to Sam Lover, were insulted, and that there were at least four distinct libels in the memoir.

Lever cut out most of the matter which he considered to be offensive or dangerous, and the result was that Dr Kenealy sent his editor a challenge. But the matter was somehow arranged without a hostile meeting.

Lorrequer was growing heartily weary of editorial worries. Throughout his career he suffered from hyper-sensitiveness,--the complaint stuck to him in every clime as persistently as his gouty attacks. While he held the reins at the office of 'The Dublin University,' Ireland was in an acutely nervous condition. O'Connell was struggling for repeal of the Act of Union; the Young Irelanders were urging the people to adopt methods more drastic than O'Connell would countenance; the political sect to which Lever belonged was antagonistic to O'Connell and to the Young Irelanders. Party feeling ran high, party rancour flourished, and many a hard blow was struck. William Carleton fell foul of Lever at an early stage, and attacked him at every opportunity. 'The Nation'--that unique Irish paper, founded in 1842--published in 1843 an article about the editor of 'The Dublin University,' accusing him of every literary vice. This article was written by Carleton, who lived in a gla.s.s house, but was not afraid to hurl stones at his brother novelist. It became the fas.h.i.+on for every Dublin print which was not of the same way of thinking, politically, as Lever, to abuse him. He complains, early in 1845, of being racked by annoyances from every quarter, ”sick of falsehood, pretension, bad faith, covert insolence, senile flattery.” He thought Ireland would have welcomed him with open arms, and would have encouraged him to reside in it, and the incense that was offered to him, he says bitterly, was misrepresentation and abuse. He did not make sufficient allowance for the intense acerbity which distinguishes political bickerings. He speaks also of ”vile headaches not leaving him night or day for months.” He was plainly the victim of overwork. Five novels and numerous short papers had been written in less than three years, and during these years the editors.h.i.+p of 'The Dublin University'

used up a considerable portion of his time, and played havoc with his nerves.

He made up his mind to bid good-bye to Templeogue,--”to seek out a tranquil place in a foreign land,” he writes, ”and to work away among my children”; and in February 1845 he set out once more for Brussels, Mr Pearce accompanying him.

It was whispered at the time of his departure that he was in serious money difficulties, but two of his intimate Mends, Judge Longfield and Major Dwyer, vouch that when leaving Ireland he left no debt behind him. Lever's own statement to Canon Hayman was that Dublin people were telling one another he was about to take ”French leave.” ”The truth is,” he continued, ”I came to Dublin so poor a man that I cannot be much poorer leaving it. But no one suffers by my poverty, except me and mine.” Though he ceased to be the editor of 'The Dublin University'

he did not sever his connection with the Magazine until a much later period.*

* The average circulation of the Magazine (which, it must be remembered, was published at half-a-crown) was 4000 during Lever's editors.h.i.+p. The circulation gradually fell away, and early in the 'Eighties the periodical died.--E. D.

And here, as we see the last of Charles Lever as a resident on Irish soil, it may be suggested that it has been the fas.h.i.+on to contemplate his novels which have Irishmen for their heroes--'Harry Lorrequer' being rather a series of stories of desultory adventures than an ordinary novel--from points of view which indicate some obliquity or narrowness of vision. In Great Britain Lever is recognised merely as the humorsome delineator of the rollicking, mule-cart-topping, bullet-proof dragoon: in Ireland he is regarded by a considerable section of his countrymen as a farce-writer, or else as that abomination, the Anti-Irish Irishman.**

Many of his critics--English, Irish, American--a.s.sert that his sketches of Hibernian life are hopelessly out of drawing, that his gross exaggeration smudges the picture. William Carle-ton went so far as to accuse him of deliberately giving to the public ”disgusting and debasing caricatures” of Irish life and character. This cla.s.s of criticism is born either of ignorance or of jealousy or of cra.s.sness.

** Some of his Irish traducers--meaning to be scornful-- speak of him as an Englishman, and imply that he was unable to view men and affairs with an Irish eye. Thomas Davis, like Lever, was the son of an English father and of a mother who was of Cromwellian-Irish stock, yet no Irishman dreams of referring to Davis as ”a foreigner.”--E. D.

Any one who will take the trouble to make himself acquainted with the chronicles of social life of the periods described by Lever will find that there is little exaggeration in his pictures. Of Irish peasant life he did not possess that intimate knowledge--it can be acquired only through actual experience--that Carle-ton possessed; but in none of Lever's books is there to be found anything bordering on disgusting and debasing caricatures of the peasantry. One of his later Irish critics goes so far in another direction as to insist that Lever ”represents the native virtues of the Irish so delicately and justly that no Englishman is suffered to scoff at the poverty or ignorance of the people.” The same critic continues: ”Irish novelists are blamable for much of the reproach cast upon Ireland in other countries. But Lever is not chargeable either with caricature or concealment. Whenever he has to deal with the good qualities of a race much maligned, he shows that he is engaged upon a labour of love.” And his Irish gentleman _is_ a gentleman. If any cla.s.s of Irishmen has a right to complain of unfair treatment at the hands of Harry Lorrequer, that cla.s.s is the priesthood: but this applies only to his very early books,--and Father Tom Loftus atones for much.

The English novel-reader in the lump cares less than nothing for Lever's most valuable opinions and sketches of current political and social life, or for his admirable pictures of a bygone time in the Emerald Isle,--he is anxious to ”cut the cackle and get to the 'osses.” Many an Irish reader professes to hold the belief that because Lever occasionally treads upon a pet corn he was impregnated with a savage desire to stamp violently on the foot of the patriot, eager to offer him a jibe or a sneer in lieu of an apology. Irishmen--if an Irishman may say it--are too ready to take offence at having their foibles laughed at. Race-feeling has much to do with this sensitiveness: circ.u.mstances more. The prosperous Briton can afford to enjoy banter. He says to himself, ”He laughs best who laughs last”; and he is confident he is going to have the last laugh against somebody else. The mere Irishman resents having fun poked at him. He prefers, or pretends to prefer, unstinted praise to a reasonable mixture of praise, blame, and sarcasm; he knows that in his inmost breast he harbours the quality of merciless self-criticism. He does not desire laudation for the comfort of his inner self, but for blazonry--for the eye of the world outside his beloved island. Lever made no attempt to pander to this idiosyncrasy--like Don John, he laughed when he was merry and clawed no man in his humour; but whether he laughed at or with his country or his fellow-countrymen, there was no bitterness or spitefulness in his mirth.

Whatsoever his political opinions, his sympathies were as Irish as the Wicklow hills, and his kindly heart could not foster malice: even for his relentless enemy, the gout, he could always find a pleasant word.

VII. BRUSSELS--BONN--CARLSRUHE 1845-1846

Although he left Ireland in pique, and although he gave his friends the impression that he was leaving it for ever, it is doubtful if Lever had arrived at any definite decision concerning his future movements when he set out from Templeogue. It may be judged from the letter which he wrote to Spencer upon his arrival in Brussels that he had at the back of his mind an idea of returning, after a brief period of exile, to his native country.

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

”Brussels, _Feb._ 28, 1845.

”On my way through London I made certain publis.h.i.+ng arrangements which can be fulfilled either by a residence abroad or in Ireland; and it is a matter of grave debate with what to decide upon. Meanwhile, I should like the power to resume my tenure of Templeogue, and would be greatly gratified if you could make such an arrangement with Gogarty* that I could hold on till the end of June or July on payment of a certain sum (say 50), and in the event of returning continue my tenancy as before. Should Gogarty make any arrangement to this purpose, pray then communicate with Bennett the auctioneer, and do not let him sell the oak or anything else, save the old lace given to him by my wife. If there be a great difficulty with Gogarty, I should rather retain the house and let it for the season in the event of my not returning. The other alternative of being turned out of a place which suits me so well [? is hateful].

* The landlord of Templeogue House.

”We have, _malgre_ two stormy nights at sea, [? progressed] admirably.