The New York herald., 1870-06-04
"L0THAIR." 4"
Disraeli's New Novel.
From Tinsley's London Magazine.}


A month or TIVE ago. when advertisements began
first to tell us that Benjamin Dsrae recently Prime
Minister Of Engand the veteran novelist and astute
politician, was about 10 give us new story in three
volumes entitled "Lothair," all the world was on
the tipt0e OF expectation to know what could posi-
bly, lie the meaning OF this strange title. The
world, thus eager to know, began to proph.
esy, and sage prophets to help In guessing;
but, as usual the most knowing prophets were all In
the wrong, aud the book now before us Is neither
gioriacaton OF defunct toryism nor apotheosis OF
medieval chiyalry. nor political satire recent
friends foes. There Is not line In 1t to which his
political enemies or comrades object personal
on which they can hope to form new theories or re-
vive Old animoslties. And yet the essence OF the
book Is Benjamin Dsraeli himself, anu
the air on which he lives, moves and
has his being is polihcs-.pollics In love.
making IN philosophising, In building cathedrats
In feaslng at duca banquets In arguing With car
ping at the Shrine OF freedom or in The temple OF
komish superstition; politics all clothed in the
s aimed at the pes which he Sreads S
winning the victory for which ne longs.
And 50 consummate is the art. with which
the Whole plot Is constructed and developed, easy
q aceful and mellow the wh0.e t0ac and style OF
Composition that It's special purpose and mission az
Vital interest in The fortunes ana siortnnes' Of the
romantic hero as a zeal living parsonage.
as novel In the ordinary meaning Of the Word
dealing with ordinary psople IN an ordinary world
or among probable incidents. 1t is. in fact glow
ing and mpassioned romance, as Wild anu as fanci-
fu Monte Chrssto," though With Christian eie.
ment running through 1t from which that eminent
hero and his imaginative author are wholly and
trely free Over both romances hangs the glowing
coler de rose in both the chief actors and actresses
are endowed with similar heroic or super
human powers-mOnsters OF craft and dexterity or
modes OF beauty. wisdom, w.t. courage and power.
No less stage than the world contents Mr. Dfsrael.
h4rA Ia tV n nUfh onh hxf(h
boundess wealth. His career carries him into the
inner circles OF nobility IN ENGLAND, at Rome, at Je
to devOur hlm; he frts with lovely English ladies,
highborn princesses, who worship and desire TO
| notabilies- princes, pashas dukes, cardinals,
ana Ss "nyssa s TSy Ss
relating TO and belonging TO HIM Is perfect gorgeous,
princely, unique. II he wishes 70 present his lady
he Of RUBY the
must furnish them for 'four Thousand guneas;n II
stray curate turns up in aristocratlc halls he has
could not breathe the, same atmosphere as
the immeasls; ir dacal young ladies take
OF the sum- and the fair equestrians doth married
and maden) bound or vaut into their seats fairies
and blaze with repartee the herosm Of the heroes
Il that OF lions; their eoquence whether painters
patriots that OF Apollo and their courage that Of
| Hercules himself-at times ''brave even 10 bru-
taiity." II q duke is sporting man he trains his
own morse aud WfffS cue Dcf0y; IL mdudIfe IN tbuS,
an artists wife, sings, not only IS the whole assem
bled crowd OF noble and titled hearers entranceI as
II by music from the spheres but her uncle Is Prince
| of Samos. descendant OF the Greek emperors;'
If Lothar's grandfather has to be buried he Is en-
tombcd il alabaster, hemmed In 'by railing Of
pure godu not In y churchyard or cathedral, but
In superb ard lofty octagonai chamber In an
aucicnt castle il Lothair dimes with Lori Agramoht
aunts and olefgyMen and that sort of thing"
The mystery I thar the reader II never tired OF all
this lgh-hown lo ty strain on the contrary, having
| nnp harm ha 10 llei m UnO Gn !rnQli
witty, SO GENIAL so original IS cur author that he
fairly takes "a captive; ana we gladly wander with
him throughout the length and breadth O noble life
I'm England, among dukes, countssses and earls or
young charming and beautiful English girls; stay
0utwit Romish priests; to play croquet or to dis.
cnss matrimony, music the philosophy Of COOKING
or the encamping an army; always amused and al
ways in good humor with ourselves ana witn our
guide; for, with ell his powers of sarcasm ana mis-
love of paradox, his aptness to stab mortal under
the NTH rio, and to smile as he stabs. our guide
throughout these sunny volumes Is always in good
humor. Whether at times OF sorrow or JOY Tor his
hero, when the clouds descend or the sun rises, his
b02H09ate never forsakes him.
As for the plot OF '.Lothair" there is no need TO
tell anybody what everybody already knows. In the
hands Of q less consummate master iG woud, prob
ably, not have any great interest for But In his,
the interest is sustained with unabatcd power almost
to the last The career OF Lothian Is that OF young
English nobienan, OF b,uest blood and fabulous
wealth, for Wd0m the two vuiture5 OF fierce Roman
perstHon and the other d.scarding all creeds and
turning humanity into God--contend with un.
bridled rapaclty. by combination OF good sense
and good fortune he escapes at last from the clutches
OF BOTH falls back into his Old life In England and
prudenly mar.ies the young, high born and lovely
Corisandc, to whom ne had plighted his deepest
affection Tong years before. The history OF his long
triais and fierce temptations; the siren aiiurcments
of Rome: the boder sophslries OF science, "iaiseiy
so called' the noisy clamor OF Freedom shrek
ing to become license; the perls that beset the no.
bic and wealthy youth OF great and free country
place Ia life-these are the things OF grave and mo-
mentous issue which Mr. Disrael summons Terence
on the title page to declare,
"Nosse omnia hoec salus est adolescentuis,"
a. wisdom and health to the rising generation
Perhaps never-certainly In no recent WORK OF fc-
tion--has been drawn a sharper, darker picture OF
in England not as regards doctrine, but
as regards moral power aud control over the souls
a ao;nars UIrsI grim presbyeran gaadanT Popery
only just the sign OF the cross and music and
censerpots, III be free to leave them alone II they
would leave me. But Popery Is O much deeper thing
than that, Lothair and our fathers found it out.
They could not stand it, and we should be craven
crew to stand it now man should be master in
his own house. You Will be taking wife some day,
at least il is to be hoped so and how VIII you like
l @ aa an to 20 pr pe eon Whenever e e
| pleases and when you want TO consult your wife,
which wise man should oiie; do to find there Is
! another mind between hers and yonrs?"
! Equally pointed ana equally shrewd is our author
all the other topics OF modern controversy handled
turned tp WSItoS towSs al omasm Raonam nor or Rtna
| ism, or any other idol OF the day. Bnt nowhere
| Is lie happier than in his dialogue ; though,
indeed, we at once dete't tn; voice tuat
speaks. 1t Is Jacob still, whatever the dis.
guise; the same love Of episram, the same craze
| after sparkling paradox. Thus, we lind Theodora,
the young and enchanrngiy lovely apostle OF free.
dom, the wife Of an American colonel who has sacri
feed all for the cause OF Italy, saying. "l live only
| for climate and the affections; look on atmosphere
as the main source Of eecity;' bat being IN gar.
denl 81 cannot bring myself 10 believe that they ha
| gravel walks in the Garden or Eden" ''Wnen the
| good time comes we shall give up eating In public
| except, perhaps, eating fruit on green bank VIII
mnsic.n
Here, again, he peeps out in the talk Of Mr.
| Pinto, choice aftcr.dinner wit:-"lf every man,
says Pinto, ''wcre straightforward In his opinions
there would be no conversation. The iun Of talk Is
| to find out what man really thinks and then con-
trast 1t with the enormous es he has been telling
| all dinner time, and, perhaps, all his life."
| In the same strain says Pinto:-"Lord 81. Je.
rome gave the same champagne, at hts BAL
In short he was q patriot. We talk with
| wondering execration Of the great poisoners, thC
Borgas the inventor Of aqua oSana, and The amiaDl(
| MOI p,tn hlitt nra m nurQ