The New York herald., 1870-05-14
LITERATURE.
Book Review.

LOTHAth. By tue hIgut hOuOIaDie II. UlSEaclls NEW
York ID. Appleton Co.
Mr.. Disraeli's new work, "Lothair.n has at length
been published For weeks past public curc:,y ...., s
been excited 10 the highest pitch by the announce.
ment that the ex-Premier Of Great Britain. after
silence Of moro than twenty years. would again
appear IN the literary world. Well, his novel has
appeared and we hardly think 1t will be regard cd
as meeting the general expectation. 1t Is true that
as was announced, 1t "treats OF little OF every.
thing" We have the Roman Catholic Church of
England, Fenlan and Rati0pastic questions all dis
cussed In the guise OF fiction, in which almost all
the characters belong to English aristocracy
AS regards the characters in "LOthairn they are
merely sketched, not drawn. or course We except
Lotnair, and, perhaps, Cardinal Grandson. But OF
the many we see nothing more than light sketches,
vivid enough, we admit, to enable US to tell what
they are, but not sufficiently plain for artistic effect
Indeed, there Is little art manifest in the work. It
has no plot to unravel; its men and women are un-
derstood at glance. There Is no fine analysis OF
character, no assertion OF any great principle
Nothing but an ever-changing series OF pictures
with idea, tndistinct and half developed connect
Ing them. There are some exquisite touches 1t Is
true; often the language Is felcltons Vnd " never
wearles But we repeat that "Lothar'i lacks finish.
and the idea permeating 1t lacks candor Mr. Dis.
raeli leaves US to conjecture what his views on the
religious question are. He writes strongly against
and satirizes the Roman Catholic Church; he sneers
at the Church OF Engiand but while the noblest
woman OF all the women In the work Is an avowed
Nationalist member of the society OF "Madre
Natura" he leaves us to imagine whether he believes
In the religion Of Nature without the aid Of priests
and IS provokngly silent or obscure on this subject
The first chapter OF the book opens at Brentham.
the family seat OF duke who Ia nameess, as Is his
Duchess throughout the work. The family are seated
In the morning room, conversng Oh the approach
Ing visit Of Lothar, after whom the book Is named
ana who Is a minor and lord posthumous child
then under the guardian hip OF his uncle, "a Scotch
noble, Presbyterian ana whig," and 20 clergy
man, mis- fathers private tutor and heart frend-a
man Of brilliant talents who shortly after Lothalr
became an orphan (hls mother having died
soon after his BIRTH seeded from the Ang-
can communion ana entered the Church
OF Rome. Between these two guardians there
had been constant war, IN which the Scotch noble
had succeeded In thwarting every suggestion that
emanated from the obnoxious priest. until he at
tempted to disobey the VIII OF Lothar's father by
sending the Lad to the University OF Edinburg in
stead OF to Oxford. This led to Chancery suit
which the Roman Catholic guardian brought, and the
ward was finally, by decision OF the Lord Chan.
cellor, sent 10 Chrlsrchurch. Here he meets Ber-
tram, the neir of Brentham; q warm friendship
springs up between them and when vacation ar
rives It Is arranged that Lothair shall visit the family
seat Of its future lord.
For the first time introduced into refined society
Lothair behaves admirably. He is received with
distinguished consideration by the Duke and Duchess
anu Dy TWO OF their married daughters, the ladies
ST. Aldeg0nde and Montary. Before he has been at
Brenham many days he falls In love with Lady Cars.
ande the beautiful unmarried daughter OF the
Duchess whose presentation to society is 70 take
place the next season: He asks permission OF her
Grace trace TO oner ms hand to the young girl, and IS
OF both. While conversng on this subject OF his
love- Lohair EXPRESSES himself as In favor OF reigi-
Gus education and enters Into an exposition OF his
schemes for the extinction OF paupcrism Here Mr.
pi5raeli begins with the religious question. In the
sixth chapter he Introduces the reader TO Lohairs
Roman Catholic guardian, VINO has by tins time
become Cardinal Grandson. His Eminence has Just
seen usered out visitor In the person OF Monsgnore
expresses the opinion that the publication OF the
Scotch hierarchy at this monet will destroy lab0rs
Cardinal looks ana then directs the attendant to
usher in the visitor Mr. Giles solicitor the legal
gentleman lor Loihairs estate which Is one Of the
largest III England, enters tue apartment. He has
called in reference TO some wood accounts. His
Eminence inquiries II he ''has heard anything
lately OF my child, I" meaning Lothair Mr. Giles re-
plies in the affirmative, admitting that he has seen
him that very day. On the Cardinal remarKing that
few things would interest him more than to III eet
his ward, the solicitor states that Lothair would
take dinner at his residence that very day, AMI
winds up by asking the Cardinal to dine with him.
This invitation Is declined but he promises to drop
In and pay his respects to Mrs Giles during even
lng Wemgh as well state here hal Cardinal Grandi-
often described In works OF Gction land OF history
for the matter OF that. lie IS talented, refined,
smooth, oily, plausible and subtle. 1t Is next 10
impossible to get the advantage Of him. His great
aim In life Is to convers England to the enels OF his
Church, and this he believes can be done by first
converting the arstocracy, when the lower classes
will follow as matter Of course
Loihalr being nobeman OF high rank and I'M
mense wealth 1t Is important to make q convert of
n no
reason for the young mans visit TO Mr. Giles is that
he has promised TO aid a freud who s in pecunary
the sum Of money required. Mis-. Giles being am
bilious of aristocratic acquaintences her hls.
band band sszes upon The Opportunity and OBJ
talns L0thair's acceptance OF an invitation
to dine with him.. He goes and meets there
perfect medley OF characters Among them Is a
lady, with whom he does not then get acquainted, but
who exercises . vast influence upon his after life.
THE Cardinal arrives and holds Conversation with
his ward, which amounts to little, except that it
opens the path TO further intimacy. The scene now
changes, and more Characters are introduced. Car
dinal Grandson Is at the mansion of Lord st.
Jerome, Roman Catholic nOb.eman, whose wife,
convert Is devoted to her religion, and whose niece,
Miss Clare Arundel Is none the less an eDthusia t.
LOtaIr Ia spoken OF as distant relation, sort OF
cousin, OF Lady ST. Jerome and 1t Is proposed that
she make his acquaintance, with view principally,
us might be supposed, TO proselytism..
Agaln the scene changes. In fact the literary con-
strncton OF Lothair Is exceedingly faulty However,
to the story. mysterious stranger enters o coffee
house, gives his name as Captain Burgess, upon hear
Ing which The proprietor, one Mr.> Perroni appears,
addresses him as .my general, and informs him
that "the Standing Committee OF the Holy Alliance
OF Peoples are sitting mp stairs at this moment"
AS might be imagined this Is an extreme republican
organization, and on The General appearing In the
c)nlnittee room he is received with the greatest
possible respect. Germans, Italians, Irish, French
and men OF other nationalties are present An IN
surrecton IN Ireland Is considered but we cannot
see that anything results from the deiberation.
Meantime LOthar has formed the acquaintance OF
the St. Jeromes, and rumors are af0at OF his Bten.
ton to enter the Roman Church. He goes to vapxe,
the seat OF the st. Jeromes; Hoy Week finds
him there and he is present ut the Tenebra, with
Clare Arundel. Gradually his mind becomes engrOssed
by religion. with eanings towards the Church OF
Rome. Father Coleman, priest. works faithfully
to convert him. few days before the termna ion
OF his visit to Vauxe, Cardinal Grandson aud Mon
signorc Berwick arrive and in stroll In the park
Tho former impresses upon Lothalr the errors OF
all other religious faiths outside OF the
Catholic Church. The Cardinal tells him
that che whose deeds ana words most
nooly represent Divine thought will be the man
OF this century," Lothair mlirDlurs, "But who
could be equal TO such taskS' Yourself" ex-
claimed the Cardinal. Subtly the preate leads the
youth on L0thalr returns to town excited and agt-
tated. He proposes to build cathedral but is wOr.