The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-03
LITER RAJ U R E.

LORD KILGoBBIN A Novel, by Charles Lever.
Harper Brothers, New York. svo., pp.-2os. Illus
trated.
This latest work from the pen OF the gifted Irish
novelist, whose dashing heroes and heroines have
engaged the sympathics Of generation. will be
found eminently worthy OF his PEN ''Lord Kill
gobbn does not 1t is true reflect the allpervading
vivaclousness which carried one through his series
OF novels with military heroes Of the beau cavalier
stripe, as Harry Lorrequer," "Charles O'Maley,"
and "Jack Hinton, the Guardsman" We miss the
magnificent craftsmanship, the knight Grant ro-
nance, the buge blast, the cavalry charge, the
mess tables and the camp fires, which somehow
have become associated with the pane OF Lever,
until, by sort OF rejection, we think we see the
author In the hero. His earlier stories have been
distinguished from the morbid romances
'of the period as the crystal waters OF
La mountain stream from the muddy slough.
There was no great depth Of thought, little discur
|siveness but, on the contrary, a rapid transition
from situation to situation with tension Of inter-
est that never weakened to the end Broad, ge-
NAL humor animal spirits and pure morality
tended to popularize his stories, which, while they
had their headquarters in Ireland, roamed over
Europe, generally in the train Of the English ar
mics that ended their Continental excursions for
nearly forty years at Waterloo. "Lord Kigobbin"
has none OF this. 1t is story of Ireland of the
present day. and while preserving strong traces Of
the dash that ripped from the authors pen thirty
years ago. Is tnged with the mcllowed lights and
maturer thought which come OF long experience
The interest is never strained, and when 1t bor-
ders on the sensational we are reminded, by its ST.
Multitude to recent events. OF its extreme possibility
The novel takes its name from title supposed to
have been conferred by James H., the day after his
defeat at the Boyne, on an ancestor OF Maurice
Kearney, an Irish gentleman OF the conventional
type that's prodigal of means, smiling and hospia
BILE under debt, with cellar Of choice caret and an
estate with plenty Of grumbling tenants and heavy
mortgages upon 1t. The haste with which the royal
fugitive rushed to Dublin and the unceremonious
mode OF his exit nom the Island Of Saints render
the title part rather doubtful; but the novelist
makes 1t exist as sort OF courtesy which obtains
on the estate only and Is laughed at elsewhere The
family seat is Kilgobbin Castle, composite struc
ture not far from the Bog OF Allen and In the Kings
county. Maurice Kearney ESQ.,, "the lord" Is a
hale old man, Indicated and his family consists Of
daughter, Kate, and a son. Dck-the latter spend
F. ing time and money in the city OF Dublin instead
OF studying hard at Trinity College, Shortly after the
story opens an addition Is made to the dull and
quiet family circle at Kilgobbin Castle by the ar
rival OF niece Of the lords from Rome, the issue OF
an iadvised marriage which Kearney's sister con
tracted with a Greek prince. Her name Is Nina
Kostaiergi and she is, Of course, beauty, with q
profusion of golden hair, which gave her the
sobyqatet in the Eternal City OF the 'Titian Girl"
Her father, who had become q gambler Of the high
continental ORDER was about to sell her to the
stage and her escape from Rome and advent to
Kigobbn open the interest Of the story. or the
other characters which take up the action the most
prominent is Joe Atlee, young Kearney's college
columbian individual OF varied talents, pert
egotsm, little scrupulousness and high ambitions
who, from writing seditious songs for the Pike "a
paper In the Fenan interest and harboring q
noted Head Centre, Dan Donogan In his college
quarters, graduates into confidential agent
OF Lord Danesbury, the Irish viceroy, to arrange
certain diplomatic inducements In the Eastern
question and play battledore and shuttlecock be-
: tween the Edinburg quarterly the Kreuz Zeftung
all the characters IL the freshest type, although
not by any means O model for aspiring
youth He visits Kilgobbin and Is struck by the
Greek GIRL Cecil Walpoe, the private secretary OF
j the viceroy, visiting Kilgobbin by accident while
"studyng the Irish question:" discovers In Nina an
Old flame, with recollections OF balls In Rome and
rides In the Campagna. He is to o certain extent
pretendcr to the hand Of Lady Maud Blcker-
stafe the niece OF the yiceroy and his cousin. His
place in the affections or rather consideration, OF
Lady Maude is supplanted by the versatile Joe
Atlee, who however, in the end is led into prop
osition which, probably from coming too soon, Is
rejected with good nature. more crushing than