The sun., 1880-12-05
SOME NEW BOORS.
Endymlon.

That new novel by tho author OF 10
ahalr" should bo simultaneously offered to
American readers by no less than three pub
fishers bears witness to tho interest and curl
osity which the remarkable career OF tho Con-
sorvative leader has awakened on this side OF
the Atlantic. We do not mean. OF course. that
many OF those who eagerly peruse Endvnion
will caro- to trace in II tho writer's political prin
ciplos. or seek to evolve from its random nllu-
Bions to public events tho secret OF his political
success. But everybody appreciates the social
frlumphs OF Lord Beaconsfield everybody feels
that this mans life constitutes. in Its social as
poets, a romance more gorgeous and extrava-
giant than any he himself has penned. There
Is nnother reuson why his portrayal OF what arc
commonly regarded as the highest spheres OF
English society Is certain to be scanned with
Bxceptional nvidity. Thoro is nothing which
tho British middle class. or, for that matter. tho
mass OF well-to-do Americans. regard with such
keen inqusitiveness rs the English aristocracy.
The habits. manners tastes. modes OF thought.
and modes OF speech OF that brilliant and enviod
PASTE arc mado the objects OF unremittinR in
uulry and imitation Books that purport TO deal
with what is vulgary called high life. start with
Reighty credentials. as is proved by the simple
lest OF sale. Experienced publishers will
doubtless boar us cut in asserting the superior
point OF view. But tho majority Of works in
ended to crafty the popular craving for en-
bghtenment on this head and purporting to
photograph the best English society. are dis
bredited by grave doubts OF the authors COM
petence. The middle-class reader, whose naive
and conliding attitude was source OF perpct-
nal merrimont to Thackeray is now beset by
lurking apprehension that these glowing de-
dneations OF patrician existence are not in
Itructvc transcripts OF freality. but delusive and
useless products OF plebeian's imagination.
For too often victimized and justly suspicious
audience it is plain that a novel written by
Knight OF the Garter must have an incom-
parable charm. On the hints and examples
rleaned from his authentic pages. the patient
tudent OF good manners. the ardent amateur
u modsh talk and genteel behavior. may build
ls on a rock. Indeed Lord Beacons6eld's 80
hal studies are sure to be distinguished by a
Ar more minute and instructive realism than
you'd have characterized his work had he been
born In the purple. There can bo. from the ma
nre OF the case. no more alert untiring Incl
i've. and exhaustive observer than parvenu
Rhose success has been in no sense due to
wealth. An intuitive swiftness in discerning
md reproducing the subtlest shades OF senti-
nent and the incest distinctions OF speech and
VI demeanor peculiar to the world in which he
q stranger. is the inexorable condition OF his
naturalization in 1t. From this point OF view 1t
nay be said that no novelist has been 80 thor
,uGhly qualified to depict English society as is
BENJAMIN DIsRAELI. who was born quite outside
VI 1t. and who has conquered it with an unex-
IMPLIED splendor and completeness OF conquest
Those self improving persons. however. who
on one OF Disraelis novels as II it we're an in
hllible manual OF etiquette and a precious re-
Sository OF conventional lore. will be in some
measure disappointed by " Endymion." Tho So
hety depicted In this novel is not contempora-
". but separated from US by more than gen.
Iration In point OF time and by much wider
Tuf as regards the change in manners GUS
pms, and ideas. Regarded as a storehouse Of
lcute observations and shrewd comments. it
would prove less useful to the student OF exist
nR types and standards than as nsenioire pour
,errr in the estimate OF past epoch. Tho
Itory begins with the death OF Canning, and
Inds. II We are justified in Identifying the
mysterious parsonage variously design ated
Is the Count OF Otranto" and Col
Albert" with Louis Napoleon. some time
lfter the establishment OF the second empire
In France. The main action OF the story covers
he years which intervened between the first
reform act. and the disruption OF the Tory
party after the repeal OF the corn laws. The
preceding period is but family outlined while
me illusions to events subsequent to 1913 are
pi relatively casual and fugitive character.
and suggest the retouching OF substantially
completed but unpublished work. At many
points, too. in the main current OF tho narrative
here are signs OF revision on the part OF the
Author as IL he wished to adjust statements
and opinions to later and moro accurate knowl-
bdge or to his present point OF view. In general
II may be said both OF "Endymion" and
% 7 tl,a tbo n tb
much more self-restrant and circumspection.
md is far less ready to occupy the seat OF judg-
ment than he was in his earlier books. His
,trictures are not so sweeping so trenchant. so
confident. He does not pronounce on legsla-
lion and appraise the abilities OF statesmo en-
with the glibness Of" Vivian Grey :" no does not
renovate society and settle the fate OF empires
with the CONF placency evinced in g Coningsby "
md Sibyl." In word. his pen seems to have
lost much OF it's old acrldity. not to say gall and
venom since his own public life has been n
Target to the shafts OF irony and SATIRE He
Ieems to have arrived at the conclusion that n
saustic vein is less discreet and sapient. rs this
world goes. than q relatively genial. tolerant.
ronciliatory strain. He writes in his two last
novels much as well-bred men talk. fuently.
tentatively. unpretentlously. unnrgumenta-
lively. His opinions are hinted rather than ex-
pounded. brought out with the wary hesitation
Of the experienced politician who has learned
that he may have at any moment to adopt meas
nres previously rejected. and to accept as
friends the enemies OF yesterday.
Except so far as 1t presents a record OF Its au-
thor's observations and reflections. and helps
US to understand some phases Of his own re-
markable career. We cannot SEQ that this new
novel has much to recommend 1t. Considered
Is work OF art to be scrutnized and judged in
comparison with the approved standards oI
novel writing, it is neither much Letter MOI
much worse than preceding ventures by the
Iamo hand in the same direction. We're En-
hymion" the work OF an utterly unknown writer
might pique the curiosity of the few survivors
Di tho period 1t depicts because they would
recognize in it's author an habitu6 Of their old
world; but we suspect that tho mass Of readers
would pronounce 1t q dull book. We will risk