New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ENDYMlON-

ENDNMlON. A Novel. BY the klgut tou. DtN'
DrsRAELr Earl Of BeacOnsteld X. @; Prannmu
square Library. 40. PIP 81 Harper q Bro'herS'
Lord BeacOnsfclfs latest essay in hction peaiS
81 about the same relation to literature tha' Inc
Black Crook bears to the drama. 1t is nelt"er a
novel. nor a romance, nor n study of society
and manners, but coruscating extravaganza IN
which the widest impossiOilitles are heaped to-
eetler in prepostcrous confusion that they may
serve for the display of vOupuOus splendorS IL is
impossible 10 survey the gaudy magniicence spread
before us in these overloaded pages without
being reminded of Thackc,ays "Codhngsby by ID
Shrewsbury. esq: and there certain passages OF
"Endymon' which indeed SO closely resemble
that bur!cSque that one can almost believe
that Lord Beaconsield in the spirit OF
brayado has actually tried TO outdo the
travesty. The Jew banker, Ncuchatei, III
"EndymiOn." driving from his rural palace through
dirty Whi echapel to his mansion of business IN
Bishopsgate and dealing with the potentates OF the
earth in the midst of incredible luxury, is not more
like the Rothschild for whom he plainly intended
than he is like Thackeray's Rafael Mendoza, who
sells secondhand clothes in llolywel. st. and has
priceless picture gallery, amber divans,
fountain of altar Of roses and an ivory
pianoforte in the back room. where ne receives King
Louis Philippe in DISGUISE just Neuchatel re-
ceives Louis Napoleon under an alias. Even Lord
Beaconsfcd's loving description of the
beautiful Mrs. Ferrars, with her am
ply-rounded form, brilliant complexion, large and
"long-lashed" eyes, and mouth certainly too
large yet with lips whose "pouting rich
ness bafled description" seems to be modelled
upon the sketch in CodlIng>by" of
the Israelite beauties smiling amid the
darkling draperies of the London Ghetto We
are dazzcd at every turn by the sheen OF the
most costly aud highly colorcd raiment, and the
glitter of the most costly Jewels. Lord Moniort
was extremely fond of jewels. and held that You
could not see them 70 advantage, or fairly judge OF
their water or color, except beautiful woman.
When HIS wife IN grand toilet and he was un-
der the same roof he liked her TO cali Oh him on her
way to her carriage that he might sec her flashing
ryieres and taras the lusre OF her huge pearls ana
tie splendor of her emeraids and sapphires and ru
bies" Mrs. Ferrars twas always Corgeously rfaut1s
ticay attired and her twin children, Endymon and
Myla, besides inhertng her nigh complexion, were
dressed If possible fancltuy and brilliantly
than their mamma" The passage IN which these
paragonS, aged eight presented tous, is stroke
beyond burlcsQue:
Though only eight years Of age, most unchild-
like self-prse~son distinguished them. The
preston OF their cOuutenauCcs was naughty dis
Canfu and supeTcllIouS. Their beautiful features
seemed quite inpassiOned, and they moved a. II
they expected everything TO yield to them. he
enrl, whose long Inglcts were braided with pearls.
usheTed TO q sea- next to her fat er and like
Ter brother, who was placed oy MIS-. ferrar',
delicacies while she seemed apparently I'M
conscious Of any one being present, except
when she replied TO those wh0 addressed her with
stare and naughty mOn0Syllabe. The hov, III
black velvet jacket with large Spanish buttons OF
silver fIgrce. n shirt of lace. and wastcoat of
white satin, replied with reserve. but some cOnl e-
scensi0n to the gOOd-natuged but half-hunOTOus
inquiries of the husband OF Zenobia.
Twice at least Lord Beaconsicd calls diamonds
gems of Golconda," and repeatedly he decks his
l,r.f1,
den parties are flushed with roses and
crowded with princes and grand dukes. Zenobia
leaned back a brilliant sofa, supported by many
cushions rank and fashion and celebrity thIOngcd
her social Paradise; now and then was heard
silver laugh, and now and then was breathed
"a gentle sigh" while servants gded about
the summer chamber, with sherbets and
ices. At another entertainment there
were rare viands. choice guests, a gracious
host, floods of champagne, turtles, pneappes, bands
playing on the lawn, strange choruses from sing
ers of some foreign land in their picturesque
costumes" Al third, where dukes, duchcsses and
ambassadors ahouuded. all aglow with stars and
ribbons, the table bazed with rare
flowers and rarcr porcelain and precious
caudeabra OF sculptured beauty gttcring with |
light the gold plate less remarkable than the |
delicate ware that had been alike moulded and |
adorned for Du Barr or a Marie AntOinette.' A |
chance alluslOn to entomology leads Lord |
BeacOnsfeld into few original remarks |
on the benefcenee of insects. Man would |
find it difficult to rival their exploits the bee that
gives us honey; the worm that gives us silk the |
cocaiHe0l, that supplies manufactures cih their !
most brilliant dye" This very characteristic. We !
rise from the reading Of the book with |
impression that everybody in it is much |
overdressed and given to the wearing of too many |
fnger-rings and other superintendent jeweiry, and |
that everybo eats Iunles and drinks tokay.
The scenery, costumes and properties having been
furnished on a scale of lavish splendor never sur
passed on any stage, the persOnaces also of
tyTe quite out of the common The IllusriOus au-
thor has an undsgused contempt for the middle
class, and he brings into tip-top company.
Attempts have been made, more or less unsuccess-
fully TO identify his characters with real persons in
public life. The naughty, disdsinlul and super
cihous" boy a lace shirt grows up TO be the
hero of the book, presumed to be the noble
lord himself. Nigel Penruddock is a distorted like
ness of Cardinal Manning. Prince Florcstan is
Louis Napoleon. Lord Roehampton Is a portrait OF
Lord Palmerston, and Neuchate as we have said.
is Rothschild. But Lord Beaconsted delights in
mystticatiOn and so, besides Roehampton and
Neuchatel, we find both PalInerstOn and Rotbschild
mentioned casually by their own Names and
nearly all the characters made to do things ut
tery unreconciable with the lives of their supposed
prototypes. Myra. the sister of Endynion figures
for a while Lady Palmerston and after the death
of her lord she poses the Empress Eugene
going across the water IN great style TO
become tie consOrt OF FlOrcstan gnng over | I
his iugdOm. The enterprise in which that adven-
tuTous pretender accompishes his destiny is de- [
scrIbed with amusing combination of brevity c
and partlcuarty Landing from yacht he found {
the populace ready TO accept him; and when body
Of troops marched forth to oppose his expedition q
" the Prince commanded that no one should {
attend him. but alone, and tylnga white bandker-