New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-04
O'BRIEN'S NOVEL.
A STIRRING NARRATIVE.
WHEN WE WERE BOYS BY William O'Brlen NJ
;2mo. PIP. $50. Longmans, Green Co.

HoEtl WAS WTllteHs toEttHci WV" WV T
political relations Of the author, give to the work
more than o literary significance III the worid
turns with special interest TO the memoirs OF some
distinguished soldier knowing that it Will gam
an insight to the springs of many military move
ments scarcely Ineligible TO the lay reader With
out O. glass the same world nav well seek III
romance from the pen OF William OBrien fresh
licht upon the dar, and troubled SUBJECT OF irish
politics For such man. engaged during many
years in a struggle against Overwhelming odds,
knowing always that the inevitable defeats of his
career involved Imprisonment and hard treatment,
nevertheless persevering with logged resolution
which wore out the resentment of his antagonists,
must be in a position 10 interpret those secret
currents of Irish hope and Irish thought which
30 often perpleX and battle the inquest OF lrelands
warmest sympathizc:S. That any one but an
Jrshman can write UNDERSTANDINGS about Irish
views and aspirations is not to be admitted The
Celtic nature is not TO be penetrated and appre-
ciated by the stranger without help from within
the island. In the case lefore us there is an
additional source of interest. for Mr.. Ol}rien.
while he could not help Illuminating the politics
of his country because of his wide personal expert
ence aims in this volume at illustrating quite a
new phase of Irish development; the Incidence,
namely. of American influence upon the situation
That influence. as here exemplified. has already
had important results. and of a kind which VIII
he thought good or bad according to the position
Of the critic \ distinct decline Of reverence Tor
the priest-visible now these many years-is one
Of the most noticeable of the new phenomena
Associated with this this is the emphatic condem-
nation of the priest in politics. in itself
radical and in fact revolutionary change mas
much as when the priest had the full confidence
cf the peasant he was the natural and almost
tmripotent leader. both in politics and ell else.
The growth of suspicion that the policy of the
Church of Rome not III accord with Irish
interests had no doubt much 20 DO with the
rise Of the ant-slcerdotal sentiment hut the
suspicion seems TO have been less indigenous than
exotic. and Mr. O'Brcn appears to trace it TO thr
more independent and holder views OF tie Irish.
Americans. The growth of that pseudodemo-
cratic sentiment which manfests itself in the
abandonment Of the atnenitbs and little social
courtcsies Of Life under the impression that the
rendering of them implies an admission OF inferi-
ority is another imputed change. IL is. indeed.
curious tn observe how commonly undeveloped
intcllieenors fall into the error of confoundinG
mere boorishnCsS with a vindicatOn OF equality.
ana how often such primitive people think they
are asserting their manhood ny refusing 10 he
ro'itc. Yet there is a reason for this. if one
will but seek it. In Scandinavian countries.
where a truly republican simplicity has for gen
eratons prevailed. really beautiful national
courtesy l. Cac rue. III Iiclduu tlt t"HI u-HN
which is natural to the people and which uscd to
sit so gracefully upon them. has become associated
in teir minds with submission 70 regime thev
hetestcd and endurance Of wrongs they were
power ess TO resent Ii is therefore. not remark
able that in taking their first democratic lessons
they should exhibit hostility to what they might
we'll regard part Of the symbolism Of subluga-
ton: and it is natural enough that they should
bc drawn into some exagceration in trying to
lhr " ~ an offensive Tradition.
But Mr. @ Bren inti'nates that American in
huence has been responsible for no little mischief
as well as good in Ireland, if We TO put an
esoterc meaning upon his story. For he pictures
an abortive rising in which American Fenans
play prominent part, sending over officers be-
longing to the Grand Army to organize revolt.
and coming on the of the outbreak with a
shipoad of veterans and large military supplies
At the eleventh hour the American lcadcr-a
general officer who distinguished himself IN the
War Of the Rebelon-having gone all over the
country and examined the situation carefully,
comes to the conclusion that the only course open
to himself and his comrades is TO return 10
America lie has satisfied himself that nothing
but disaster can come of trying to carry out the
insurrectionary programme. The Irish at home
are depending entirely upon outside help They
have wasted time in Dragging and spouting poetry;
they are without arms, without organization,
without capable leaders. They have 50 pro-
crastinated and exercised so little caution, In
fact that whereas a few weeks previously the
prospects were cxcellcnt-several regiments at
vital points having been won over, and the
possession of forts and arsenas being virtually
secure-now the Government has discovered the
whole plot. has changed the regiments tempered
with brought a feet over 10 the point on the
coast where the rising was to take place, and
arrested the native leaders and organizers by the
dozen IN all parts OF the country. So the American
ship with the Grand Army contingent sails away,
and the young Irshmen left behind VINO nave
been betrayed by the usual-and apparently
observation-disclosures become the subjects OF
State trials. and are lucky if they get transpor'a
ton for life instead of the gallows
The conflict between the higher clergy ana the
parish priests over politics is strikinsly illus
trated by the relative positions ana charac'eIS
of Monsgnor Mc(irudder and Father Phil. while
DIR. O'Harte seems 10 occupy place midway ne
tween these two. with ultimate and deter
mining bias in behalf of that form Of patriotism
which takes shape in conspiracy Inc autHor
having evidently had in view mainly the eNposl-
ton Of his views upon Ireland as II Is II would
be scarcely fair to Judge his work by strict Itcr-
ary rules 1t may, however be said that his
most serious fault is an uncomfortable veroosity
All the sentiment. action and other effective Gle
mcnts of this novel. would have been much bet
ter displayed in half the space. novel of $50
closely printed pages ought TO he very good in
deed 70 justify its length; and though Mr..
OBriens political excuse is admissible 50 far as
it extends it cannot cover the offence OF making
nearly every one of his characters talk literally
like book and certainly not at all as real
men and women talk. In short, a vigorous prun-
ing would improve When We were Young i'm
mensey and add TO its interest and force espcci-
~ ,ypaa paf i'm in tha sfor,
and sufficient variety of characters and Incl
dents TO suit the most cxigent lover of sensation.
The Irish Lord. who is in debt up 70 his ears,
lives in London and is robbed Systematically by