The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-07

seven years before, was busy planning
more ambitious works. These three
men, Lever, Lover and Carleton, now
remembered chiefly rs the authors Of
Charles O'Malley," Handy Andy" and
''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peas
antry," were the giants of their era,
and their influence can be plainly dis
cerned in the literature OF today. Lever
and Lover furnished us with the con-
ventional Irishman-the author of a
hundred witty sayings, the laundering
hero of hundred escapades, the dash
ing daredevil who still figures on the
stage, and is not unknown in literature,
though one may seek vainly for him
in real life.
TO Carleton may be traced all that
has been written soberly concerning the
Irish pcasantry, from Mrs. Halls
"Sketches of Irish Character" down to
Jane Barlow's "Irish Idylls' and Kathe-
rine Tynan's isle in the Water" Garlic
ton, born in 1894 at Prillisk, county Ty-
rome, was the son of peasant parents.
AS a child he heard countless stories of
fairies, banshees, ghosts and holy wells
He knew wondrous rams and charms
by heart, and was familiar with the in
side of a hedge school.
When he grew older his parents sent
him to Rev. Dr. Keenan,, cousin Of
his own, that he might acquire Il knowl-
edge of the classics, and such progress
did he make that he was destined for
the church. He gave up the idea OF
the priesthood, however, and became a
tutor instead in the family Of farmer
in county Lo1ltl. A little experience Of
this life made him long for a wider
field of action, and he started for Dub.
lin, arriving, of course, with the ortho-
dox half crown in his pocket. In 1880
his "Traits and Stories of Irish Peas
antly" was published, and Cartoons
genius was at once recognized.
In this book he has embodied much
of his own experience; Denis
O'Shaughnessy, with his Latin phrases,
his love for long arguments, and his eye
for pretty girls, is picture Of himself
The homesick misery of the poor schol,
ar is worked up from the recollection Of
what he felt himself when he left home
in search Of learning; and the immortal
Mat Kavanagh is no other than the
hedge schoolmaster who taught him his
letters.
Samuel Lover, born in Dublin in 1897,
was a versatile genius, and at 81 we
find him established as artist song MAX
Dublin journals. "Handy Andy" that
most laughable and popular Of books,
was published in 1913, and it is on this
work, and on such songs as Rory
O'NIore," "rhe Four-Leafed Shamrock"
''Thc Angels Whisper" and '"The Low
Backed Car" that Lovers fame chiefly
rests. His stories are full of boisterous,
rollicking fun, and the hero is chleny
an Irishman; but Lover can scarcely be
called n delineator of Irish character
he viewed it only from purely humor-
GUS standpoint, and wanted people to
laugh at his wild Irish squires and his
laundering Paddles, and if they did so
he cared little whether they laughed at
a portrait or caricature.
Lever, born in 1906, the son Of Dub
lin builder, had career as adventurous
as that of one of his own heroes. A
Trinity student, he had shared in the
wild pranks which afterwards enlivened
the pages Of "Charles Q'AIalley;;" he had
lived with the red Indians, and paraded
in all the glory of paint and feathers
through the streets of Quebec; had stud
led at Goettlgen; and, like DR.. Gold
smith, could boast of foreign NJ. D..
had been a dispensary doctor, jour-
nalistic editor, a member of the diplo-
different places ut home and abroad.
The varied life furnished him, in many
instances, with material for his stories.
In "O'Leary" he has introduced scenes
from Indian life; in est. Agnes Eve he
draws on his experience as Clare doc
tor, and in many Of his later novels the
brilliant social life Of the continent Is
contastcd with that Of the Irish country
families. The list Of Levers works is a
long one, but CHARLES O'NIalley," how
ever, simply dwarfs everything else he
wrote and, indeed, the unflagging inter.
est of the story, the wit and knavery OF
Mickey Free, the dashing adventures Of
O'AIalley, and the racy humor which
pervades the whole, renders this a book
which greater genius than Lever might
despair of possessing.
Contemporary with Lever and Garlic
ton appeared a host of lesser lights:
Sheridan Knowles, LIE Fanu, Dion Bou-
cicault Lady Morgan, John Banim, Mrs.
Cashel Hoey and Mrs. Hall (whose
Lights and Shadows" are very faith
full sketches Of Irish character); but if
one wishes for high degree Of brill
liancy, pathos and power one must seek
it rather in the works Of later writers;
in Miss Lafans account of the three
fascinating street Arabs, "Flitters, Tat