New-York tribune., 1906-11-22

The authors of Some Experiences of an Irish
r. NJ" z. R. Sonerville and Martin Ross. have
just published a new volume Some Irish Yes
terdays" Nongmans Green & Coz. This is
boon. These two have gift all their own for
painting Ireland in a spirit of fun, without ever
losing the sympathy and understanding essen
tial TO truthful picture. On the present occa-
sion they tell few stories, indulge in some
"reminiscences. and in a casual, discursive way
help US 10 see Ireland as she is, and TO realize
the traits Of the Irish. There is humor every
where in the book and there is sentiment, too.
the feeling of writers whose hearts well
their heads are interested in their theme. IN
derneath the%pure fun of Boon Companions"
for example, in which some of the pets Of an
Irish chidhoo1 are commemorated, there runs
the straiz of something more than fun making.
These pets. by the way adorable, though
their habits are sometimes alarming There is
the young rabbit that became "precocious be-
yond belief" BY day It sat upon the arm Of
fits proprietor but at night 1t sought rest else
where 1T slept. or affected to sleep. in box
in her room. biding its time till the candle was
put out Under cover of darkness it would then
steaIthiIy come forth and would buck with pre-
cision from the floor on TO the face Of the
sleeper, repeating the feat often as repulsed.
until a burrow in some corner of the bed was
granted" We admire that rabbit. 1t could eat
anything from porridge and marmalade TO rab-
bit pie
OF course. the authors have one or two Bulls
to tell us This one is perfect: IF We were TO
be killed crossing fence. ye'd be all rghtF said
a Iooker-on to one whose horse had turned
head over heels in the middle of a level pasture.
but If We were killed on the fat of the field
ye'd never hold up your head againr On the
subject Of Irish diction the authors make re-
marks which should be taken to heart by all
those who presume TO introduce Irish dialogue
into books plays. 1t is not pronunciation and
spelling that count the most The vftaitzing
power is in the rhythm OF the sentence. the turn
of phrase, the knowledge OF idiom. and OF. be-
vond all. the attitude OF mind" Mr.. Kipling is
criticised because he makes his Irish folk say
Curl" for girl, Timber for timber. and
"Quane" for queen Few Of his works" it is
added, have been more popular than Soldiers
Three yet 10 me and others Of my country it
is the narratives OF Private Mulvaney that give
least pleasure The whole question is traversed
in the following interesting paragraphs:
AS IN converse; and with deeper disaster, is It
some heavy handed cartcature Of Irish humor,
secure in ats consciousness of being conventional.
il is better 10 accuse a man OF having broken a
commandment than 10 tell him that his sense OF
humor appears TO you defective, So leaving that
branch OF the subject open. ! will only mention
that there alive many excellent people who will
never on this side Of the grave, be convinced that
the Irish peasant does not say ''indade" for in
deed" behave" for believe "swape" for
sweep" Unborn and ingrained knowledge Of such
points is essential; If, among many anomalies
rule can he found it seems 10 be that in an Irish
brogue the dphthong ''ea" changes to "a" in
say for sea while the double ,'e' remains
ntamPersd With 5 thss gt geq as mght hear person
Writers Of fiction have lone much that Is pain
full in dealing with Irish people. Thackerays Cap
tain Costigan spoke like n stage edition Of Dublin
car-driver, which is not what would expect in
a gentleman who. according 70 his account,
bore his Majesty's Commission in the foightng
Fundtherd and Third" and his introduction OF
Arthur Pendennls as "a person Of refoned moind.
enia bic manners. and a sinsare lover of poethry'
is not convincing very amusing. It is
strange that the of making Irish ladies and
gentlemen talk like their servants should this
hour have a fascination for novelists- 1t is not
very long since that. in magazine. ! read Of a
high-born Irish Captain of Hussars, who in
ment OF emotion exclaimed "Howly Mither av
HivenT'