"The Plough and the Cross: a Story of New Ireland," by William Patrick O'Ryan. The Aryan Theosophical Press, Point Loma, California. By F. J. D.
THIS story is surely one of the most arresting and charming which has appeared for many years. Reviewers of the first edition were almost unanimous in saying that it has to be read and re-read, because of its absorbing interest. Filled with beauties of ideation born of Celtic inspiration, are many memory-haunting passages. Seldom has there been a book portraying with such skill and grace the contemporary mental states of a naturally buoyant and imaginative people.
The first chapter is an adumbration, almost an epitome both of the story and of the general situation in Ireland along certain lines, mainly in the thought-world. For in spite of occasional brief personal or scenic sketches, one lives, in these pages, pre-eminently within the very thought-life of a people—a bold departure, and few have been the writers competent to make the attempt. Withal, the story is so genial and humorous, that one lives in that world unconscious of the magic woven around him. Most stories and dramas depend largely for their interest upon plot, incident, and stirring situations. Yet here the keenest interest is sustained within realms of mind, aspiration, and the higher planes of emotion; with little or no aid from plot or dramatic situation; although there are in reality deeply dramatic touches, those which belong to soul-drama.
One feels that the writer, while taking life seriously, looks ever to the brighter side—a wonderful achievement for any Thinker living in the Ireland of today. Because of this inherent attitude, he succeeds in throwing a strong search-light on existing conditions; and again because of it, that light illumines conditions prevalent in some other countries equally. The story has thus an almost universal character, and is in fact a kind of prose-poem. Some, entire strangers to Ireland, declare the characters in the story to be to them much more familiar than their most intimate friends. For being typical, they are real.
In one aspect it is the oft-told tale of struggle against conventionality and dogmatism; but the remarkable thing is that here these are presented in a sympathetic, rather than in an antagonistic light. It is a masterly touch; for conventionality, dogmatism, and even intolerance, are ways in which our imperfect natures cling fearfully to some halting-place, ere a new step is taken on the upward journey.
And so there must always be pioneers, leaders who encourage us to take the next step onward. Books such as this are like refreshing waters pouring new streams of life on jaded souls, weary of the squirrel-in-cage business of the accepted order. The book is full of good-humored raillery, and abounds in richly imaginative and poetic flashes. Although practically a recital of actual occurrences in Ireland, and therefore occasionally weighted with sad and unavoidably stern vicissitudes (less stern than the reality), one discerns plainly those undercurrents of aspiration and effort which are pressing upward in many places today—forces which, indeed, attain embodied expression before the world, in the Theosophical movement led by Katherine Tingley. And it was Katherine Tingley who, recognizing the high merit of this little work, acquired the copyright and caused the first edition to appear from the workshops of the Aryan Theosophical Press. The author himself, who is unconnected with the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society, replying to his critics, and after disclaiming the idea that there was any propagandist design in his mind, went on to say:
The truth is that life and character in the Ireland that is waking up are extraordinarily rich and interesting if we look a little below the surface.... To take such ideas and characters and try to press them into the service of some personal theory or propaganda would be a crude and senseless proceeding. The point is to illustrate and interpret them, as well as one can, to let them speak for themselves.
The following extracts, much to the point, are taken from a review which appeared in The Gaelic-American, New York.
Here we see the mysticism of the medieval poet done into prose. Into his love romance the author has woven his own peculiar ideas about religion, society, theosophy, altruism, and every-day politics. His characters talk these things without, however, losing their human and personal traits. That is why the story is so interesting.
In some respects The Plough and the Cross is a psychological study. Katherine Tingley, the famous Theosophist of Point Loma, condenses the features of the novel in the following brief introduction:
"A story of real life in Ireland—in the deepest sense as well as in the usual one—it elucidates certain heart problems in social and religious life with a candor, charm, and fearlessness, and with so tender a restraint and sympathy that it can hardly fail to be regarded as a wholly unique contribution to modern thought.
"More than one actual initiation into the real meaning and purpose of human life is subtly and exquisitely depicted here—the outcome of those stern yet joyful experiences which must come sooner or later to all true hearts that toil nobly and unselfishly for the uplift of social and national life...."