EDELSTEIN, Joseph.
⸺ THE MONEYLENDER. Pp. 110. (Dublin: Dollard). Illustr. by Phil Blake. 1908.
A strangely realistic story of Jewish life in Dublin, told with rude power. Written by a Jew, it gives a dreadful picture of the life of the poor in Dublin slums, and of the misery wrought by the Jewish moneylender, who grows rich on their misery. The Jew, Levenstein, who is driven on in his evil course by desire to avenge the sufferings of his persecuted race is a revolting, yet a pathetic figure.
EDGE, John Henry, M.A., K.C. Born 1841. Son of late John Dallas Edge, B.L. Lives in Clyde Road, Dublin.
⸺ AN IRISH UTOPIA. Pp. 296. (Hodges & Figgis). 3s. 6d. Frontisp., View of Glendalough. 1906 and 1910. Fourth ed. (Cassell), with fine portraits and interesting autobiographical introduction, 1915.
“A Story of a Phase of the Land Problem.” Scene: Wicklow County and Shropshire, England. A slender plot, telling of the abortive attempt of a younger twin to oust the rightful heir from title and property, ending with a lawsuit in which some well known lawyers are introduced under slightly disguised names. Father O’Toole is a very pleasant character study. The famous “J.K.L.” Dr. Doyle, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, figures in the story. The standpoint is that of an Irish Conservative, without religious bias, and sympathizing with certain Irish grievances. Humour, pathos, and brogue are absent.
⸺ THE QUICKSANDS OF LIFE. Pp. 392. (Milne). 6s. 1908.
Scene: first half in England, portion of second half on an estate somewhere in the South of Ireland. The interest centres chiefly in the plot, which is complicated, a great many of the personages passing through quite an extraordinary number of vicissitudes. Though the Author is never prurient, a considerable number of dishonest “love” intrigues are introduced, treated in a matter-of-fact way as every-day occurrences. Of Ireland there is not very much. The land troubles furnish incidents for the story, but are not discussed. The Irish aristocracy shows up somewhat badly in the book. Some tributes are paid to the virtues of the Irish peasantry.
EDGEWORTH, Maria. Scott, in his Preface to Waverley (1829), speaks of “the extended and well-merited fame of Miss Edgeworth, whose Irish characters have gone so far to make the English familiar with the character of their gay and kind-hearted neighbours of Ireland.” And he continues: “Without being so presumptuous as to hope to emulate the rich humour, the pathetic tenderness, and admirable tact, which pervade the works of my accomplished friend, I felt that something might be attempted for my own country, of the same kind as that which Miss Edgeworth has so fortunately achieved for Ireland.” She came of an old County Longford family, but was born in England in 1767; her father was a landed proprietor at Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, whose life she afterwards wrote. Most of her long life was spent in Ireland. She came to know the Irish peasantry very well, though from outside, and also the country life of the nobility and gentry. She had much sympathy for Ireland, but was unable to understand that radical changes were needful if the grievances that weighed upon the country were to be removed. She died in 1849. The circulation of her books has been enormous, and they are still frequently reprinted both in these countries and in America.[4]
Uniform editions of her works: (1) Macmillan, with excellent illustrations, 2s. 6d. and 3s. 6d. each; pocket edition, 2s., and leather, 3s. (2) Dent, in twelve vols., 2s. 6d. each, very tasteful binding, etched frontisp., ed. by W. Harvey. Messrs. Routledge also publish Stories of Ireland; introduction by Professor Henry Morley; 1s.