HARTLEY, Mrs., née May Laffan. Born in Dublin. Widow of the late W. N. Hartley, F.R.S. Her brother William Laffan was at the head of Laffan’s Agency. For some considerable time past she has done no literary work.
⸺ HOGAN, M.P. Pp. 491. (Macmillan). 3s. 6d. [1876]. New ed. 1882.
Picture of Dublin society, showing how Catholics are handicapped by their want of education and good breeding, due, in the Author’s view, to wholly wrong system of Catholic education. Discursive and garrulous. Full of social manœuvres, petty intrigues, gossip, and scandal. Convent education from within.
⸺ THE HON. MISS FERRARD. [1877]. (Macmillan). 1882. 3s. 6d.
The Hon. Miss F. is the only daughter of the ancient and broken-down house of the Darraghmores. The father squanders his income faster than he gets it, and has to keep moving from place to place, living chiefly on credit. Miss F. is brought up in this inconsequent, semi-gipsy family, with wild harum-scarum brothers. The Author does not blink the consequent shortcomings of the heroine. Amusing things happen when she goes to live with her maiden aunts at Bath—an unsuccessful experiment. Her choice between her Irish farmer lover and the admirable English Mr. Satterthwaite—we shall not reveal. Good minor characters—Cawth, the old servant of the family; Mr. Perry, the family lawyer. “The Author represents the interiors of all Irish households of the middle classes as repulsive in the extreme.... There is in them an innate vulgarity of thought, with an atmosphere of transparent pretension.”—(Saturday Rev., xliv., 403).
⸺ FLITTERS, TATTERS, AND THE COUNSELLOR. (Macmillan). 3s. 6d. [1879]. New ed., 1883.
Four stories: (1) Three little Dublin street arabs, nicknamed as in title. Lively and realistic portraits. Poignant and sympathetic picture of slum misery and degradation. (2) Deals with the same subject. (3) Glasgow slum life. (4) Lurid and revolting story of conspiracy and murder in a country district. There are those who consider No. 1 quite the most perfect thing that has been written about Dublin life.
⸺ THE GAME HEN. (Dublin). 1880.
⸺ CHRISTY CAREW. Pp. 429. (Macmillan). 2s. [1880]. New ed., 1883; still in print.
Written in spirit of revolt against Catholic discouragement of mixed marriages, showing the social disabilities which it draws upon Catholics. Several portraits of priests, e.g., a collector of old books and a model priest. Studies of various aspects of Catholic life.