THURNEYSEN, Rudolf.
⸺ SAGEN AUS DEM ALTEN IRLAND. Pp. 152. Demy 8vo. (Berlin: Wiegandt & Grieben). 1901.
Short introd., then very briefly (in German, of course) the chief Irish sagas—the Courtships of Etain and of Fraoch, Mesgedra, Bricriu, episodes from the Cuchulainn cycle, the birth of Conachar, the Vision of MacConglinne, &c.
THURSTON, E. Temple. His novels are for the most part a series of studies or rather pamphlets on the action and influence of the Catholic Church on human nature. His conclusions are usually hostile to that Church. His writings give constant evidence of misconception of Catholic doctrine. Incidentally Irish types and scenes are introduced, and the writer is fond of comments on Irish life and character. Moreover, his first four books aim at “brutal” realism, or naturalism. His recent book, The City of Beautiful Nonsense, is a reaction to Idealism. Besides his Irish novels, noticed below, he has written Sally Bishop, The Evolution of Katherine, The Realist, and other tales (more or less anti-Christian in tendency), and Mirage.
⸺ THE APPLE OF EDEN. Pp. 323. (Chapman & Hall). 1905.
An argument against the celibacy of the clergy, conveyed in the story of a young priest—his childhood, inexperience, life at Maynooth, first experiences in confessional. Here he meets the woman whom he had loved. He tells her that, but for the fact that she is married, he would break all ties for her sake. There is much study of Irish life (in Waterford), but the Author has nothing good to say about anything Irish, country doctors and priests being especially attacked.
⸺ TRAFFIC. Pp. 452. (Duckworth). 1906.
Scene: Waterford and London. Has been well described by the Athenæum as a pamphlet in guise of a story, the thesis being that the refusal of the right of divorce in the Catholic Church may lead in practice to results disastrous to morality. This is conveyed in the story of a girl who leaves an unworthy Irish husband, and goes to London, where, being obliged to refuse an offer of marriage from an honourable Protestant, she takes to the streets. Contains strange misconceptions of Catholic doctrine and morality.
⸺ THE GARDEN OF RESURRECTION. Pp. 307. (Chapman & Hall). 6s. [1911]. 1912.