The King of the book is no more intended to be a suggested picture of Edward the Seventh than of Haroun Alraschid. The performances of the latter potentate are certainly “impossible” and “outrageous”—to quote press diatribes on “Temporal Power”—but they live, and their forgotten writer is not branded with lèse-majestè. This romance of Marie Corelli’s was written to show how a King, in spite of modern surroundings, can still be a hero. Marie Corelli’s king is the best man in the whole story, and is represented as winning the love of all his people.
The authoress readily admits that an attack on Jesuitism is contained in the book, nor is she the only one who has waylaid that persuasion. She is strenuously opposed to the political and educational system of Jesuitry, and believes that the whole civilized world is with her.
The much-discussed question of “royal bigamy” as condemned by the action of Miss Corelli’s young Prince Humphry and his love for “Gloria,” is a matter that has nothing to do with one Royal Family more than another. Our author’s ideas are, that if any crime is a crime in commoners, it should not be excused in persons of Royal birth; moreover, she thinks that many a Royal Prince has been made hopelessly miserable, and the springs of his life poisoned at their very fount, by his being forced to wed where he does not love, merely for “Reasons of State.” The Pope has quite recently condemned Royal alliances between cousins; and as all Royal Families are at the present day very closely allied, Miss Corelli thinks it will soon be necessary for heirs to thrones to enjoy the same honest freedom of purpose in their loves and marriages as the simplest gentlemen in the land.
The novelist has been told that she has made enemies among the “extra-loyal” and “Imperialistic” party. She presumes the “extra-loyal” means the “extra-toadies.” If the “Imperialistic” party is a party which seeks to curtail and restrict the rights of the People, then she goes with the People against all political parties whatsoever. But she takes no side in party politics: she is a stickler for Justice and Right for the great majority.
Two apparent attempts in journals catering specially for the book trade, were made to quash the success of the novel. One of these journals plainly stated that “Temporal Power” had not obtained the triumph claimed for it. The publishers, Messrs. Methuen and Co., instantly taxed the paper in question with having misstated the case, with the result that the following retractation was published: “With reference to our statement last month, regarding the sales of ‘Temporal Power,’ we learn that, so far from the repeat orders not comparing favorably with those of ‘The Master Christian,’ they have established a record even in the gigantic sales of Marie Corelli’s novels. Up to the present, during the same period, the sales of ‘Temporal Power’ have exceeded those of ‘The Master Christian,’ by over twenty thousand, and some idea of the demand for the book, even after the first rush, may be obtained from the fact that all the retail book-sellers, with one exception, in Brighton, sent large repeat orders within a few weeks of publication, while a single repeat order from one retail bookseller alone in another part of the country was for seven hundred and twenty-eight copies.”
The other periodical, after making one or two attempts to stem the great wave of “Temporal Power,” printed the following somewhat halfhearted comment: “Although few reviewers have spoken kindly of this novel, its sale has reached a figure which it is unnecessary to repeat here; whether its merits deserve such popularity we must refrain from discussing.”
In some quarters it has been boldly alleged that “Temporal Power” is like “The Eternal City.” There are absolutely no points of resemblance. Miss Corelli has never read “The Eternal City” or any of Mr. Hall Caine’s books except “The Christian.” She declares, however, that she searched in vain for a real follower of Christ in that work. It is interesting to note, by the way, that although the two novelists met years ago at a social function, they are practically strangers to one another, and are probably content to remain so.
From a book containing scores of powerful passages which would well bear reproduction independently of the context, we only propose to make a single quotation. The following extract concerns one of the most touching events of the story, i. e., the rejection of the King’s offered love by “Lotys,” woman of the people:
“Lotys!” he said; “Are you so cold, so frozen in an icewall of conventionality that you cannot warm to passion—not even to that passion which every pulse of you is ready to return? What do you want of me? Lover’s oaths? Vows of constancy? Oh, beloved woman as you are, do you not understand that you have entered into my very heart of hearts—that you hold my whole life in your possession? You—not I—are the ruling power of this country! What you say, that I will do! What you command, that will I obey! While you live, I will live—when you die, I will die! Through you I have learned the value of sovereignty,—the good that can be done to a country by honest work in kingship,—through you I have won back my disaffected subjects to loyalty;—it is all you—only you! And if you blamed me once as a worthless king, you shall never have cause to so blame me again! But you must help me,—you must help me with your love!”
She strove to control the beating of her heart, as she looked upon him and listened to his pleading. She resolutely shut her soul to the persuasive music of his voice, the light of his eyes, the tenderness of his smile.