Irish Jesuit Province

Ten Tales by William MaginnReview by: C. O'C.The Irish Monthly, Vol. 61, No. 726 (Dec., 1933), pp. 799-800Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513685 .

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BOOK REVIEWS 799

works of the Fathers and from the Sessions of Trent in support of these dogmas.

The book is well turned-out and the print is clear. The style is not quite faultless and there is a certain inaccuracy in the expression.

The Mystery of the Eucharist should bear much fruit. Every Catholic would do well to read it. We are glad that Dr. O'Neill has gathered into a book these stray papers They were well worth the gathering.

GE. MCIJ.

Ten Tales. By Dr. William Maginn. Price 5/-. (Publisher: Eric Partridge, Ltd., Scholartis Press, 30 Museum Street London, W.C.1.)

The sincerity of our gratitude to a man who presents us with a gift of ripe fruit is not lessened by the fact that he has not made the fruit but only gathered it. So here also the sincerity of our gratitude to the anonymous editor who has gathered into one, a selection of stories written for various periodicals about a hundred years ago, by Dr.

Maginn, is not lessened by the fact that he is not himself their author. Of Dr. Maginn himself we cannot delay to speak, nor is it necessary that we should, for the reader

will find a short biographical note prefixed at the beginning of the Tales.

'

Dr. Maginn was unquestionably a writer of ability. Th& appearance of this book shows that besides Professor Saints bury there are others also who rightly feel, that among more or less modern writers he has been a victim of unwarrantable neglect. In the Tales he proves himself in every way a

master of clear expression, vivid presentation and quick movement, though his sense of humour falls short at times of the excellence of his style. However, the canons by which humour is judged are, perhaps, subject to greater variation than those which govern style.

As an essay the first Tale is of a high order. "Bob Burke's Duel with Ensign Brady " is exceedingly well told and few could fail to rejoice at having made the acquaintance of " Dosy M'Namara " and her blustering mother, or of " Captain Codd " and " Major Mug." But some of the succeeding Tales have less to recommend them nor do they always differ greatly from the sort of fireside stories one would tell to children as the shadows darkened. " The Vision of Purgatory " is a rather crude burlesque on an imaginary meeting in Chapter of the Saints of Ireland and alike for it, as for the " Two Butlers of Kilkenny,' " The Legend of Knocksheogowna " and " Daniel O'Rourke,"

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so THE IRISH MONTHLY

" Paddy ' with his bottle of whiskey is made the inevitable background. In " Jochonan in the City of Demons," however, and " A Night of Terror," which bring the bhook to a close, Dr. Maginn is seen not far short of his best.

C. 0'C.

A Tonic in Type. Brian O'Higgins. When man meets his felows around a turf lire, inevitably

there are stories told while, above the rumble of laughter, opinions are bandied and experiences, recalled or imagined, liberally exchanged. WVith the day's toil behind him man is no longer a mere worker; he is a critic of the world around him, a pocket statesman, an opinion incarnate and, foremost of all, a story-teller. " A Tonic in Type," by Brian 0 Higgins,

might be the report of such-merry evenings when, with pipes puling easily, men unveil secrets and tell tales. If politics and talk of the " Trouble " unexpectedly are absent it is because Irish politics have ruined dearer things than a pleasant chat,

while the author has painted the brighter -side of the " Fight" in his " LaughterAined Memories."

The stories, as one must expect at fireside gatherings, are unequal both in quality and length. Many are rollicking, new and excellent; all are decked out in Gaelic dress; but, betimes, there bobs up a chestnut. This, in the opinion of the author, is not a failing, for he holds, with all facile raconteurs, that *.v go6d yarn cannot be told too often." If you agree with him in this, there will be no dull page for you in this little book, for the stories lose nothing in the telling. In general, howeve, the shorter stories are the brighter, the point in the longer being blunted slightly under the burden of words. No doubt this digressive style throughout is true to the custom' of the Irish story-teler, but in print, where the dancing fire-light and

musical voice are wanting, unessential preambles tend at length to become wearisome. However, take this book in small doses, as a tonic should be taken, and the wordiness will not irritate; rather you will be charmed by the incidental examples of Anglo Irish speech that often catch the lilt, 'the spar4e and the happy phraseology of genuine Gaelic-minded English.

Again and again, as through chinks in the merriment, there escapes the graver purpose of this book. It is a plea for -a return to the simple and

" homely as contrasted with the tinselled,

complicated club-life that is invading the new Ireland. Such a worthy appeal gathers your support, andl unless you are incurably highbrow you can enjoy some of the happy pages in which it is set forth.

T. S.

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