KIRHHOLME PRIORY, OR MODERN HEROISM.
Ms movements towards religious awakening and social amelioration, which we flatter ourselves distinguish the age, have reached the novelists ; as was but natural, since they must always be on the watch for subjects which their own experience does not supply, while the matter of their predecessors must be somehow furbished up to look a little fresh. Some late authors may not, indeed, have had craftsmanlike motives, but have been solely moved by theological objects. Be this as it may, there has latterly been an influx of social or religious didactic tales, aiming at in- structing the world of novel-readers; and while the readers only con- templated amusement, they were unconsciously swallowing physic for the soul, as children are cheated into julap by means of jelly. Among these Sctions, Kirkh,ohne Priory, or Modern Heroism, is deficient in logi- cal soundness, and the theological view is poor enough ; but, as a novel, it is the best we have had before us. The authoress has a true vocation to romance-writingh although wanting in that knowledge of the events of life which is necessary to construct a story. Kirkholme Priory is a curious example of graceful ability working on borrowed materials. The didactic object of the authoress is to show, " that beneath the smooth surface of our ultra-refined everyday life, there are depths of sor- row and trial in which heroism' is as much required, and sometimes as fully and greatly exercised, as in those stirring times when the high-born noble or well-descended gentleman held all things as naught compared with truth and loyalty, and all the devotion of woman's nature was called forth." The writer is confounding endurance and chivalry with heroism: but, if we pass that, and the campaign of her hero Casolani, alias D'Espec, in Poland, the heroism of the writer consists in the hero conceal- ing his rightful claim to the property of Kirkholme Priory, out of grati- tude to its possessor, who has brought him up ; though by so doing he is prevented from receiving the hand of his lady love, and is doomed to struggle with the world. Connected with this secret heroship and the Kirkholme property, is the rather stale incident of a doom hanging over a particular house. The D'Espec family, the owners of Kirkholme, origi- nally seized it under Henry the Eighth's spoliation. The Prioress bore pa- tiently enough the turning out of herself and her nuns ; but when the D'Espec of that day began to pull down the priory to build his house, the ancient lady paid him a visit to curse him, and to prophesy that the lands should always be fatal to the third heir—that Kirkholme Priory pro- perty should never be held by three lineal D'Especs in succession. Upon this stale incident and religious "judgment" the whole story turns. Ca- solani's grandfather was a D'Espec : in a moment of provoked passion he unintentionally killed his cousin, the then third heir; but, conscience- stricken, he, abandoning all claim to his brother, left the country, and was never afterwards traced By one of those circumstances necessary to
the novelist, young Casolani is brought up by Albany D'Espec ; who, him- self a Romanist, has married a Protestant. Adrian Fullerton, the family confessor, to acquire power over Mrs. D'Espec, acquaints her with the curse, and his belief in it; but, notwithstanding her conversion to the true church, she is so morbidly anxious for her son Arthur's health, that her very anxiety conduces to the fulfilment of the prophecy. Its imme- diate cause, however, is a love passage. Julia Dormer has a sort of open engagement with Casolani, to be terminated when she is of age. By the ready accident of a " report," she supposes him seeking another lady ; and allows herself to receive the attentions of Arthur D'Espec. Casolani, having also heard of Arthur's love, does not appear at the appointed time ; and Julia, over -persuaded, accepts his proposals ; but,' suddenly learning that her old lover is still faithful, abruptly breaks her engage- ment with Arthur, in a state of high excitement, and causes him to break a blood-vessel; which eventually leads to his death. Groups of charac- ters with interests of their own are collvW round the leading persons ; and the final denouement is well manj,,U; but the upshot of the whole is that Casolani manages to cut ogthe entail of the curse, by abjuring Popery and endowing the Protestafft Church with the Popish property.
Stated nakedly, this story is weak enough ; and the notion of the curse, in which it has its whole being, is not so much a superstition as downright drivelling. We can understand a weak belief in a prophecy tending to its own fulfilment; and the conduct of the story in Kirkholme Priory would illustate this moral very well; but- the writer does not rest upon any such ground. She speaks of the prophecy as opera- ting unfailingly during the three centuries since the "sacrilege" was committed ; and a pattern Protestant clergyman is represented as believ- ing in it. In the story, however, the curse operates upon a person who was not the heir, while the true representative escapes. It is needless to point to the absurdity that " sacrilege" against Rome can be redeemed by payments to England ; and we have our doubts whether a Romanist is entitled to build anything upon the " spoliation " of Henry the Eighth. The Pope sanctioned the deed as matter of bargain. Mary's Parliament were not unwilling to restore Popery, but had insuperable objections to return property. Everything was made square circa 1554, unless his Holiness perpetrated a " mental reservation."
Besides these critical defects, there are some smaller weaknesses : but the whole is redeemed to the novel-reader by skilful management, nice discrimination of character, conjoint observation and reflection upon life, and a very agreeable and even elegant style. The borrowed materials, however stale, mostly have an air of freshness, or at least look more probable than in their first state. Receiving the prophecy as tin fait accompli, every one must admit that it is managed with great delicacy, skill, and power : once get over the "report" of Casolani's and Julia's fickleness, and an air of probability is given to the remainder. The Romanists are neither the saints nor the devils of common romances, but much like other people : Adrian Fullerton, the family confessor, is drawn as a good and conscientious man, though aiming to advance the interests of his religion by the same sort of arts with which worldly people advance their own. The scene is well varied ; shifting from England to Italy and Poland. But the writer falls into a foolish bookselling trick of arbi- trarily closing her chapters under the notion of raising the interest. A scene in a novel, as in a drama, should be carried on to its proper termi- nation : a playwright might as well drop the curtain at some effective "situation," under the idea of creating a "suspense," as a novelist break off with a suspended narration. This, however, is only a mechanical error. There is little straining in Kirkholme Priory, but a good deal of quiet effect. Several of the characters are striking from the justness of their traits and their felicitous development ; especially the frank, goodnatured manners, but real selfishness, of Gordon Clarenham, (who is let off too easily for poetical justice) ; and the well-contrasted worldli- ness of Julia's aunt, Mrs. Jerningham,—reserved, prudent, and decorous, with the equal selfishness but greater mobility and warmth of Casolani's Italian mother. Yet the effect is produced by their truth, not by any effort. As an example of the writer's power on graver themes, we extract the scene of Arthur D'Espec's death.
" For a long time he was unable to converse farther; and the mother sat in si- lence, holding his hand, as if she would, by the power of that loving clasp, retain the fleeting life which was more precious than her own; whilst still upon her wan lip rested the expression of a sweet and holy patience; and Albany came fre- quently in and out of the room, and stood for many minutes at a time at the foot of the couch, looking at the fair face and closed lids of his son, with a gaze of such helpless and restless despair on his once blithe, frank features, that Tina felt even more deeply touched by it than by the wo of the hopeless mother.
" Towards evening Arthur appeared better, and was again able to converse.
" Do not forget me, sweet sister Una,' he said, as she smoothed his pillow: ' listen—I will bind you by a spell not to let my memory perish ! You shall think of me by this holy crucifix of gold, which for my sake you must treasure. It was my consolation in sorrow and in death; and you must bid my mother have my hair cut off and woven into a chain to wear it on. This chain was made of Julia's dark brown tresses, when I thought she loved me. Tell her I forgive her, Una, and that I wore it in my grave.'
"Una took the crucifix and kissed it, amidst blinding tears. " You will not refuse to wear a Roman Catholic cross, then ? Well, that is but just, since I would fain build you heretics a church. Ah, Una! I shall soon be where varying forms are merged in one unbroken and most perfect worship.' " There was a pause; and Alice, who had left the room at a sign from Mr. Ful- lerton, reentered it, and softly approached her son.
"` My Arthur—my beloved! she said, in a very low and sad but distinct voice, Father Adrian wishes you to receive the last rites of the Church, whilst you are collected and free from pain.' " ' Very well, mother, I shall receive them with gratitude. Bid the priest come.' " And in that silent and rosy twilight, the last offices in which the Church of Rome resigns her children to the destiny of man, and to another state of being, were performed by him who bad bathed the brow of the dying with the con- secrated waters of baptism. The deep voice of the priest occasionally trembled, and a sob at times from Mr. D'Espec or Una broke the solemn stillness, that was not silence. The mother alone did not weep. "Life fluttered in the feeble frame of the heir of Kirkholme during the night; and as day dawned he opened his eyes and looked round him. The curtains of his bed were raised; and before a crucifix facing the foot of the couch, kneeled
Father Adrian in fervent prayer, and at a reverential distance from him the poor Irishwoman who had nursed his childhood. The cold grey dawn filled all the chamber, and fell on his father's face; who, holding Una Clareoham's hand tightly clasped, sat stupified with sorrow on one side of the bed. Dr. Granville stood near, and as the sufferer opened his eyes made a step forward, and felt his pulse. The young man smiled feebly, and turned his glance to the other side. His mother was in her usual place of sleepless and untiring vigil. "An unutterable love and gratitude beamed in his eyes as he met hers: with the last effort of his failing strength he drew her towards him, and raised his head on her bosom.
" Mother,' be whispered, in sounds so faintly articulated that no ear but her's could have distinguished them. 'Mother, remember to tell Frank—the church —that—that no future mother—may look as y on do now. Bless, bless—' the unfinished blessing died away in a deep sigh, and Alice D'Espec pressed her lips to those of the dead: but still she clasped him with her arm, and bent over him; till Dr. Granville, who divined the truth, moved slowly round to take him from her embrace: then she looked up, and in a low voice, hushed as if she feared to wake a sleeper, yet very distinct and consequently audible, said—'Albany! our son is an angel!'
"An anguished cry from the father was the only reply."
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