Recolle c tions of Troubled Times in Irish Polities. By T. D.
Sullivan. (Sealy, Bryers, and Walker, Dublin. 6s.)—Because no doubt so many books, including the large work of Mr. Michael Davitt, have of late years been published which cover the now familiar ground of O'Connellism, Fenianism, Parnellism, "and after," Mr. T. D. Sullivan's "Recollections" have a some- what belated look. Besides, for an Irishman who is old enough to recall the fact of attending a meeting addressed by O'Connell in Skibbereen as far back as 1843, who was for twenty years a Member of Parliament, who has been a journalist for forty years and a poet all his life, Mr. Sullivan is wonderfully modest, and by no means so garrulous as he might have been. He has his likes and dislikes. He is a devoted admirer of his brother, Mr. A. M. Sullivan, but is not perhaps such a devotee of Mr. William O'Brien. He takes the " Anti-Parnellito " view of the chief's "fail," and dwells upon it and its melancholy consequences with an emphasis which is almost superabundant, considering what Mr. Davitt has recently said. Mr. Sullivan's style is unpretentious even to plainness, and when he has to tell the story of some especially exciting incident he has, as a rule, to fall back upon newspaper extracts. All through, Mr. Sullivan strikes the reader as an agreeable, essentially cheerful old gentle- man, who, if he had not been born on the other side of St. George's Channel, would probably have led a very simple and happy life, and whom one readily forgives if he looks back with pride on his term of office as Lord Mayor of Dublin and is proud of the numerous poets of the Nation, including himself. Mr. Sullivan is well known as a collector and retailer of Irish "bulls" and English blunders. Some of both these varieties of " fun " which are given here have a familiar look and " chestuutty " flavour. But the following seem to us new, though they may not be to some of our readers:—" I am happy to propose this vote of thanks to our worthy chairman. He is the right man in the right place. You know that he has always been a lover of justice and fair play ; a man with a good heart and a sound head on his shoulders— no veneering about him I can toll you ; solid mahogany." "Mr. H. E. Broad, M.P., will attend and address the meeting. The rest of the evening will be spent in enjoyment."
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