By a quirk of fate I started my reread of the Palliser novels with book 3 in the series, The Eustace Diamonds. As I then went in order after book 2, Phineas Finn, I will move to book 4, Phineas Redux. As the two books describing the romantic and political intrigues of our Irish hero were written some ten years apart, Trollope presumably never expected them to be read one after the other in this way it will be interesting to see if it affects my reading enjoyment.
The second book makes quite a slow start. Trollope quickly despatches of Phineas' Irish wife Mary, leaving him to try his hand at life in London and Westminster once again. Of course Finn has to find himself yet another constituency, and this time the Liberal machine choose to send him to Tankerville, to get himself elected there.
This does tend toward some turgid reading for the first 150 pages or so. Phineas touches base with all his old flames, visiting Lady Laura in Dresden, where they have a very passionate embrace, and also visits Violet Effingham, now married to Chiltern (who is Master of the Brake Fox Hounds), where he bumps into Madame Max Goesler. Madame Max explains to Phineas that she is currently nurse maiding the Duke of Omnium (along with Lady Glencora).
 |
| Phineas and Lady Laura in Dresden |
There is a background story of Chiltern's on going annoyance with the Plantagenet clan for not keeping their fox coverts in good shape. There is talk of poison being used to kill the foxes which has also led to the death of some of the Brake hounds. We'll have to see how this develops.
For romance we have a distant relative of Plantagenet, Adelaide Palliser, who is being courted by Gerald Maule. Both are keen members of the hunting fraternity, and Gerald is in the lazy and needs to get a job mould.
The political background seems to be the de-establishment of the Church of England, a potential Liberal policy which the opportunist Tories appear to have nicked, while for Lord Chiltern the main issue appears to be the Pallisers not looking after their foxes as they should which is spoiling his hunting.
The mood of the book is set by Phineas' exploit out riding to hounds, where unlike his heroic exploits on Bonebreaker he finds his horse won't jump a ditch and having to return home with his tail between his legs. He also has a particularly unpleasant trip to visit Kennedy at Loughlinter, which gives Trollope chance to roll out all the mean old Scotsman tropes to describe the state of Kennedy's mind.
Eventually Phineas hears he has won his seat as his opponent has been found to have been guilty of bribing voters and Phineas heads off to Westminster for a new political term.
We have a slight diversion to catch up with Adelaide and Gerald. Adelaide finds herself drawing amorous attention of Mr Spooner of Spoon Hall. Spooner is sufficiently love stuck that he gives up a days hunting to make his play for Adelaide. Adelaide, to her credit, gives him short shrift and sends him away with a flea in his ear. Spooner for his part can't understand why Adelaide should choose to ignore the benefits of Spoon Hall, especially as Gerald's family home is known to be in a state of decay.
Spooner's interest spurs Gerald into action and he proposes to Adelaide and is accepted. There is just the small matter of where they will live. Gerald goes off to see his father, Maurice Maule, who despite being known as "Maule of Maule Abbey" chose to live within his means in London and as we have seen allow Maule Abbey fall into a state of disrepair. Gerald puts it to Maurice that he could take up residence at Maule Abbey with Adelaide once they are married. However Maurice is having none of it as we then discover he might have marital ambitions of his own to take him out of his current state of lonely, and yet comfortable, widowhood.
 |
| The Maules discuss Maule Abbey |
Back to Phineas who as well as working his way through the politics of the Tory de-establishment act, has a visit from his old adversary Quintus Slide, editor of the People's Banner which we are informed has now become a Tory leaning paper.
Links
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harveywetdog/Author - David Robinson CEng FIET
David spent approaching 50 years in Her Majesty's Electricity Supply Industry before retiring
He was part of the highly successful design team on the Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station Project before spending 25 years producing safety cases to keep our aging AGR fleet generating for the good of the nation
He is responsible for the Harveywetdog YouTube Channel which he maintains as an outlet for his creative talents
David has twice experienced blood cancer treatment but absolutely refuses to be a victim
All views are of course his own but might be influenced by the medication he's having to take
Comments
Post a Comment