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Kerry astonishes Sir Marmaduke
Phiz (Hablot K. Browne)
steel engraving
11.9 cm by 11 cm (4 ¾ by 4 ¼ inches), vignetted
June 1845
Charles Lever's The O'Donoghue; A Tale of Ireland Fifty Years Ago, Chapter XXII, "A Morning Visit," facing p. 177.
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Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
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While their smiles and gracious words went round, the door was suddenly opened by Kerry O'Leary, who, forgetful of the visitors, in his eager anxiety as the bearer of news, cried out —
“There's a shindy, master dear! Such a row! May I never die in sin, if ever I seen the equal of it!”
“What does he mean? — is the fellow mad?” cried the O'Donoghue, angrily, while Sir Archy, bending on him a most ominous frown, muttered —
“Have ye lost a' decency tegether. Ye daft loon, what ails ye?”
“I ax your pardon, and the qualities pardon,” said Kerry, with an expression of abject misery for his unceremonious 'entrée.' “But, if you seen it, sorra bit but you'd forgive me.”
“There has been good fun somewhere, I'm certain,” cried out Frederick Travers, whose curiosity to learn Kerry's intelligence could no longer be repressed.
“What is it, then, Kerry?” said the O'Donoghue. “Let us hear it all.” [Chapter XXII, "A Morning Visit," pp. 176-177]
Here we have the typical juxtaposition of a comic after a serious scene in what was popularly known as the "streaky bacon" mode of plot construction. After Mark's being determined to be avenged upon Captain Frederick Travers for the young Englishman's dismissive attitude at Castle O'Donoghue, Mark has seen the stored arms which the nationalists presently intend to use against the British. He swears to the publican, Mary, and the horse-dealer, Lanty Lawler, that he will join the cause. And now comes the fat against the lean: the comic parlour scene involving the whimsical Irish servant, Kerry O'Leary (right), the O'Donoghue family (Herbert's face is just visible, right of centre), and their guests, Sir Marmaduke (startled, down left) with Captain Frederick Travers and his sister, Sybella (upper right). Despite the fact that the principals in the dialogue are the O'Donoghue himself (seated left) and Kerry, Phiz has made the beautiful Kate the centre of the composition. Again, as in previous scenes set in the parlour, the screen and the suit of armour provide visual continuity.
But what is "Kerry's intelligence"? Apparently that local "rascal" (Irish dialect "spalpeen") Sam Wylie has been in the Ballvourney part of the estate accompanying a process-server to give notice to the O'Donoghue tenants. Mark has put Sam on a mule, and run him into a horse-pond, a suitable punishment for his presumption. This incident may well be connected with Hemsworth's machinations, supposedly on behalf of Sir Marmaduke, to collect back rents from the O'Donoghue. Frederick and his father have already decided to contact their Dublin agent, Carden, to stop Hemsworth's legal proceedings.
Lester, Valerie Browne. Phiz: The Man Who Drew Dickens. London: Chatto and Windus, 2004.
Lever, Charles. The O'Donoghue; A Tale of Ireland Fifty Years Ago. With 26 engravings by Phiz [Hablột Knight Browne]. Dublin: William Curry, Jun., 1845.
Lever, Charles. The O'Donoghue; A Tale of Ireland Fifty Years Ago. Illustrated by Phiz [Hablột Knight Browne]. Novels and Romances of Charles Lever. In One Vol. Project Gutenberg. Last Updated: May 11, 2010.
Stevenson, Lionel. Chapter VIII, "Heretic Among Tories, 1844-1845." Dr. Quicksilver: The Life of Charles Lever. London: Chapman and Hall, 1939. Pp. 128-145.
Sutherland, John A. "Lever, Charles." The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction. Stanford, Cal.: Stanford U. P., 1989, rpt. 1990, 372-374.
Created 1 January 2024