Phineas Finn

Anthony Trollope

Description

Though he rose to literary fame on the strength of his series of novels set in the fictional rural county of Barsetshire, Anthony Trollope's later works were more concerned with politics and social issues. The novel Phineas Finn is the second in Trollope's series known as the Palliser novels, which focus on political intrigue and relationships among members of Parliament. This volume focuses on Phineas Finn, an immigrant from Ireland who runs for Parliament and, to most everyone's surprise, is successful in his bid.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 août 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776527465
• Langue: English

Extrait

PHINEAS FINN
THE IRISH MEMBER
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
 
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Phineas Finn The Irish Member First published in 1867 ISBN 978-1-77652-746-5 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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VOLUME I Chapter I - Phineas Finn Proposes to Stand for Loughshane Chapter II - Phineas Finn is Elected for Loughshane Chapter III - Phineas Finn Takes His Seat Chapter IV - Lady Laura Standish Chapter V - Mr. And Mrs. Low Chapter VI - Lord Brentford's Dinner Chapter VII - Mr. And Mrs. Bunce Chapter VIII - The News About Mr. Mildmay and Sir Everard Chapter IX - The New Government Chapter X - Violet Effingham Chapter XI - Lord Chiltern Chapter XII - Autumnal Prospects Chapter XIII - Saulsby Wood Chapter XIV - Loughlinter Chapter XV - Donald Bean's Pony Chapter XVI - Phineas Finn Returns to Killaloe Chapter XVII - Phineas Finn Returns to London Chapter XVIII - Mr. Turnbull Chapter XIX - Lord Chiltern Rides His Horse Bonebreaker Chapter XX - The Debate on the Ballot Chapter XXI - "Do Be Punctual" Chapter XXII - Lady Baldock at Home Chapter XXIII - Sunday in Grosvenor Place Chapter XXIV - The Willingford Bull Chapter XXV - Mr. Turnbull's Carriage Stops the Way Chapter XXVI - "The First Speech" Chapter XXVII - Phineas Discussed Chapter XXVIII - The Second Reading is Carried Chapter XXIX - A Cabinet Meeting Chapter XXX - Mr. Kennedy's Luck Chapter XXXI - Finn for Loughton Chapter XXXII - Lady Laura Kennedy's Headache Chapter XXXIII - Mr. Slide's Grievance Chapter XXXIV - Was He Honest? Chapter XXXV - Mr. Monk Upon Reform Chapter XXXVI - Phineas Finn Makes Progress Chapter XXXVII - A Rough Encounter VOLUME II Chapter XXXVIII - The Duel Chapter XXXIX - Lady Laura is Told Chapter XL - Madame Max Goesler Chapter XLI - Lord Fawn Chapter XLII - Lady Baldock Does Not Send a Card to Phineas Finn Chapter XLIII - Promotion Chapter XLIV - Phineas and His Friends Chapter XLV - Miss Effingham's Four Lovers Chapter XLVI - The Mousetrap Chapter XLVII - Mr. Mildmay's Bill Chapter XLVIII - "The Duke" Chapter XLIX - The Duellists Meet Chapter L - Again Successful Chapter LI - Troubles at Loughlinter Chapter LII - The First Blow Chapter LIII - Showing How Phineas Bore the Blow Chapter LIV - Consolation Chapter LV - Lord Chiltern at Saulsby Chapter LVI - What the People in Marylebone Thought Chapter LVII - The Top Brick of the Chimney Chapter LVIII - Rara Avis in Terris Chapter LIX - The Earl's Wrath Chapter LX - Madame Goesler's Politics Chapter LXI - Another Duel Chapter LXII - The Letter that was Sent to Brighton Chapter LXIII - Showing How the Duke Stood His Ground Chapter LXIV - The Horns Chapter LXV - The Cabinet Minister at Killaloe Chapter LXVI - Victrix Chapter LXVII - Job's Comforters Chapter LXVIII - The Joint Attack Chapter LXIX - The Temptress Chapter LXX - The Prime Minister's House Chapter LXXI - Comparing Notes Chapter LXXII - Madame Goesler's Generosity Chapter LXXIII - Amantium Iræ Chapter LXXIV - The Beginning of the End Chapter LXXV - P. P. C. Chapter LXXVI - Conclusion
VOLUME I
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Chapter I - Phineas Finn Proposes to Stand for Loughshane
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Dr. Finn, of Killaloe, in county Clare, was as well known in thoseparts,—the confines, that is, of the counties Clare, Limerick,Tipperary, and Galway,—as was the bishop himself who lived in thesame town, and was as much respected. Many said that the doctor wasthe richer man of the two, and the practice of his profession wasextended over almost as wide a district. Indeed the bishop whom hewas privileged to attend, although a Roman Catholic, always spoke oftheir dioceses being conterminate. It will therefore be understoodthat Dr. Finn,—Malachi Finn was his full name,—had obtained a widereputation as a country practitioner in the west of Ireland. And hewas a man sufficiently well to do, though that boast made by hisfriends, that he was as warm a man as the bishop, had but littletruth to support it. Bishops in Ireland, if they live at home, evenin these days, are very warm men; and Dr. Finn had not a penny in theworld for which he had not worked hard. He had, moreover, a costlyfamily, five daughters and one son, and, at the time of which weare speaking, no provision in the way of marriage or profession hadbeen made for any of them. Of the one son, Phineas, the hero of thefollowing pages, the mother and five sisters were very proud. Thedoctor was accustomed to say that his goose was as good as any otherman's goose, as far as he could see as yet; but that he should likesome very strong evidence before he allowed himself to express anopinion that the young bird partook, in any degree, of the qualitiesof a swan. From which it may be gathered that Dr. Finn was a man ofcommon-sense.
Phineas had come to be a swan in the estimation of his mother andsisters by reason of certain early successes at college. His father,whose religion was not of that bitter kind in which we in Englandare apt to suppose that all the Irish Roman Catholics indulge, hadsent his son to Trinity; and there were some in the neighbourhood ofKillaloe,—patients, probably, of Dr. Duggin, of Castle Connell, alearned physician who had spent a fruitless life in endeavouring tomake head against Dr. Finn,—who declared that old Finn would not besorry if his son were to turn Protestant and go in for a fellowship.Mrs. Finn was a Protestant, and the five Miss Finns were Protestants,and the doctor himself was very much given to dining out among hisProtestant friends on a Friday. Our Phineas, however, did not turnProtestant up in Dublin, whatever his father's secret wishes on thatsubject may have been. He did join a debating society, to successin which his religion was no bar; and he there achieved a sort ofdistinction which was both easy and pleasant, and which, makingits way down to Killaloe, assisted in engendering those ideas asto swanhood of which maternal and sisterly minds are so sweetlysusceptible. "I know half a dozen old windbags at the presentmoment," said the doctor, "who were great fellows at debating clubswhen they were boys." "Phineas is not a boy any longer," said Mrs.Finn. "And windbags don't get college scholarships," said MatildaFinn, the second daughter. "But papa always snubs Phinny," saidBarbara, the youngest. "I'll snub you, if you don't take care," saidthe doctor, taking Barbara tenderly by the ear;—for his youngestdaughter was the doctor's pet.
The doctor certainly did not snub his son, for he allowed him to goover to London when he was twenty-two years of age, in order that hemight read with an English barrister. It was the doctor's wish thathis son might be called to the Irish Bar, and the young man's desirethat he might go to the English Bar. The doctor so far gave way,under the influence of Phineas himself, and of all the young women ofthe family, as to pay the usual fee to a very competent and learnedgentleman in the Middle Temple, and to allow his son one hundred andfifty pounds per annum for three years. Dr. Finn, however, was stillfirm in his intention that his son should settle in Dublin, and takethe Munster Circuit,—believing that Phineas might come to want homeinfluences and home connections, in spite of the swanhood which wasattributed to him.
Phineas sat his terms for three years, and was duly called tothe Bar; but no evidence came home as to the acquirement of anyconsiderable amount of law lore, or even as to much law study, onthe part of the young aspirant. The learned pundit at whose feet hehad been sitting was not especially loud in praise of his pupil'sindustry, though he did say a pleasant word or two as to his pupil'sintelligence. Phineas himself did not boast much of his own hardwork when at home during the long vacation. No rumours of expectedsuccesses,—of expected professional successes,—reached the ears ofany of the Finn family at Killaloe. But, nevertheless, there cametidings which maintained those high ideas in the maternal bosom ofwhich mention has been made, and which were of sufficient strength toinduce the doctor, in opposition to his own judgment, to consent tothe continued residence of his son in London. Phineas belonged to anexcellent club,—the Reform Club,—and went into very good society.He was hand in glove with the Hon. Laurence Fitzgibbon, the youngestson of Lord Claddagh. He was intimate with Barrington Erle, who hadbeen private secretary,—one of the private secretaries,—to thegreat Whig Prime Minister who was lately in but was now out. He haddined three or four times with that great Whig nobleman, the Earl ofBrentford. And he had been assured that if he stuck to the EnglishBar he would certainly do well. Though he might fail to succeed incourt or in chambers, he would doubtless have given to him someone of those numerous appointments for which none but clever youngbarristers are supposed to be fitting candidates. The old doctoryielded for another year, although at the end of the second year hewas called upon to pay a sum of three hundred pounds, which was thendue by Phineas to creditors in London. When the doctor's male friendsin and about Killaloe heard that he had done so, they said that hewas doting. Not one of the Miss Finns was as yet married; and, afterall that had been said about the doctor's wealth, it was supposedthat there would not be above five hundred pounds a year among themall, were he to give up his profession. But the doctor, when he paidthat three hundred pounds for his son, buckled to his work again,though he h