It was a highly topical novel (a case regarding the misapplication of church funds was the scandalous subject of contemporary debate), but like other great Victorian novelists, Trollope uses the specific case to explore and illuminate the universal complexities of human motivation and social morality.
Yay, I've finally read a novel written by Anthony Trollope ! I don't know why I had this idea firmly implanted in my head that Trollope was stuck-up and rigid and stern, but I assure you, he is not. Conservative, yes, quite probably, though I know nothing of his life (yet - I read the free kindle edition, not edited, and just ordered the Penguin one, edited, after finishing it), but he does have a biting sense of humour - Dickens, Carlyle, journalists, men of church among others, beware !
The plot is fairly simple : a young do-gooder launches an attack on a church warden who apparently benefits of a sinecure from a XVth century testament that meant to benefit poor old men rather than clerical ones. The problem is this man under attack is his probably-future-father in law, a benign old man who never gave a thought about the situation, just did what he thought was his duty. The Warden has an attack of conscience and wishes to resign, but his son-in-law the archdeacon (capital character, and his wife, and his children !) is opposed to it, contrarily to the bishop who also is a mild, older man. The journalists join in the fight, the writers too and nobody is spared.
The highlights of the story, apart from Trollope's humour, was the gallery of portraits offered to us, all focusing on different features of human weaknesses. Or strengths, depending on your politics. Of course, some are a bit stereotypical (the same fact he reproaches Dickens's characters), but overall, I had a lot of fun reading all this and am happy to have the two next instalments on my tablet, even if Trollope seemed to stick to the old French adage "le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" (= better is the enemy of good).
A few quotes, enjoy :
"The bishop did not whistle : we believe that they lose the power of doing so on being consecrated."
"He never quarrelled with his wife, but he never talked to her - he never had time to talk, he was so taken up with speaking." (I know someone like that IRL)
"The party went off as such parties do. There were fat old ladies, in fine silk dressed, and slim young ladies, in gauzy muslin frocks ; old gentlemen stood up with their backs to the empty fire-place, looking by no means so comfortable as they would have done in their own armchairs at home ; and young gentlemen, rather stiff about the neck, clustered near the door, not as yet sufficiently in courage to attack the muslin frocks, who awaited the battle, drawn up in a semicicular array. The warden endeavoured to induce a charge, but failed signally, not having the tact of a general ; his daughter did what she could to comfort the forces under her command, who took in refreshing ations of cake and tea, and patiently looked for the coming engagement."
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