Victorians! discussion

Part V

Chapter 1

Matters will not lay quiet in Bowick, and Dr. Wortle finds the story published in the Broughton Gazette. The article with its implied falsehood ignites Dr. Wortle’s wrath. He is in such indignation that he wishes to challenge the article on its false implications. On this, Dr. Wortle seeks the opinion of Mr. Puddicombe. Mr. Puddicombe advises Dr. Wortle against challenging the newspaper article. Mr. Puddicombe thinks that it is best to let it pass without any further explanations on the matter from the Doctor. Dr. Wortle finds the reasoning of Mr. Puddicombe to be reasonable. However, Mr. Puddicombe goes a step further to express his opinion on the Doctor’s conduct in the Peacocke matter, in which it was certain that Mr. Puddicombe thought the Doctor was in the wrong. This brings fresh anger to the Doctor.

Meanwhile, Dr. Wortle is determined to stand by Mrs. Peacocke and do his duty by her. He is determined to keep the promise made to Mr. Peacock. Mrs. Wortle finds the Doctor’s visits to Mrs. Peacock a little discomforting. Although she doesn’t like to visit Mrs. Peacocke, she is obliged to since otherwise, her husband would. Mrs. Wortle has no fears of her husband but she fears what the likes of the Stantiloups would say in the matter.

Chapters 2 and 3

The matters become worse when a London newspaper, "Everybody’s Business", publishes an article making insinuation on Dr. Wortle’s and Mrs. Peacocke’s relationship. Bowick is stirred again, and the gossiping tongues start on wagging. Dr. Wortle is accused of bringing scandal to the diocese and the Bishop sends a friendly warning to him. This drives Doctor over the edge, and he decides to take action against the London newspaper for libel.

Trollope keeps on harping about Mrs. Peacocke’s beauty and making remarks that Dr. Wortle might not be so much the champion had she been plain. Trollope says that the Doctor is an admirer of beauty and brings Mrs. Wortle to support his view saying that even she knew how much the Doctor enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman. What do you make of that?

The school is having its own loss. Only a little under twenty pupils now attend the school which is the lowest number it accommodated in fifteen years. Dr. Wortle is in distress over both the status of the school and his relationship with the Bishop. However, at the last moment, he decides not to proceed with the libel action as that will involve bringing the Bishop before the court of law.

Chapter 4

A new aspect is brought to the story when Lord Carstairs pays a visit to the Wortle household and declares his intentions to Mary Wortle. Mary, even though she likes him well, understands the impossibility of such a union given their different ranks. Also, Lord Carstairs is still in his youth with his Oxford education ahead of him, so marriage is quite out of the question.

It is interesting to note how the three Wortles viewed the matter. To Mary, it is impossible both because of the rank and youth. To Mrs. Wortle it is the rank. To Dr. Wortle, the rank has no bearing, but his youth is the objection. He cannot help wishing he was a couple of years older. However, it’s clear that they are neither averse to nor displeased of such a union if that could be attained.

Chapter 5

After abandoning the lawsuit, Dr. Wortle feels compelled to write a strong letter to the Bishop seeking some redress from that quarter for his “unjust admonition”. However, to this letter, the Doctor receives only a reply expressing the Bishop’s regret if he has caused Dr. Wortle any distress by the friendly counsel. Bishop’s letter was not the apology nor the curt reply the Doctor expected, but it was effective in putting any further demands to rest.

Chapter 6

Meanwhile, Mr. Peacocke is having a difficult time with Robert Lefroy in his journey to America to find the truth about Ferdinando Lefroy. Before embarking upon the journey, Robert confesses that Ferdinand indeed died over a year ago. Although Mr. Peacocke believes in its truth, he still needs concrete proof on the matter. Dr. Wortle, Bishop, and the others may require it. Without proof, there will always be some doubt.

This chapter shows a greater strength of character in Mr. Peacocke. What did you think of the little episode in Leavenworth?

That brings us to the end of this segment which was full of happenings!

This section turns up the drama on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Bowick it is the consequences of Mrs. Stantiloupe’s relentless war of words against the Doctor that has raised his emotions to fever pitch. He believes that the bishop’s intervention is the result of Mrs. Stantiloupe’s interference and misinterprets the bishop’s ‘warning’ as a direct admonition of his behaviour. The two newspaper articles pale into insignificance compared to the bishop’s intrusion as far as the Doctor is concerned. Lucky for him that he has Mr. Puddicombe for a sounding board, a man he dislikes but whose judgement he respects. Fortunately for the Doctor, the red mists of his rages seem to clear quickly enough to enable him to get a grip on reality before damaging himself further with high profile lawsuits etc.
Trollope’s suggestion that the Doctor has compromised himself because of Mrs. Peacocke’s beauty and might not have been so attentive to a plainer woman seems a little unfair to me. Dr. Wortle is not perfect, he has weaknesses especially when his emotions are running high. Did he himself realise he had held her hand longer than was prudent? I doubt it. Mrs. Peacocke herself has nothing but praise for Dr. Wortle and the only man in her life is Mr. Peacocke. The Doctor no longer going alone to see Mrs. Peacocke reveals how he made his mistake in the heat of the moment.
The depletion of the school seems sad but inevitable now that Mrs. Stantiloupe’s insipid gossip has spread across the country like a disease. I hope the Doctor finds some way to restore it otherwise he will have a very unhappy retirement indeed.

The Lord Carstairs declaration was expected but I didn’t anticipate the responses of the Wortles. I thought Dr. Wortle considered his daughter to still be a baby, yet of the three he was the most positive about the possible union. Mary herself was ultra sensible but rather lacking in a young woman’s emotions when being proposed to by a Lord. Actually, I admired her for that but couldn’t really believe it. We are not told if she ever had any feelings for Lord Carstairs beyond platonic friendship, but she has played an awful lot of tennis with him. She actually treated the Lord as if he was acting like a baby. I am glad she didn’t just run off in tears but her response was nothing like I expected.

Over in the USA Robert Lefroy showed his true colours by pulling a knife on Mr. Peacocke demanding his cash and only backed down because he was literally outgunned by Peacocke’s production of a revolver. Peacocke’s intelligence and resilience has been admirable when dealing with such a dangerous adversary as Lefroy. Everything Lefroy has said so far may still be a pack of lies even though it seems almost certain that Ferdinand is dead. Peacocke has shown tremendous determination to get the proof of the death and let us hope that the San Francisco cemetery provides the answer he needs.

Trev wrote: "This section turns up the drama on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Bowick it is the consequences of Mrs. Stantiloupe’s relentless war of words against the Doctor that has raised his emotions to fev..."

I found Dr Wortle's overreaction to his Bishop's very gentle admonishment, even more than his reaction to the newspaper's gossip, rather put me off him again. I was glad Mr Puddicombe stood up to him and pointed this out how foolishly he was behaving, and that he was able to talk him down from a complete rupture with his Bishop. I think this section moves this novel into the category of an Ecclesiastical novel such as those of the Barsetshire series, giving us some insights into the politics and foibles of the Church of England of the time.

I didn't in fact think that Trollope was being unfair to Dr Wortle in saying that Mrs Peacocke's beauty had a lot to do with his championing her. I think that it would be quite unusual for a man, in particular a Clergyman, to spend every other evening visiting alone with an attractive woman in his parish, and I'm not sure he would have assumed this duty if she had been older or unattractive, but rather would have sent his wife and/or daughter to visit. I absolve him of any inappropriate intent, but agree with Trollope that he was more than usually attentive.

Trev wrote: "The Lord Carstairs declaration was expected but I didn’t anticipate the responses of the Wortles. I thought Dr. Wortle considered his daughter to still be a baby, yet of the three he was the most p..."

I think there are a few well-known novels in which young gentlemen form inappropriate attachments at school to the Master's daughters (there is Sense and Sensibility and Trollope's own The Claverings deals with this is a lighter way) so that while no wrong-doing can be assigned to the Wortle's, this might cause a rupture with Carstairs family if they felt it was an unsuitable match, and if word got round after they'd extricated him from the match this could be another form of damage to the school's reputation-that people's sons were not "safe" at the school.

Trev wrote: "Over in the USA Robert Lefroy showed his true colours by pulling a knife on Mr. Peacocke demanding his cash and only backed down because he was literally outgunned by Peacocke’s production of a rev..."

I am very impressed with Mr Peacocke-not what you imagine of your typical English academic/clergyman!

Frances, I too thought Dr. Wortle overreacted over the Bishop's letter. I think it's mostly because his pride was wounded. He considered him superior to his bishop so an admonition coming from that quarter might have injured his sense of supremacy. When you think it over, Doctor, though the good man he is, is a bit egotistic.
The conflict between the Doctor and the Bishop reminded me too of the ones in the Barsetshire series.

Frances wrote: "so that while no wrong-doing can be assigned to the Wortle's, this might cause a rupture with Carstairs family if they felt it was an unsuitable match, and if word got round after they'd extricated him from the match this could be another form of damage to the school's reputation-that people's sons were not "safe" at the school...."

A good point, Frances. Hopefully, nothing amiss will come out of it to further damage the reputation of the school.

Trev wrote: "Over in the USA Robert Lefroy showed his true colours by pulling a knife on Mr. Peacocke demanding his cash and only backed down because he was literally outgunned by Peacocke’s production of a rev..."

The only surprise is why it took him that long to show his true colours. I'm glad Mr. Peacocke was prepared for him.

Trev wrote: "The Lord Carstairs declaration was expected but I didn’t anticipate the responses of the Wortles. I thought Dr. Wortle considered his daughter to still be a baby, yet of the three he was the most p..."

I thought we are meant to also contrast the 'social propriety' which alone seemed to govern Mary's behaviour as against the Peacockes who acted from their 'heart' and 'emotions'.

Also the fact that she is still fairly young, and perhaps has been treated like a child makes her confusion somewhat believable.

I'd agree though that Dr Wortle was the most optimistic of the three Wortles and was happy to see his reaction in this instance as well.

Frances wrote: "Trev wrote: "This section turns up the drama on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Bowick it is the consequences of Mrs. Stantiloupe’s relentless war of words against the Doctor that has raised his em..."

Re his attention to Mrs Peacocke, I would interpret her beauty as giving him an added reason to be more more attentive or feel more sympathy or concern; this is not to suggest inappropriate intentions or behaviour but may be just that one who is nicer looking more easily attracts one's sympathy than one who isn't. I'm sure the Doctor would have been sympathetic even if she weren't pretty, but as Frances said may be would have encouraged Mrs Wortle to visit more than himself.

I loved Mr Peacocke's handling of Lefroy again here; I was pleased when he turned him out at the first blackmail incident but will still inclined to think of him as soft, so the gun was a surprise and a pleasant one I must say.

While Dr Wortle did perhaps overreact to the Bishop's letter, I felt this was in line with his character for he didn't like to be disagreed with or crossed, and also from his point of view, the Bishop is relying on what is essentially a tabloid sort of paper to hand down a disapproval. Overreaction yes, and I'm glad Mr Puddicombe gave him sensible advice but I wouldn't entirely fault him for it.

Lady Clementina wrote: "I was happy to see Lord Bracy approve of the match as well; I didn't expect him to immediately approve so this was a pleasant surprise as well."

Has this happened yet? Or is this in the next section? I may have my chapters mixed up.

Frances wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "I was happy to see Lord Bracy approve of the match as well; I didn't expect him to immediately approve so this was a pleasant surprise as well."

Has this happened yet? Or i..."

Apologies, Frances. Yes, that takes place in the next section. I got mixed up the chapters. Very sorry.

I'm so sorry I muddled up the segments. Will delete my comment.

Not to worry-spoilers don't seem nearly so important in Trollope-one can pretty reliably guess what will happen and it is the process of getting there much more than any "surprise" he delivers-i was just concerned I hadn't read far enough!

We could call the ‘leak’ a sneak preview of what is to come😀. My fingers are crossed that Dr. Wortle solves his problems because as things stand, that is in the balance.

Good to hear that Frances, Trev. I listened to the audio via librivox which has the division into two parts but not the sub parts so I got quite muddled. I should have simply counted in batches of six.

That's a nice way of putting it, Trev. Thank you. :) I too like you hope that things will turn better for the Doctor.

Frances - I'm happy the slip didn't spoil the things for you.

Since I and Lady C have given a "sneak preview" of a possible happy happening, hope you all are excited for our final segment. :)

I agree with Mr. Puddicombe about the Bishop's letter but I think that the Doctor's reaction is understandable. I like the Doctor and I like more and more Mr. Peacocke after the episode of the gun where he was really sensible. I was not sure that he could cross the United States safely, but now I think he will make it.
I cannot see how Trollope will solve the Lord Carstairs-Mary issue, it seems that every solution needs time, but I imagine that the book will end within a few more months, when Mr. Peacocke is back from the States.
I find the harassment of the Doctor by the newspapers very modern, it seems like what happens to some people on social media.

I agree with you Daniella. I think I could understand why the Doctot took the letter so hard and like you, i actually found myself admiring Mr Peacocke after the gun incident.


Re the harassment in the papers, its once again evidence of the fact that people never really change even if the medium does

I too agree with Lady C and Daniela that given the Doctor's character, his reaction was understandable. And regarding harassment from the press, it seems customs won't change over time, only the medium. :)

I’m struck by the fact that the guns didn’t show up until our characters were in the US. Yet I am happy to see that Peacock proves himself to be equal to the situation and can handle someone as slippery and deceitful as Lefroy.

Renee wrote: "I’m struck by the fact that the guns didn’t show up until our characters were in the US. Yet I am happy to see that Peacock proves himself to be equal to the situation and can handle someone as sli..."

Perhaps Lefroy was too careful not to push him far in unknown territory. Once he was in his comfortable zone, he tried on violence. Peacocke knew Lefroy well, so, was prepared. But there's a catch, Renee, as you'll see in the next segment. :)