Book of the Month: Wilton School

 

Wilton School; or, Harry Campbell’s Revenge by Fred Weatherly is a novel published in 1872. Like many of its time it has a strong moral message. It involves a young boy named Harry Campbell, who faces the trials of growing up in a school setting, dealing with themes of loss, injustice, and friendship. As the story progresses, we see Harry’s struggle at school, caught in a web of bullying and false accusations regarding cheating, which forces him to confront his sense of honour and integrity. Harry’s desire for revenge against those who wrong him looms large.

Here is a short extract to give you a flavour. The book is available free-of-charge on various Internet sites, including here.

 

 

Mr Franklyn has been conducting an examination and discovers a boy has been cheating.

“On turning to Egerton’s papers,” continued Mr Franklyn, “I at once detected a strong similarity to the translation I had just examined; and on a close comparison found his translation coincided word for word with the book found in Campbell’s possession, and which he was accused of using. Whether the book belongs to Egerton or not, I do not know; but this is evident, that it was he, and not Campbell, who was guilty of taking unfair advantage of his companions. How the book came into Campbell’s desk I know not. But as Egerton has been, in these two matters, convicted of telling a wilful untruth, I am ready to believe him capable of any further deceitful conduct to screen himself. It rests with Doctor Palmer to conclude this most painful affair.”

As Mr Franklyn ended, and resumed his seat, there was a mixed murmur, partly from pleasure at Harry's innocence, partly from an impulse, which seemed to take possession of all, of snatching the punishment of Egerton out of the lawful hands.

The noise, however, instantly ceased when Doctor Palmer rose.

“None of you can be more glad than I am,” he said, “that Campbell’s innocence has been fully proved, and none of you more sorry than I, that he has been punished unjustly. At the same time, you must clearly understand that the mistake, which Mr Prichard and I made, does not in the least degree exonerate Egerton. He has done that for which I punished Campbell; removing as he thought all traces of his guilt, and throwing them on another’s shoulders. And then, not merely to screen himself, but to ruin that other, he tells one deliberate lie after another. Not content even with that, he provokes the innocent boy whose reputation he had blasted, and the result you all know. Those who joined in bullying Campbell last night, I forgive. They have confessed. Warburton has not done so. For his lie, I punish him.”

And then, calling Warburton, he caned him severely before the whole school, a punishment but rarely adopted, and once only remembered to have taken place by the elder boys.

“With regard to Egerton,” he resumed, “there is but one course for me to adopt.” And he rang a bell which communicated with his house, and, after a breathless pause of about three minutes, William entered, bearing a birch, with an expression of mock gravity on his countenance. Egerton’s appearance was one of abject meanness; his indifference was all gone; he was the picture of trembling, tearful cowardice.

The birch had never been used in the recollection of any of the boys. It had only existed—a shadowy terror. But now that it appeared in all its stern dignity, Egerton, the destined recipient, fell on his knees, and, with streaming eyes—coward as he was—begged imploringly for forgiveness.

It was not likely his cries would be of any avail. Nor, indeed, were they. Nor would the Doctor prolong the sickening scene. The birch did its duty, and well.

In five minutes Egerton had been birched in such a manner that everyone thought he would certainly never forget it till his dying day. Egerton himself was too “personally affected” to think of anything, but contented himself with howling lustily. And finally he heard the Doctor’s voice, telling him he was expelled, and would leave the school in two hours.

“There will be no more work to-day,” said Doctor Palmer, when he had recovered breath from his exertions. “Besides the pleasure of proclaiming Campbell’s innocence, I have to add that Mr Franklyn tells me his papers were far superior to those of the rest of his class; and that, judging from them, he would have easily maintained his position as head boy, had he not left us of his own accord, provoked and ill-treated, I cordially allow. I only trust we may be able to discover him, and have him once more among us. You see, boys,” he added affectionately, “truth and innocence will always right themselves sooner or later.”

And then, as the masters left the room, there rose the loud ringing cheers that English boys know so well to give. The innocent was justified; the guilty punished! Was not that enough to make all hearts glad?

 

Extracted from Wilton School: or, Harry Campbell’s Revenge, by Fred. E. Weatherly (W. P. Nimmo, Hay, & Mitchell, Edinburgh: 1872).

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