Doctor Victoria
by George Gardiner Alexander
The best is the best whether it exhibits itself before the world in pantaloons or petticoats.
George Gardiner Alexander (1821–1897) can only be called the very model of a modern Major-General. He began life in the Marine Artillery—a branch of the armed forces in which promotion had always been merit-based—and saw service on various continents, retiring in 1867 with the rank of Major-General.
Along the way he became fluent in Chinese; today he is best known for his work on Confucius. He also wrote a play, Dimetri, set in 17th-century Russia. Doctor Victoria, published when he was sixty years old, is his only novel. That’s a shame. He’s got a lively and entertaining prose style; I’d have liked to see more of it.
About the Text
Doctor Victoria had no illustrations whatsoever. But if you are reading this on anything larger than a smartphone, the decorations along each side of the page are the endpapers of the printed book. The design is almost pretty enough to make up for the lack of illustrations.
One minor character in the book is unfortunately named Fitz-Jones. Unfortunately for the author, that is, because by Volume II he has entirely lost his grip on the name. For the remainder of the book, Mr. Fitz will be variously known as “Fitz-Jones”, “FitzJones” (no hyphen), “Fitz Jones” (two words), and “Fitzjones” (lower-case “j”).
The author seems to like using commas for emphasis instead of the customary italics: “But you, may dream as much as you like” or “what should we, do” where another would say “But you may dream” or “what should we do”.

Formalities
This etext is based on the 1881 Samuel Tinsley (London) edition: Volume I, Volume II, Volume III.
Typographical errors are marked with mouse-hover popups and are listed again at the end of each chapter. The word “invisible” means that the letter or punctuation mark is missing, but there is an appropriately sized blank space.
DOCTOR VICTORIA.
A PICTURE FROM THE PERIOD.
BY
MAJOR-GENERAL G. G. ALEXANDER, C.B.
“Fiction is a fabric woven by Fancy with threads of Truth.”
IN THREE VOLUMES.
London:
SAMUEL TINSLEY & CO.,
31, SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND.
1881.
[All Rights Reserved.]
Notes and Corrections: Title Page
“Fiction is a fabric woven by Fancy with threads of Truth.”
[In spite of the quotation marks, I suspect it’s more of a paraphrase.]
Dedication.
Critic. A doctor heroine! Sir, it will not do.
Besides, the story is all tags and shreds:
It wants in sequence; fits not with the taste
Of modern readers, who must need have food
That pricks the palate—toothsome and well spiced.
Take my advice: it will not suit the trade.
Author. Ah, there the note which gives the key to all
Which forms our judgment: Will our action pay?
“It is in tatters”? So is each man’s life,
And but for patches, small man’s moral gear.
“It wants in sequence”? Being thus, most true;
And morbid mouths may mumble it in vain,
To find the flavour fits their appetites.
But, as it is, so every word shall stand;
For he who fears the verdict writes in chains:
And without freedom, nothing worth remains.
So to the Public I now dedicate
This pen-sketched picture: in their hands its fate.
Gratefully Enscribed
to
SARAH BECK HARVEY,
whose friendship and rare gifts
have brought me so many
hours of pleasure.
Contents
Volume I | ||
CHAPTER | PAGE | |
---|---|---|
I. | THE END OF A SHORT LIFE | 1 |
II. | TWENTY YEARS AFTER | 10 |
III. | “HOME” | 21 |
IV. | AN AFTERNOON “TEA” IN BELGRAVIA | 30 |
V. | THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE | 44 |
VI. | A FEW PAGES FROM A JOURNAL | 57 |
VII. | DEEPDALE AND ITS INMATES | 77 |
VIII. | CUPID SHOOTS HIS SHAFTS | 92 |
IX. | MIDSUMMER-EVE | 107 |
X. | WAITING FOR THE VERDICT | 117 |
XI. | RIGHT OR WRONG? | 129 |
XII. | OUT IN THE RAIN | 144 |
XIII. | THE MAJOR’S “LITTLE GAME” | 161 |
XIV. | IN THE COUNTRY | 183 |
XV. | MID AUTUMN LEAVES | 101 |
XVI. | WORKING FOR THE WORLD | 212 |
XVII. | “DEAD AT LAST” | 227 |
XVIII. | BEER WINS | 235 |
Volume II | ||
I. | “A GOOD CHRISTIAN” | 1 |
II. | TRANSFORMATIONS | 10 |
III. | A FOOTSTEP ON THE STAIRS | 31 |
IV. | WOMEN IN COUNCIL | 42 |
V. | MUSINGS BY THE WAY | 64 |
VI. | THE BELLE OF THE SEASON | 93 |
VII. | THE TURN OF THE TIDE | 123 |
VIII. | WRECKAGE ON THE SHORE | 160 |
IX. | MADGE | 186 |
X. | POPS IS JEALOUS | 201 |
XI. | FRIENDS IN NEED | 228 |
Volume III | ||
I. | MR. MONTJOY MORTIMORE MAKES AN ASS OF HIMSELF | 1 |
II. | THE CUP DAY AT BOWOOD | 28 |
III. | SUNSHINE AND GLOOM | 56 |
IV. | LOST AND FOUND | 77 |
V. | A LOAD OFF A LOVING HEART | 109 |
VI. | REVELATIONS | 119 |
VII. | A DAY WITH THE HOUNDS | 135 |
VIII. | “OH, THAT I COULD BUT SEE!” | 155 |
IX. | “AND THERE WAS LIGHT” | 175 |
X. | GROUPED ON THE LAWN | 198 |
POSTSCRIPT | 223 |