Doctor Thorne

This article is about the novel. For the TV series, see Doctor Thorne (TV series).

Doctor Thorne

First edition title page.
Author	Anthony Trollope
Language	English
Series	Chronicles of Barsetshire
Publisher	Chapman and Hall
Publication date	1858
Media type	Print
Preceded by	Barchester Towers
Followed by	Framley Parsonage
Text	Doctor Thorne at Wikisource

Doctor Thorne is a novel by the English author Anthony Trollope, published in 1858. It is the third book in his Chronicles of Barsetshire series, between Barchester Towers and Framley Parsonage. The idea of the plot was suggested to Trollope by his brother Thomas. Michael Sadleir places it as one of the five best of Trollope's novels and the best of the Barsetshire novels.

The novel is set in Greshamsbury, 15 miles from Barchester. The familiar residents of Barchester take little part in proceedings, since most of the narrative revolves round the three families of Gresham, Thorne and Scatcherd. The Greshams are commoners, but an old and respected family, based at Greshamsbury Hall and headed by Francis Newbold Gresham. His wife, Lady Arabella, is sister of the Earl de Courcy. Doctor Thorne lives in the village with his niece Mary. He and Gresham have become friends and he has helped Gresham by negotiating loans, mostly from Sir Roger Scatcherd, originally a stonemason in Barchester who has become wealthy and has purchased a large property between Greshamsbury and Barchester.

Plot summary

When their father dies, Doctor Thomas Thorne and his younger brother Henry are left to provide for themselves. Thomas begins to establish a medical practice, while Henry seduces Mary Scatcherd, the sister of stonemason Roger Scatcherd. When Roger finds out that Mary has become pregnant, he decides to give Henry a thrashing, but Henry dies from a blow to the head. While her brother is in prison for the death, Mary gives birth to a girl. A former suitor offers to marry Mary and emigrate to America to start a new life, but not if she keeps the baby. Doctor Thorne persuades Mary to accept the offer and she tells Roger that the baby has died. Thorne promises to raise his niece, naming her Mary Thorne, but keeps her parentage secret, and arranges for her to be looked after on a nearby farm and later to attend a boarding school.

The doctor had visited Scatcherd in prison and they became friends. Scatcherd accepted the doctor's financial advice and continued to do so in later life. After prison, Scatcherd rises quickly in the world through his competence in railway contracts. When Thorne became the Greshams' family doctor he also became advisor to Frank Gresham. About this time an heir had been born at Greshamsbury Hall, but Lady Arabella was at some loss as to dealing with the infant. Thorne knew that Mrs Scatcherd had been left high and dry by her husband's imprisonment and readily adopted the role of nurse to young Frank.

Meanwhile time has passed and 12 year old Mary came to Greshamsbury from her school in Bath. Quite soon she is invited to music lessons and gradually becomes as an extra sister to the children at the big house. Dr Thorne is feels he has to inform Frank Gresham, in strictest confidence, of Mary's background to allow him to decide if there may be an objection to her associating with his family. She has neither family nor money which gives Lady Arabella some qualms but the Squire overrules her.

it is one of Trollope's most insistent principles to take the reader into his confidence. 

However, unknown to nearly everyone, Mary's maternal uncle, Roger Scatcherd, has risen from humble beginnings to great wealth. Thorne persuades Scatcherd to lend increasing sums to the head of the family, the local squire. Eventually, much of the Gresham estate is put up as collateral for these loans.

As young adults, Mary and Frank Gresham — the only son and heir of the squire of Greshamsbury — fall in love. However, his parents need him to marry wealth; the squire has squandered much money on expensive and fruitless campaigns for a seat in Parliament and is grieved that he can leave little to his son. As Mary is penniless and of suspect birth, such a marriage is inconceivable to his mother and to her relatives, the aristocratic de Courcys. They wish Frank to marry the eccentric 30-year-old heiress Martha Dunstable instead. Frank reluctantly visits Courcy Castle in order to meet Miss Dunstable, and they become friends. He foolishly and playfully proposes, but she wisely demurs, knowing that he does not love her.

Sir Roger Scatcherd is a chronic drunkard, and Doctor Thorne tries in vain to get him to curtail his drinking. In his will, Scatcherd leaves the bulk of his estate to his only son, the dissolute Louis Philippe. However, he leaves Doctor Thorne in control of the inheritance until Louis Philippe reaches the age of 25. Should Louis die before then, Scatcherd stipulates that the estate goes to his sister Mary's eldest child. Thorne, knowing that Scatcherd is thinking of the children Mary had in America, is forced to divulge Mary's parentage to Scatcherd, but Scatcherd leaves the will unchanged.

Roger Scatcherd eventually dies of drink. The son proves just as much an alcoholic as the father, and his weaker constitution quickly brings him to the same end before he turns 25. After consulting with lawyers, Doctor Thorne confirms that his niece Mary is the heiress, now wealthier than even Miss Dunstable.

Unaware of these developments, the still resolute Frank finally persuades his doting father to consent to his marriage to Mary. When all is revealed, the rest of his relations heartily congratulate him.

Characters

The Thornes

• Dr Thomas Thorne, the uncle of Mary Thorne, who works as a doctor and apothecary. He is the confidant of both Squire Gresham and Sir Roger.
• Mary Thorne, the niece of Dr. Thorne and Sir Roger

The Scatcherds

• Sir Roger Scatcherd, a poor stonemason with a talent for business, who later becomes a very wealthy building contractor.
• Lady Scatcherd, wife of Sir Roger and mother of Louis Philippe. She was Frank Gresham's wet nurse when he was a child and remains very fond of him.
• Sir Louis Philippe Scatcherd, the only son of Sir Roger Scatcherd.

The Greshams

• Mr Francis Newbold Gresham, senior, the squire of Greshamsbury
• Lady Arabella, his wife, née de Courcy, who is most anxious for Frank to "marry money"
• Francis "Frank" Newbold Gresham, junior, the squire's eldest child, only son and heir
• Augusta Gresham, Frank's youngest sister
• Beatrice Gresham, Frank's sister and Mary Thorne's best friend

The de Courcys

• The Earl de Courcy, Lady Arabella Gresham's brother
• Lady de Courcy, wife of the Earl
• Lady Alexandrina, their eldest daughter

The Oriels

• Caleb Oriel, a clergyman who later marries Beatrice Gresham
• Patience Oriel, Caleb's sister, and a close friend of Beatrice

Others

• The Duke of Omnium, an extremely wealthy bachelor who figures in a number of Trollope's Barsetshire and Palliser novels
• Martha Dunstable, a kind-hearted, wealthy heiress of the "oil of Lebanon" business
• Mr. Moffat, one-time suitor of Miss Augusta Gresham, who later withdraws his proposal in order to seek a more advantageous match, and is horsewhipped by Frank for it
• Dr. Fillgrave, a Barchester doctor who detests Dr Thorne

Adaptations

An ITV adaptation, Doctor Thorne, starring Stefanie Martini as Mary Thorne and Harry Richardson as Frank Gresham aired on 6 March 2016. The script was written by Julian Fellowes, the creator and scriptwriter for Gosford Park and Downton Abbey.

See also

• Illegitimacy in fiction

External links

• Doctor Thorne at Standard Ebooks
• Anthony Trollope – Comprehensive summaries of all of Trollope's plots and characters as well as information on all things Trollopian.
• Doctor Thorne public domain audiobook at LibriVox
• Project Gutenberg edition of Doctor Thorne