The Lost Stradivarius

The Lost Stradivarius (1895), by J. Meade Falkner, is a short novel of ghosts and the evil that can be invested in an object, in this case an extremely fine Stradivarius violin. After finding the violin of the title in a hidden compartment in his college rooms, the protagonist, a wealthy young heir, becomes increasingly secretive as well as obsessed by a particular piece of music, which seems to have the power to call up the ghost of its previous owner. Roaming from England to Italy, the story involves family love, lordly depravity, and the tragedy of obsession, all conveyed in a "high" serious tone not uncommon in late Victorian literature.

Letter from MISS SOPHIA MALTRAVERS to her Nephew, SIR EDWARD MALTRAVERS, then a Student at Christ Church, Oxford.

13 Pauncefort Buildings, Bath, Oct. 21, 1867.

MY DEAR EDWARD, It was your late father's dying request that certain events which occurred in his last years should be communicated to you on your coming of age. I have reduced them to writing, partly from my own recollection, which is, alas! still too vivid, and partly with the aid of notes taken at the time of my brother's death. As you are now of full age, I submit the narrative to you. Much of it has necessarily been exceedingly painful to me to write, but at the same time I feel it is better that you should hear the truth from me than garbled stories from others who did not love your father as I did.

Your loving Aunt, SOPHIA MALTRAVERS To Sir Edward Maltravers, Bart.

"A tale out of season is as music in mourning." —ECCLESIASTICUS xxii. 6.

/Chapter 1/

/Chapter 2/

/Chapter 3/

/Chapter 4/

/Chapter 5/

/Chapter 6/

/Chapter 7/

/Chapter 8/

/Chapter 9/

/Chapter 10/

/Chapter 11/

/Chapter 12/

/Chapter 13/

/Chapter 14/

/Chapter 15/

/Mr. Gaskell's Note/