The Rival Crusoes

In Short

Agnes Strickland’s volume brings together three narrative arcs of youth, conflict, and endurance. The title story follows Lord Robert Summers and Philip Harley, whose violent English countryside feud escalates until both are swept into naval service and ultimately stranded on an uninhabited tropical island. Forced to rely on each other to survive, they move from bitter enmity to mutual redemption. Accompanying tales—Arthur Ridley; or, A Voyage to Norway and The Fisherman’s Cottage—likewise test young men through capture at sea, warfare, and loss. The collection endures for its crisp action and moral focus on reconciliation.

The Story

The main conflict begins in England, where the imperious Lord Robert Summers, accustomed to deference on land and sea, clashes repeatedly with the proud rustic Philip Harley. Their hostility turns venomous after Lord Robert fatally shoots the dog belonging to Philip’s deceased, blind sister, Kate. Seeking revenge, Philip neglects his trade to stalk and challenge the young lord. When Philip is wrongfully pressed into service aboard H.M.S. Diomede—the ship commanded by Lord Robert’s uncle, Sir Henry Stanley—their enmity continues unabated despite Philip’s bravery in combat against the French.

During a subsequent shore excursion to gather supplies, a sudden tropical gale capsized the ship's boat, drowning several crewmen. Lord Robert barely reaches the beach of an isolated, volcanic landmass, which he later names the Isle of Probation. Philip also survives, establishing himself in a fertile lime grove, while Lord Robert is forced to shelter in a sweltering, barren cave. Unskilled in practical domestic labor, Lord Robert struggles to cook or find adequate shelter, while his pride prevents him from asking Philip for assistance or territory.

Isolation, combined with severe exertion, soon strikes Lord Robert down with a life-threatening fever. Discovering his foe delirious and near death in the cave, Philip chooses mercy over vengeance. He nurses Lord Robert back to health with fresh juice and constant care. Convalescing under Philip’s attention, Lord Robert recognizes his past arrogance, while Philip releases his burning desire for revenge. The two youths forge a deep, practical friendship, constructing shelter and sharing responsatives until a passing Brazilian vessel rescues them after six months.

Upon returning home, Lord Robert confesses his past misdeeds directly to Sir Henry rather than hiding behind his aristocratic privilege. both young men return to the navy, serving side by side with distinction to eventually become admirals.

The remaining stories continue these themes of crisis. Arthur Ridley follows a Cumberland boy who joins his father’s Baltic merchant vessel, only to be captured by French privateers; Arthur’s quick thinking allows the crew to lock their captors in the cabin and reclaim the ship. Finally, The Fisherman’s Cottage recounts the sacrifice of young Michael, who rescues an endangered captain from a storm, later joins the naval war, and returns home mortally wounded beside his officer.

How It Unfolds

A bitter village feud Lord Robert Summers retaliates against Philip Harley for trespassing, escalating their mutual dislike into physical violence. The conflict turns tragic when Lord Robert shoots Philip’s dog—unaware it was the guide for Philip’s late blind sister—provoking Philip to pursue unrelenting vengeance.

Rebellion on the high seas Both youths end up aboard H.M.S. Diomede, where Philip is treated as a rebellious mutineer until he demonstrates heroism during a bloody battle with a French ship. Sir Henry Stanley offers forgiveness, but Philip refuses to reconcile with Lord Robert.

Marooned on the Isle of Probation A sudden hurricane capsizes their landing boat, leaving Lord Robert and Philip stranded on a remote island while their ship is driven away. Lord Robert struggles with basic survival tasks, while Philip claims the island's only fertile grove.

Redemption through fever Severe illness reduces Lord Robert to helpless exhaustion inside a rocky cave. Finding his enemy near death, Philip abandons his grudge to nurse him back to health, inspiring Lord Robert to confront his vanity and reform his character.

Courage under captivity In the secondary tale, young Arthur Ridley faces capture by a French privateer during a Baltic voyage. By quietly securing the cabin panels with screws while the enemy sleeps, Arthur enables his father’s crew to retake their ship.

The final sacrifice The closing narrative features Michael, a fisherman’s grandson who helps save a stranded naval officer. Years later, after fighting together in battle, Michael returns to his family's beach cottage only to die alongside his captain from his combat wounds.

The People

• Lord Robert Summers: A brave but quick-tempered young nobleman who expects absolute obedience from subordinates. His arrogance leads to the shooting of Philip's dog and a cycle of retaliation. Stranded on the island and humbled by life-threatening fever, he learns self-reliance, acknowledges his moral failures, and becomes a principled officer.
• Philip Harley: An independent, stubborn rustic who refuses to yield to Lord Robert's rank. Consumed by rage after the death of his sister's dog, he pursues revenge until forced to choose between cruelty and mercy on the island. Nurturing his rival back to life transforms his bitterness into lifelong loyalty.
• Sir Henry Stanley: Captain of H.M.S. Diomede and Lord Robert’s uncle. Firm, fair, and unwilling to permit aristocratic favor to override naval discipline, he demands accountability while offering genuine mercy to repentant men.
• Arthur Ridley: The practical, observant son of a merchant captain. When captured by French privateers, his ingenuity and composure under pressure save his father and crew.
• Michael: A brave coastal youth whose devotion to duty leads him from rescuing shipwrecked sailors on his native beach to serving on the high seas, where he ultimately gives his life.

In Its Own Voice

When Lord Robert strikes down the dog that guided Philip's deceased sister, the gravity of the act sets the tragedy in motion:

"Philip lifted the body of his poor favourite from the ground, and taking it in his arms, rushed by the young lord, giving him a look of contempt and indignation as he passed."

Surviving the capsized boat, Lord Robert finds himself stripped of social rank and utterly alone:

"Wholly occupied in the thoughts of the revered friend that ship contained, he forgot his own desolate state, till the last appearance of the ship vanished, and he found himself alone."

Following his recovery on the island, Lord Robert reflects openly on the vanity of his former life:

"In common with many of high birth, I have been too much accustomed to the language of flattery, instead of that of truth and justice; till, forgetting the relative obligations of society, and never checking the defects of my temper, I was led to commit outrages on every one who did not yield a blind submission to my whims."

What It's Really About

The Rival Crusoes examines how artificial social hierarchy falls away when human beings confront raw survival. On the island, Lord Robert’s title grants him no shelter, food, or fire; his inherited authority proves useless without practical competence and moral restraint. The narrative argues that true nobility is earned through self-mastery, utility, and forgiveness rather than birthright.

Beneath the adventure lies a study of vengeance and its cure. Philip’s obsession with revenge degrades his character, reducing him to stalking his enemy, while Lord Robert’s unchecked temper repeatedly brings disaster. Redemption occurs only when physical necessity forces both characters to abandon pride, view one another without class prejudice, and replace retaliation with active mercy.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy classic survival stories like The Swiss Family Robinson or Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe will appreciate this dynamic variation on the castaway archetype. Rather than a lone survivor conquering nature, Strickland presents two natural enemies forced into an uneasy cohabitation where interpersonal reconciliation is as critical to survival as finding food or water.

The prose is clear, brisk, and free of unnecessary ornamentation, though modern readers should expect the moral earnestness typical of nineteenth-century juvenile literature. The collection does reflect early Victorian social norms and maritime harshness—press-ganging, bloody shipboard engagements, and rigid class structures are presented without modern commentary.

What lingers is the compelling psychological turn at the book's center: the quiet moment in a hot stone cave when an act of simple care breaks a cycle of mutual hatred, turning two bitter enemies into lifelong allies.