Oscar Wilde’s copy of Voltaire’s Histoire de Charles XII: A window on to his Portora schooldays

Analysis of a copy of Voltaire’s French-language biography of Charles XII of Sweden (Histoire de Charles XII), which Oscar Wilde read, inscribed and annotated in 1865 at Portora Royal School, at the age of 10/11. Used by young Oscar, during his second year at Portora, presumably for comprehension and translation exercises carried out as part of his French course, the book is the earliest surviving volume known to have been inscribed by him. In this essay I present the findings of my research into this valuable primary source of information about Wilde’s school studies.