Baron Grimbosh, Doctor of Philosophy, and sometime Governor of Barataria.
(S. Tinsley.)—This is a satire on English character, habits, and politics, a satire not in the least malicious, and possibly, in consequence of its innocence, not very lively. There is no difficulty in recognising the original of each a personage as " Pamfoozle, an old gentleman between seventy and eighty, who was an universal favourite, nominally of what was called the liberal and progressive party, though people said of him that what he really wanted was to stand still, if he could stand still without danger of losing his place." In faet, the re- cognition is too easy. Some exaggeration of the lines of the character, some heightening of weaknesses till they become absurdities, is needed to make satire lively, or indeed to make satire at alL It is far more interesting to read the history of the real Palmerston than a fiction about Pamfoozle, if the fiction is not written with the freedom which gives fiction its force.
Previous page
