Nightmare Abby, Crotchet Castle

Thomas Love Peacock in later life

By Thomas Love Peacock, New York, Penguin Books, 1986

I love satire and I love the Romantic British poets, so how could I fail to revel in these gems by Thomas Love Peacock?  He was good friends with Shelley and these novels are send-ups of Regency intellectual trends and cultural fads.  So far, so good, but I felt excluded.  I dutifully read all the textual notes that explain the various debates to the reader, yet I only felt a distant type of bemusement.  Not only is there Latin but plenty of Greek too!  This is a story about men for men.  I was reminded of the plays by Sheridan in the humor: characters sport names that indicate their personality or opinions (e.g., the Reverend Mr. Larynx, the Honourable Mr. Listless).  I'll try rereading this in the future.