The History And Adventures Of An Atom [by T.g. Smollett].

by Tobias Smollett

In The History and Adventures of an Atom, a London haberdasher relates extraordinary tales of ancient Japan as dictated to him by an omniscient atom that has lived within the bodies of great figures of state. Intended for the instruction of the British ministers, the work is a savage allegory of England during the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763), draping kings and politicians, domestic and foreign affairs, in an intricately detailed, endlessly allusive veil of satire.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

Paperback

First published January 1, 1769

About the author

Tobias George Smollett was born in Dalquhurn, now part of Renton, Scotland, to a prosperous family and educated at the University of Glasgow, where he studied to be a physician. Later he joined the British Royal Navy as a surgeon's mate. He was present at the disastrous battle against the Spanish at Cartagena in 1741.

He married a British woman named Anne " Nancy" Lascelles, in Jamaica, 1747,and settled in England. In London, as a writer, he became successful. The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748), a picaresque novel - like most of his books - made him a well known author. It was followed by The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle in 1751. But the failure of The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom (1753) caused financial difficulties for him. Publishing The Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves (1762) didn't help.

Writing poems, plays, travel and history books, essays, satires, doing translations and even becoming a literary critic and magazine editor, Dr. Smollett struggled all his short life against poverty, he traveled to Italy, to regain his health, but died of tuberculosis near Livorno, in 1771. Ironically finishing his masterpiece, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, a few months before his death.

Charles Dickens was a great admirer of Tobias Smollett, even visiting his grave site.

Reviews

[Henry Avila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book ostensibly about ancient Japan in the 8th Century but in reality , The Seven Year War 1756-1763 in Europe and around the world. Which by the way began unofficially in America, by George Washington in 1754 (The French and Indian War). Names and places were changed by Dr. Tobias Smollett to save himself, no idiot the good doctor, he was afraid of going to jail again for libel. When an invisible atom begins talking to Nathaniel Peacock, a haberdasher you can imagine the hat salesman is a little scared and thinks he's losing his mind, everyone would. He tells the voice to go away Satan.. people then were a superstitious bunch and still are. But of course it does not comply. The atom recites tales of when it inhabited various bodies of prominent men of Japan (England). Their great conflict with China (France), Korea (Spain) and Japan's ally, Brut-An- Tiffi (Frederick the Great of Prussia, leader of divided Germany), eventually all of the continent is involved in this global conflict, the main focus is England. Taycho, the best orator in the land and leader of Japan (William Pitt). Struggles mightily to prevent formidable China, a much stronger nation from invading his beloved country. Got-Hama-Baba, The Emperor (George the Second), interferes with Taycho great plans. The "Japanese" first minister also has mental problems, which cause him to be incapacitated during crucial events. If you stayed awake in your history class, you'll know who won the war but more important receive knowledge of people in the long ago era. P.S. they haven't changed much in 250 years...This if needed, to show how fine a writer Mr. Smollett was and fearless in certain situations he knew about the world and only stuck his head up when required, he will give a good read .

[Hal Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you probably already know, this book is narrated by an immortal atom living in the pineal gland of an eighteenth-century London haberdasher, who dictates the story of his life in eighth-century Japan, back when he lived in the butthole of a Japanese official and consequently was "privy" to affairs of state. The story he tells is a thinly veiled allegory for the (then-contemporary) Seven Years War, with Japan=Britain, China=France, etc.

The result is as weird as you imagine. Unless you have a doctorate in eighteenth century politics, you'll probably want an edition with extensive notes (e.g. this one) to understand the barest amount of what's going on; even with notes, the book is difficult to read because for every character you must remember 1. a long and absurd pseudo-Japanese name and 2. a "real world" equivalent, whose name and function is only occasionally familiar to a layman.

When it works (which is not so very often) though, the book offers wonderful examples of grotesquery:

"He put them upon a diet of yeast; where this did not agree with the stomach, he employed his emissaries to blow up the patients à posteriori…The individuals thus inflated were seen swaggering about the streets, smooth and round, and sleek and jolly…"

or absurdity:

"[After the death of a commander] 'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody good:—the same disaster that deprived him of a good officer, afforded him the opportunity to shift the blame of neglect from his own shoulders to those of a person who could not answer for himself."

Smollett makes a pretty good attempt to out-Rabelais Rabelais by throwing in ludicrous erudition mixed with nonstop scatology; but the very specific local interest of much of the allegory keeps it from hitting the Gargantuan heights. More a curiosity with flashes of brilliance than a must-read.

[Simon Quayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well edited Smollet political satire of Great Britain during the Seven Years War. It's slow going if you need the help of the excellent annotations, but the book itself is not that long. I enjoyed getting a reasonably candid view of a period I am gradually learning more about.

[Keeko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, they say only five people have read this book. I guess I'm lucky number five. It's clever, and there are more than a few belly laughs. It's really like reading two books at the same time because you have to read the notes concurrently. And that only adds to the fun. I learned a lot, and I'm glad I came across it. Many thanks to the team who created the notes and put this together.