Transcriber’s Notes
Simple typographical errors were corrected.
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they were not changed.
About This Book
A literary critic traces the subject's development from boyhood through youth to later life, surveying early comic success, vast popular appeal, transatlantic reception, and recurrent festive motifs. The study analyzes how moral earnestness, reforming zeal, and comic invention combine in a distinctive temperament, considers the craft of memorable characterization and social satire, and examines shifts in tone and ambition across the career. Individual chapters evaluate key works, public reception, and debates over alleged optimism, and conclude by reflecting on how the historical and cultural climate shaped both the writer's methods and the continuing perception of his achievement.