The History and Adventures of an Atom


The History and Adventures of an Atom, by Tobias Smollett, is a novel that savagely satirises English politics during the Seven Years' War.

Overview

It appears under the guise of a tale from ancient Japan. William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham appears as Taycho, and other politicians, monarchs and nations under a light disguise of made-up names. It includes some comments on the Kingdom of Great Britain's growing problems with its American colonies.
The 'atom' is the supposed narrator, a witness to the events and somehow able to communicate them to modern listeners. Smollett is referring back to the ancient Greek idea of atoms, the ideas of Democritus—though, of course, he is also being satirical.
The book was published anonymously in 1769. Smollett's authorship of the book has been disputed, but it is generally included and discussed among his works. Writing in 1821, Sir Walter Scott wrote, "The chief purpose of the work is to inspire a national horror of continental connexions."

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