The History and Adventures of an Atom
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The History and Adventures of an Atom, by Tobias Smollett, is a novel that savagely satirises English politics during the Seven Years' War.
It appears under the guise of a tale from ancient Japan. Pitt the Elder appears as Taycho, and other politicians, monarchs and nations under a light disguise of made-up names. It includes some comments on 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. Smollet'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 (besides that of giving the author the opportunity to raise his hand, like that of Ishmael, against every man) is to inspire a national horror of continental connexions."
