English novelist and poet Thomas Love Peacock was born on this day.
Known for his satirical novels and his friendship with the renowned Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, Peacock was also a distinguished British East India Company official.
A self-taught scholar with a love for classical literature, Peacock chose a literary career despite its uncertainties and his difficult circumstances.
In 1819, he was unexpectedly called to the East India Company office in London and given a job.
He dealt mainly with finance.
It led to a successful career for him.
He wrote about its rewards, but also could not help writing about in his droll manner.
The following lines are from the poem A Day at the India Office:
“From ten to eleven, have breakfast for seven;/ From eleven to noon, think you’ve come too soon;/ From twelve to one, think what’s to be done;/ From one to two, find nothing to do;/ From two to three, think it will be/ A very great bore to stay till four."