Peacock Thomas Love

Peacock, Thomas Love (1785-1866), novelist, was the son of a London merchant. Although his learning was mainly self-acquired, he became one of the best classical scholars of his time. After publishing four volumes of poetry, he produced a novel, Headlong Hall (1815), which was followed by Melincourt (1817), Nightmare Abbey (1818), Crotchet Castle (1831), and others of the same type. Apart from the gay lyrics which appear here and there in the novels, Peacock's best poem was Rhododaplme, published in 1818. He became the intimate friend of Shelley.