The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore

The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore by R. D. Blackmore is a unique and imaginative Victorian novel that blends satire, science, politics, and social commentary in a coming-of-age narrative unlike any other. Originally known as Tommy Upmore, the titular character begins life as an ordinary middle-class boy with an extraordinary tendency—he defies gravity and floats. This whimsical feature, however, is not the focus of the novel so much as a springboard for Blackmores broader social and philosophical musings. The narrative follows Tommys journey from his peculiar childhood into the realm of science, education, and public life. Along the way, readers encounter sharply drawn caricatures of educators, scientists, politicians, and reformers. Blackmore uses Tommy’s progression from a curious boy to Sir Thomas Upmore, a Member of Parliament and baronet, to explore the absurdities of Victorian politics, social reform movements, and the blind worship of scientific progress. With humorous and biting prose, Blackmore critiques the era’s intellectual trends and class structures while crafting a richly detailed fictional world that echoes his best-known work, Lorna Doone. The novel subtly interrogates the limits of human ambition and the nature of progress—both personal and political—making it a complex satire wrapped in a playful narrative. This forgotten gem of speculative Victorian fiction remains a remarkable commentary on ambition, reform, science, and the British parliamentary system, laced with irony and philosophical reflection.