APPENDIX I

In the appendix titled “Reynolds’s Peter Bell,” found in “Letters on Literature,” the author discusses John Hamilton Reynolds’s parody of William Wordsworth’s “Peter Bell.” This lyrical ballad, mentioned by Keats and published by Taylor and Hessey in London in 1888, was aimed at producing a parody before Wordsworth’s original work had a chance to establish itself fully. The context of this act of parody is deeply rooted in Reynolds’s dissatisfaction with Wordsworth, particularly with what was perceived as Wordsworth’s overly serious demeanor and his lukewarm praise of Keats’s work, disparagingly described as “a pretty piece of heathenism.”

Reynolds’s motivations for writing this parody were multifaceted. He was irked by Wordsworth’s constant solemnity and what Thomas Hood had referred to as “The Betty Foybles” of Wordsworth’s style. This discontent led Reynolds to craft a parody that, despite its personal nature of attack—a characteristic criticized by some contemporaries as “insolent”—was found to be quite humorous by the author. The charm of the parody, according to the text, lays in its clever wit and the playful manner in which it mocks Wordsworth’s work, drawing comparisons to the humorous yet critical tones of “the sneering brothers, the vile Smiths,” known for their own parody “Rejected Addresses.”

An excerpt of the parody illustrates the humor Reynolds injected into his work, particularly targeting the solitary character of Peter Bell and his lack of familial connections in a whimsically repetitive and rhyming fashion. This parody was not only a jest at Wordsworth’s expense but also a reflection of the literary rivalries and friendships within this circle of poets. Keats’s review of the parody is mentioned, highlighting his diplomatic stance yet evident support for Reynolds, even suggesting that a similar humorous critique might be applied to Lord Byron.

The author’s appreciation for Reynolds’s parody in “Letters on Literature” underscores the rich intertextuality and personal dynamics among early 19th-century literary figures, revealing the complex relationships between parody, criticism, and camaraderie in the literary community of the time.