The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore, bart., M.P., formerly known as "Tommy Upmore"

In Short

This curious novel follows the life of Thomas Upmore, a man born with an extraordinary physical lightness that allows him to defy gravity. As he matures, he navigates the rigid social hierarchies of Victorian England, falling in love and becoming embroiled in the high-stakes world of national politics. Through a blend of sharp satire and earnest sentimentality, the narrative explores the clash between traditional values and modern "scientific" progress. It remains a fascinating relic of its time, capturing the peculiar blend of stubborn patriotism and domestic warmth that defined its author’s distinctive literary voice.

The Story

Thomas "Tommy" Upmore’s life is defined from his youth by a strange, buoyant lightness. While his father, a man of simple, salty wisdom, and his mother, a woman of refined maternal ambition, navigate the complexities of their status in London, Tommy’s physical condition renders him a subject of both wonder and scientific curiosity. He is educated in the classics and theology, eventually finding his place within the orbit of the wealthy and influential Twentifold family. Here, Tommy meets the formidable, visionary Sir Roland Twentifold, a man who believes deeply in the old guard of English tradition and who views the rise of radical politics with profound suspicion.

As Tommy grows into adulthood, his "gift"—his ability to literally lift himself above the earth—becomes a metaphor for his detachment from the mundane squabbles of the day, though he is increasingly pulled into the gravity of national affairs. He finds himself caught in a complex web of matrimonial alliances and political maneuvering. Sir Roland seeks to secure the family legacy by arranging a marriage between his sister, Laura, and the temperamentally difficult Lord Counterpagne. Tommy, having fallen in love with Laura himself, finds this arrangement both cruel and emblematic of the moral rot he perceives in the governing classes.

Throughout these years, Tommy remains a staunch, if somewhat bewildered, Conservative. He watches as the scientific "experts" and radical politicians of his era attempt to explain away his nature, poking and prodding at his life as if he were a specimen rather than a man. He loses his beloved Uncle William—a sailor whose life was saved multiple times by a caul—but finds comfort in the enduring strength of his own conscience. The plot crescendos as the political landscape shifts; the government’s attempts to manipulate the electoral system for their own gain are thwarted, and a new, more resolute spirit takes hold of the nation.

In the final movement of his history, Tommy reconciles his personal desires with his duty to the state. He eventually secures his own happiness with Laura, though not without challenging the rigid expectations of the aristocracy. The narrative concludes with a firm rejection of the "humbug" of the era’s political shifts. Tommy looks back upon a country that has finally regained its courage and common sense, casting aside the "anarchy" of the previous administration. He finds peace not in escaping the world, but in choosing to stand firmly on its ground, defending the traditional strength of the English spirit against the tides of change that once threatened to carry it away.

How It Unfolds

The boy who defies gravity Tommy’s early life is marked by his peculiar buoyancy, which draws both mockery and genuine astonishment from those around him. While his parents worry about his future and his education, he learns to navigate the world as a creature apart, protected by his own strange, airy nature.

The influence of science The narrative introduces a host of intellectual pretenders who seek to analyze Tommy as if he were a scientific curiosity. They attempt to explain his ability through chemistry and theory, but Tommy sees through their arrogance, viewing their "irrefragable proof" as nothing more than a fragile chain of vanity.

The orbit of Twentifold Towers Tommy enters the world of the landed gentry, where he encounters the magnetic Sir Roland and the gentle Lady Twentifold. This setting provides the arena for his political education, as he begins to understand that his personal gifts must eventually serve a higher, more patriotic purpose.

The romantic entanglement As Tommy falls for the kind-hearted Laura, he must navigate the rigid expectations of her family, who view marriage as a tool for political stability. He finds himself forced to defend the autonomy of his heart against the cold, calculated meddling of those who treat people like pawns in a game of statecraft.

The final defense of tradition The story culminates in the defeat of radicalism and the restoration of a government defined by candor and courage. Tommy finally secures his place in the world, having learned that the true strength of an Englishman lies in rejecting the "leprosy" of modern political rot to preserve the nation's integrity.

The People

Tommy Upmore is the heart of the narrative, a man whose physical lightness mirrors an inherent, almost childlike goodness. He starts as a passive, if observant, youth but grows into a man of principle who recognizes that his unique nature carries a duty to his country.

Sir Roland Twentifold serves as the ideological anchor of the book. He is a man of intense will and traditionalist fervor, convinced that the survival of the nation depends on maintaining the old aristocratic structure. His desire to control the lives of those around him is his greatest flaw, yet he possesses a clarity of purpose that Tommy respects.

Laura Twentifold is the object of Tommy’s devotion, characterized by a warmth and sweetness that contrasts sharply with the coldness of her political environment. She is the anchor that eventually grounds Tommy, proving to be the only person who can truly reconcile his lofty, airy nature with the reality of domestic life.

Bucephalus Upmore and his wife, Sophy, are the bedrock of Tommy’s childhood. His father is a man of blunt, salt-of-the-earth wisdom who provides a necessary foil to the high-flown talk of the aristocracy, while his mother represents the social climbing and aspiration that drives the family forward.

Uncle William is a brief but poignant figure, an old sailor whose simplicity and faith provide Tommy with a moral compass. His departure from the story marks the end of Tommy’s innocence, grounding the protagonist in a more mature understanding of life’s permanence and value.

In Its Own Voice

"What power shall resist the wild valour of the man, who proves that his mind is a tadpole's spawn, and then claims for that mind supreme dominion, and inborn omniscience?"

The narrator challenges the intellectual vanity of 19th-century scientists who believe they can explain away the mysteries of the human condition.

"And the greatest misery in all the world is, for a gentle, sweet, loving, and sensitive creature, to be shackled for life to a man, conceited, stuck-up, narrow-minded, cold-hearted, selfish, and above all black-tempered."

Tommy speaks with uncharacteristic fervor when confronting Sir Roland about the cruelty of an arranged, loveless marriage.

"An Englishman now may eat his breakfast, without gulping down more lies than tea; and may smile at his children, without a smothered sigh, at prolonging a race of dastards."

The author reflects on the perceived restoration of national honor after a period of political corruption and incompetence.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an argument for the primacy of individual character and traditional morality over the "scientific" and "radical" shifts of the late 19th century. The story suggests that modern intellectualism, with its cold focus on theory and categorization, has lost touch with the deeper, more human truths of the spirit. The question of Tommy’s ability to fly serves as a persistent probe into the limits of materialist philosophy; the author insists that there are aspects of human existence that cannot be measured or controlled by the state. Ultimately, it is a defense of a romanticized, stable England, where duty, honor, and the preservation of the family unit are held as the ultimate barriers against the "anarchy" of progress.

Why Read It Today

This book is a rewarding read for those who enjoy the eccentric, wordy charm of Victorian fiction. It feels like a long, meandering conversation with an opinionated, slightly grumpy, yet ultimately kind-hearted observer of humanity. You will enjoy it if you have an appreciation for satire that bites at the pomposity of the ruling class, yet retains a deeply sentimental core.

However, the reader should be prepared for the author’s strong, often unyielding, conservative outlook, which permeates every page. The text is thick with the specific political grievances of the 1880s, which can make it feel dense or even alien to a modern audience. Furthermore, the reliance on the dialect of the time and the occasionally long-winded digressions into classical references can be challenging. It is not a fast-paced thriller; it is a sprawling, atmospheric examination of a world that viewed itself as being at a moral crossroads. If you can lean into the author's warmth and overlook the period attitudes, you will find a story that remains, in its own odd way, deeply human. What stays with you long after the final page is the image of Tommy, a man literally above the world, choosing to descend and fight for the things that make life worth living.