His novels raucously unveil the half-forgotten country life of England between the Reform Bills: horse-dealers and minxy adventuresses compete for the lolly of lecherous Earls; spanking great hill foxes outpace packs of hounds as likely to belong to a grocer as a Duke; we find Jorrocks and James Pigg, Lucy Glitters and Facey Romford, Soapey Sponge and sound Tom Scott – all bucketing across the pages of English history.