James Fraser first edition - 1832
The Member has usually ranked highly with critics and aficionados of John Galt's works. Ian Gordon, in his John Galt: The Life of a Writer (1972), heads the Chapter which includes an appraisal of the book, The fight back. Galt later recalled the middle months of 1831 as the most uncomfortable of my whole life. He was not particularly well and he wanted to escape from the 'mill of the publishers Colburn and Bentley', and write something of his own choice. He had long thought of composing a political novel - The Provost and Sir Andrew Wylie were both about power and they had sold well. Moreover, Reform was in the air. Galt appeared to have chosen well, - most reviewers thought so. The Athenaeum wished Mr Galt would do nothing but write imaginary autobiographies. The Literary Gazette admired his dry humour and shrewd observation. Yet the book did not sell well. Why? A major reason was the inexperience of the new publisher, particularly over publicity and distribution
Ian Gordon is fulsome in his praise: The Member shows Galt at his ironic best. In a self-told and self-revealing narrative, the Scots hero Archibald Jobbry returns moderately wealthy from India and decides to purchase a seat in Parliament - 'my object in being at the expense of going therein was to make power for myself...to benefit my kith and kin. His tricks allow him to win two contested elections and retire at a propitious time for himself. Christopher Harvie describes The Member as the first political novel tout court, whilst Gordon Millar (2017) argues that Galt is, in fact, vital to any discussion of political fiction because he made a pioneering, sustained contribution that drew on pre-Reform politics. The journey from parliamentary novice to skilful political operator is, indeed, well told. Millar further points out that the real-life Whigs were taken in by Galt's irony, in that the aspects of Jobbry's political behaviour that his opponents would take exception to, were ones which deep down Galt approved of. I must admit, I fell into Galt's 'trap' as well!
Why did I not like The Member as much as The Provost (or The Annals, for that matter)? Perhaps it was too earnest; Galt really meaning what he wrote. Irony is not enough to hold one's support for 272 pages. It needs more humour or wit. Yes, there were momentary shafts. When Jobbry was wondering how to dispose of the rest of the thousand pounds a year secured by him for a 'place', there anent I called to mind a son that I had in the natural way, who was in the army. Thus Captain Jobbry (of whom we heard no more) gained £300 from his 'natural' father. Another amusing throwaway line comes when, after he has been elected to Parliament for the seat of Frailtown, Jobbry mentions to Mr Spicer, a local worthy, it really gives me great pleasure to hear that you, in that part of England, are in such a very thriving condition; by the by, in what county is Frailtown? The skullduggery involved in returning Jobbry to Parliament is also droll, as is the portrait of the local patron, Lord Dilldam.
Another reason for my not 'getting on with' the novel as well I might, is that the political issues of the times - the Corn Laws, Reform, Catholic Emancipation - is of less interest these days and Galt, to this reader at least, gets rather bogged down in the specifics. Once or twice, I even got lost in his explanations. It was interesting to read this passage: and whatever therefore the artifices and craft of diplomaticians may have turned the [Holy] Alliance to, there was, undoubtedly, something wise and grand in the first conception, of making the nations of the world responsible to an earthly tribunal, like individuals in private life to the courts of law. The League of and the United Nations - here we come.
As a 'moderate Tory', Galt (Jobbry) appealed to my own inclinations and I was on his side throughout. His 'slipperiness' should not be condoned, but his independence should surely be supported, not denigrated. Moreover, Jobbry, although disapproving of Reform, realised why it should proceed. I leave this Blog with a quotation from Gordon Millar: Far more than Disraeli or Trollope, for example, Galt concentrates on politicians at work, rather than in love, in debt, or on the sports field. No wonder Millar entitles his Chapter Pioneering the Political Novel in English.
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