The Fool of Quality

The Fool of Quality is a novel by Irish writer Henry Brooke, published between 1765 and 1770. It is considered a significant example of the "novel of sensibility," a genre characterized by characters who display heightened emotional responses. The narrative follows the education of an ideal nobleman.1

John Wesley, a founder of Methodism, edited an abridged version in 1780, and later, Charles Kingsley published it with a preface in 1859. The concept of the "fool" itself has a long history, appearing as a comic entertainer who could mock even the highest in society. This figure also features in literature, notably in Shakespeare's plays, and in "fool's literature," a genre of allegorical satires popular in Europe from the 15th to 17th centuries.123