The Mudfog Papers

The Mudfog Papers by Charles Dickens is a satirical collection of sketches first published in Bentley’s Miscellany between 1837 and 1838. Set in the fictional town of Mudfog, the work lampoons the local politics, including the delusions of grandeur of its mayor, Nicholas Tulrumble, and his disastrous attempts at putting on a public show. It also features the meetings of the Society for the Advancement of Everything, where the town is overrun by scientists and professors conducting ostensibly pointless research. Written during the same period as Oliver Twist, The Mudfog Papers showcases Dickens at his satirical best, lampooning journalistic and scientific writing of the time.