Author: Percival Leigh

Percival Leigh (1813–1889) was an English writer, humorist, and journalist known for his association with the satirical magazine “Punch”. Born on November 28, 1813, Leigh studied medicine at St Bartholomew”s Hospital but quickly turned his interests toward literature and journalism. A contemporary of 19th-century literary figures, Leigh contributed to “Punch” from its early years, imparting his wit through articles, poems, and parodies; he became a staff writer and an integral part of the “Punch” brotherhood under the editorship of Mark Lemon. Leigh”s writing style combined humor with incisive social commentary, reflecting the peculiarities and conditions of Victorian society. He is recognized for his parodic guidebooks like “The Comic Latin Grammar” (1840) and “The Comic English Grammar” (1846), which cleverly used humor to educate and engage the reader with the intricacies of grammar. “Portraits of Children of the Mobility” (1841) is another of his noteworthy works, where Leigh uses a series of engaging and humorous character sketches to delineate the lives and habits of the children of London”s working class, termed as “the Mobility” in a playful nod to social mobility. The book stands out for the vividness of its characterization and Leigh”s keen eye for social detail, which provides a humorous yet thoughtful reflection on the condition of the urban poor. Percival Leigh”s literary legacy remains an important part of the fabric of Victorian humor, blending satire and social critique with an accessible and engaging style of writing.