Uncle Joe's Stories

“….and as a novelty we have a new work by Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen, a veritable giant at play, who dedicates Uncle Joe’s Stories ‘to all naughty children, if,’ as he adds, ‘there be any such left in England.’ The well-known Privy Councillor is to be congratulated on producing a volume which, if not superior to his previous efforts in this direction, is thoroughly genial, and in sympathy with the child life. Ernest Griset furnishes the illustrations, which are thoroughly characteristic. — Publishers’ circular and booksellers’ record, 1878Page 1608: Uncle Joe’s Stories, by E.H. Knatchbull-Hugessen, M.P. (Routledge). We seem to remember that Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen generally during the course of the year thinks that he will not write a Christmas-book, and ends by writing it. In the present condition of the Liberal party, it is perhaps as well that he should not cut himself off from being useful to his fellow-men. Uncle Joe is a teller of rhodomontade stories, who has never been further than to the other side of the Channel, but ho makes himself the hero of extraordinary adventures. The first of these “stories” is conceived in this spirit. “Uncle Joe” narrates a wonderful escape that he had from a hostile band of Indians, and his narrative is a pleasant caricature of the marvelous tales which are sometimes told of such adventures. We should say, indeed, that there is too much caricature and persiflage about these stories. We do not think that young people like it as well as their elders. They rather prefer to take things au grand adfieux, and when they listen to stories about giants, and dwarfs, and fairies, prefer that he who tells the tale should do it without his tongue in his cheek. Apart from this, “Uncle Joe’s Tales” are sufficiently clever and amusing. —The Spectator, December 21, 1878