Impressions of Theophrastus Such

by George Eliot

"Impressions of Theophrastus Such" by George Eliot is a work of fiction published in 1879. This experimental final work takes the form of literary essays by an imaginary scholar who reveals his eccentric character through eighteen satirical studies of social types. The narrator observes various personalities—ambitious scientists, failed writers, angry temperaments, and moral swindlers—while his own voice occasionally merges with Eliot's perspective. Through these portraits, the work explores ambition, authenticity, and the breakdown of civilization in Victorian society.