Books in Brief: The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower

The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower, by C. Northcote Parkinson (Little, Brown, 304 pp., $6.95). A few years ago I recall reading (I think in these pages) an observation to the effect that Horatio Hornblower was among the few characters in modern literature of whom it was possible—as with Sherlock Holmes —to imagine adventures which had not yet been written up. It is now apparent, from Professor Parkinson’s book, that Hornblower is like Sherlock Holmes in inspiring enthusiasts to work up those adventures after the original author’s death. Professor Parkinson was, of course, a naval historian before he became an expert on the inanities of modern society in general and Parkinson’s laws in particular: To that extent The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower bears the stamp of authenticity. But surely it requires some explanation when he claims (p. 179) that Hornblower returned from the Baltic in Nonsuch or (p. 192) that Bush was drowned —you see, already the Baker Street Irregulars attitude creeps in to this brief review. Not a bad thing at that—I think I’ll see about forming an Horatio Hornblower Society. c. s. horn