It was a clear case of anachronism.

He was born one hundred years too late, or two hundred years, or two thousand.

His was the soul of the Roman Petronius, or of one of the Corinthian eccentrics, who strutted in St.James's Park or past Carlton House in the early days of the Regency, and gave colour to that otherwise grim England that was grappling for life with the Corsican; or of "King" Nash of Bath.

It was the "King," perhaps, that he suggested most of all.

But in the Carlton House circle he might have out-Brummelled Brummel, and supplanted that famous Beau as the object of the fat Prince's attentions and ingratitude.