Regarded by many as the equal of Charles Dickens, Haliburton's incisive social commentary is always expressed with sparkling wit. A dedicated parliamentarian and judge, the creation of the character Sam Slick is widely regarded as Haliburton's crowning achievement. Following the huge popular acclaim that greeted The Clockmaker (1837), the author, bowing to the weight of expectation, brought the fast-talking hero of his narrative, Sam Slick, to England. The Attache; or Sam Slick in England details the adventures of the American wordsmith, as he delivers his brand of home-spun wisdom upon this green and pleasant foreign land.