In The Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves, Smollett presents a picaresque tale of a quixotic knight-errant, blending satire and adventure as Sir Launcelot roams 18th-century England righting wrongs. The novel offers humorous social commentary on the politics and manners of the time. In The Adventures of an Atom, Smollett shifts to political satire, using the allegorical tale of an atom's journey to lampoon British and global politics, especially focused on mid-18th century geopolitical affairs.