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Dear folks, 
 
If this riddle is too easy, I promise in advance to retire from such an 
endeavor in future. 
 
The following quote is from a well-known novel by a major 19th century 
English writer. 
 
"Oh, my political economist, master of supply and demand, division of 
labour  
and high pressure - oh, my loud-speaking friend, tell me, if so much be in  
you, what is the demand for poets in these kingdoms of Queen Victoria, and  
what of the vouchsafed supply"? 
 
The quote is supposed to be from a thinly disguised contemporary person of 
renown. There have been passionate debates about him* on this list. Please 
identify the author and the novel in which this appears. 
 
*I wanted to complicate the clue by hiding the person's gender, until I 
realized that there have not been many discussions about women here, leave 
alone passionate ones. 
 
Best, 
Sumitra Shah 
 
 
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