Oh, I know. I did admire the accuracy of some of the characters. Particularly Cropper, who was the one receiving the "repulsive" for the way his personal ego was so bound up in the collection. Quite painfully accurate, in that case. In actuality, many of my negative feelings about the academics were focussed on the secondary characters -- Blackadder and Beatrice Nest, specifically. Who, as you say, are quite accurately drawn, if a tiny bit overblown for effect.

Now for context I should also say that there was a time in my life when I considered graduate work in lit -- half of my degree is in lit, actually -- and then I realized that if I did that I would inevitably end up in a clock tower with a high-powered rifle someday. I did say the book was designed specifically to get at my buttons.