Nothing so revolutionary here! Strephon, who was half a fairy, did exactly that:

FAIRY QUEEN:.... I've a borough or two at my disposal. Would you like to go into Parliament?

IOLANTHE: A fairy Member! That would be delightful!

STREPHON: I'm afraid I should do no good there - you see, down to the waist, I'm a Tory of the most determined description, but my legs are a couple of confounded Radicals, and, on a division, they'd be sure to take me into the wrong lobby. You see, they're two to one, which is a strong working majority.

QUEEN: Don't let that distress you; you shall be returned as a Liberal-Conservative, and your legs shall be our peculiar care...

-- Iolanthe, Act I (emphasis added)

You don't suppose that the good Mr Finlayson was being simultaneously erudite, clever, and ironic, all rolled into one?

[Edit: And on a more serious note - is that a peculiar use of "peculiar"? It was, after all, over a hundred years ago. from context it means particular and specific.]