How is Doctor Dolittle described in the novel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle?

Dolittle is a strange mixture of hero and anti-hero. His name is significant—he is a man who does much but takes little credit. He is described as the great warrior who hates war; the king who would rather be hunting butterflies; an accomplished musician, chef, acrobat, linguist—a universal genius— who is somehow unable to sail a boat and often depends upon a parrot's trickery to get out of uncomfortable situations. Though he cares for people, Dolittle really much prefers animals and solitude. He is also an eccentric; not a handsome, muscular, charismatic hero but a round, dumpy figure wearing a beat-up top hat and carrying a well-used medical bag.