A vain, strutting person, Thomas Love! (7)
I believe the answer is:
peacock
This clue is a double definition.
'a vain strutting person' is the first definition.
(person who behaves like a peacock)
'thomas love' is the second definition.
(novelist Thomas Love Peacock)
(Other definitions for peacock that I've seen before include "It has very long tail feathers that have iridescent eye-like markings" , "Bird noted for showy plumage" , "Bird with eyelike spots on tail" , "Show-off" , "Showy fowl" .)