ABSTRACT
Gissing remarked on the following review in a letter to his brother dated 29 June 1884: 'A much fairer notice [than in the Athenaeum] was in the Academy,-a thing which surprised me. The writer speaks very plainly of what the story deals with, and goes on to say that there is promise of good work.... I wanted you to be sure that I am quite skin-hardened. I know precisely the value of my work, and can read very calmly these adverse reviews. There will be more of them yet' (Berg Collection, New York Public Library).
