From an unsigned article, ‘Boz versus Dickens', Parker's London Magazine

The middle of December saw the reading world on the tiptoe of expectation for Mr Dickens’ long-announced book—The Chimes…. And now the world has read the book, and with only exceptions enough to prove the rule, has pronounced that it is not what it should be. With much of good purpose to redeem it, it is sadly wanting in good taste and in plot, and though Mr Dickens has said somewhere that he never reads a review of any of his works, we fear that the year 1845 will scarcely be to him so happy a new year as its predecessor.