ABSTRACT
This was his first attempt at writing for a leading Victorian periodical under the guidance of a highly respected editor who kept him constantly aware of the needs of his middle-class audience. The yardstick by which Stephen measured the codes of decorum of this audience lay at his own back door, at the parsonage. His rule was, ‘Thou shalt not shock a young lady’, or, more precisely, ‘Thou shalt not offend a country parson’s daughter!’ This, Stephen said, was the first commandment he had to enforce.5
