[John Forster], from an unsigned review, Examiner

Why indeed did Forster ‘delay so long the notice’ of Chuzzlewit, the final Number of which had appeared on 1 July? A similar delay occurred in his reviewing of the next novel, Dombey, in the Examiner—from 1 April 1848 to 28 October 1848—and again Forster had to make jocular-embarrassed apologies. Was he finding it difficult to devise the review that would satisfy his sensitive friend Dickens, or were they having a tiff? I do not know; but it is a strange couple of lapses. After Dombey, Forster was always prompt as well as cheering.