Elizabeth Gaskell, "Life of Charlotte Bronte" (1857): '[Charlotte Bronte's] hosts [in London] took pleasure in showing her the sights of London. On one of the days which had been set apart for some of these pleasant excursions, a severe review of "Shirley" was published in the "Times." She ... guessed that there was some particular reason for the care with which her hosts mislaid it on that particular morning ... Mrs Smith at once admitted that her conjecture was right, and said that they had wished her to go to the day's engagement before reading it. But she quietly persisted in her request to be allowed to have the paper. Mrs Smith ... tried not to observe the countenance, which the other tried to hide behind the large sheets; but she could not help becoming aware of tears stealing down the face and dropping on the lap. The first remark Miss Bronte made was to express her fear lest so severe a notice should check the sale of the book, and injurously affect her publishers.'