[Charlotte Brontë, as Currer Bell, to her publisher, W. S. Williams, 15 June 1848:] 'I duly received Mirabeau from Mr Smith [...] When I have read the book, I will tell you what I think of it — its subject is interesting. One thing a little annoyed me — as I glanced over the pages I fancied I detected a savour of Carlyle's peculiarities of style. Now Carlyle is a great man, but I always wish he would write plain English; and to imitate his Germanisms is, I think, to imitate his faults.'