Harriet Martineau on her concerns about the acceptability of some of her writings: 'While writing "Weal and Woe in Garveloch," the perspiration many a time streamed down my face, though I knew there was not a line in it which might not be read aloud in any family. The misery arose from my seeing how the simplest statements and reasonings might and probably would be perverted [...] when the number was finished, I read it aloud to my mother and aunt [...] they were as complacent and easy as they had been interested and attentive.'