er displayed in it. Both in severity and tenderness I thought
it masterly. It moved me more than I can express to you. I wrote to Mr.
Wills that it had completely unsettled me for the day, and that by
whomsoever it was written, I felt the highest respect for the mind that
had produced it. It so happened that I had been for some days at work
upon a character externally like the Aunt. And it was very strange to me
indeed to observe how the two people seemed to be near to one another at
first, and then turned off on their own ways so wide asunder. I told Mr.
Wills that I was not sure whether I could have prevailed upon myself to
present to a large audience the terrible consideration of hereditary
madness, when it was reasonably probable that there must be many--or
some--among them whom it would awfully, because personally, address. But
I was not obliged to ask myself the question, inasmuch as the length of
the story rendered it unavailable for _Household Words_. I speak of its
length in reference to that publication only; relatively to what is told
in it, I would not spare a page of your manuscript. Experience shows me
that a story in four portions is best suited to the peculiar
requirements of such a journal, and I assure you it will be an uncommon
satisfaction to me if this correspondence should lead to your enrolment
among its contributors. But my strong and sincere conviction of the
vigour and pathos of this beautiful tale, is quite apart from, and not
to be influenced by, any ulterior results. You had no existence to me
when I read it. The actions and sufferings of the characters affected me
by their own force and truth, and left a profound impression on
me."[295] The experience there mentioned did not prevent him from
admitting into his later periodical, _All the Year Round_, longer serial
stories published with the names of known writers; and to his own
interference with these he properly placed limits. "When one of my
literary brothers does me the honour to undertake such a task, I hold
that he executes it on his own personal responsibility, and for the
sustainment of his own reputation; and I do not consider myself at
liberty to exercise that control over his text which I claim as to other
contributions." Nor had he any greater pleasure, even in these cases,
than to help younger novelists to popularity. "You asked me about new
writers last night. If you will read _Kissing the Rod_, a book I have
read to-day, you wil