The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes
(1907–21).
Volume XIII. The Victorian Age, Part One.
XIV. George Meredith, Samuel Butler, George Gissing.
§ 16. The delineation of poverty; Realism
and pessimism.
In all
the books named above it is evident that Gissing, a born hedonist, hated
the scene he
was portraying;
he could not at any time sink his own standards, nor could he comprehend
the
factors—custom,
comradeship, the lowered demand upon life and characteristic forms of
courage
and humour—by which their lot is rendered tolerable to the poor. The picture
of
poverty
is seen in pleasanter lights (and presented in a less substantial medium)
in the later
books,
The Town Traveller and Will Warburton.
Novels of the middle
classes: problems discussed in New Grub Street, Born in
Exile and The Odd Women
URL : http://www.bartleby.net/223/1416.html