With such friends of Dickens as Douglas Jerrold and Mark Lemon for contributors and Ingram as the Liberal owner, The Illustrated London News, having opposed the new Poor Law, naturally approved of the second Christmas Book. However, opinion about the book appears to have divided along political lines: for example, a week later the Tory organ John Bull fulminated against Dickens's avowal of "low Radical doctrines of the day" (cited in Slater's Penguin "Introduction" to The Chimes, p. 140), while the Chartist journal the Northern Star praised the little book's author as "the champion of the poor! (cited in Slater, p. 140). Even so conservative and establishmentarian a newspaper as the Economist hailed the novella as "one of the most remarkable books of the day" (cited in Slater, p. 140).

The review begins:

As this elegant contribution to our seasonal literature has appeared almost simultaneously on the library-table and the stage, it has, doubtless, already been perused and witnessed with delight, by thousands of the reading and play-going public. A volume of some 170 pages, like the present, and that by one of the master-spirits of the age, must be hailed by a legion of readers; and, however highly expectation may have been raised by the author's exquisite "Carol," we predict that, making allowance for "The Chimes," being the second of its class, it will enjoy a comparative share of popularity. Probably, the "Goblin" of to-day is less jocund than the "Ghost" of last year; it may not equal its predecessor in construction of plot, slight as that was acknowledged to be; nor is there the same breadth of humour and rich fancy flowing through its pages: but, in what may be regarded as the higher end and aim of Mr. Dickens' writings — the reform of social abuse, and the uprooting of deeply-rooted popular error — the present work must be hailed as a well-timed production, likely to realise the most beneficial results in society; while it is replete with refined sentiments upon questions of paramount importance to the adjustment of the social balance, and which must humanise and elevate the heart of even the most listless reader. These noble objects are the under-current of Mr. Dickens' volume;," whilst the work is not wanting in those touches of homely truth and humour which have proved the most extensively attractive charms of the author's previous productions.

Numerous as already may be the public acquaintance with "The Chimes," we shall glance at the framework of the story, and its most successful scenic touches. The volume is divided into Four Quarters: the first is chiefly introductory of dram. pers. . . . .

A character of another "order" will, doubtless, be identified among our civic neighbours [an allusion to Middlesex magistrate Sir Peter Laurie, who in 1841 had conducted a campaign against attempting to commit suicide among the urban poor]: it is that of one, who, by "putting down," in the story before us, contrives to perpetuate much mischief, as in the following scene of Toby's Daughter and Alderman Cute.

The illustrations are an emblematic frontispiece ["The Spirits of the Bells"], designed by Maclise, and engraved on steel; and nine wood-cuts, drawn by Leech and Doyle; besides two scenic vignettes by Stanfield ["The Old Church" and "Will Fern's Cottage"]. We miss the humour of the pencil of Phiz, so successfully introduced to the public in some of Mr. Dickens's previous works. [395]

The reviewer included several substantial excerpts: