The Critical Heritage gathers together a large body of critical sources on major figures in literature. Each volume presents contemporary responses to a writer's work, enabling students and researchers to read for themselves, for example, comments on early performances of Shakespeare's plays, or reactions to the first publication of Jane Austen's novels. The carefully selected sources range from landmark essays in the history of criticism to journalism and contemporary opinion, and little published documentary material such as letters and diaries. Significant pieces of criticism from later periods are also included, in order to demonstrate the fluctuations in an author's reputation. Each volume contains an introduction to the writer's published works, a selected bibliography, and an index of works, authors and subjects. The Collected Critical Heritage set will be available as a set of 68 volumes and the series will also be available in mini sets selected by period (in slipcase boxes) and as individual volumes.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Part 1 Scenes of Clerical Life; Chapter 1 John Black Wood Discovers a New Author; Chapter 2 Samuel Lucas, Unsigned Review, The Times; Chapter 3 George Eliot’s Journal; Chapter 4 Unsigned Review, Atlantic Monthly; Chapter 5 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Part 2 Adam Bede; Chapter 6 Jane Welsh Carlyle to George Eliot; Chapter 7 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 8 E. S. Dallas, Unsigned Review, The Times; Chapter 9 Charles Dickens, Letter to George Eliot; Chapter 10 Anne Mozley, Unsigned Review, Berkley’s Quarterly Review; Chapter 11 Unsigned Review, London Quarterly Review; Part 3 The Mill on the Floss; Chapter 12 Unsigned Review, Spectator; Chapter 13 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 14 Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton to John Blackwood; Chapter 15 George Eliot to John Blackwood; Chapter 16 Unsigned Review, Guardian; Chapter 17 E. S. Dallas, Unsigned Review, The Times; Chapter 18 George Eliot to William Blackwood; Chapter 19 Unsigned Review, Westminster Review; Chapter 20 Unsigned Review, Dublin University Magazine; Chapter 21 Dinah Mulock, Unsigned Review, Macmillan’s Magazine; Chapter 22 George Eliot Replies to a Critic; Chapter 23 Swinburne: ‘The Hideous Transformation’; Chapter 24 Ruskin; Part 4 Silas Marner; Chapter 25 John Blackwood to George Eliot; Chapter 26 George Eliot to John Blackwood; Chapter 27 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 28 R. H. Hutton, Unsigned Review, Economist; Chapter 29 E. S. Dallas, Unsigned Review, The Times; Chapter 30 Unsigned Review, Westminster Review; Chapter 31 Unsigned Review, Dublin University Magazine; Part 5 Romola; Chapter 32 Anthony Trollope to George Eliot; Chapter 33 Unsigned Review, Athenaeum; Chapter 34 R. H. Hutton, Unsigned Review, Spectator; Chapter 35 George Eliot to R. H. Hutton; Chapter 36 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 37 Unsigned Review, Westminster Review; Chapter 38 Richard Simpson on George Eliot; Part 6 Felix Holt; Chapter 39 John Morley, Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 40 R. H. Hutton, Unsigned Review, Spectator; Chapter 41 E. S. Dallas, Unsigned Review, The Times; Chapter 42 Frederic Harrison to George Eliot; Chapter 43 Henry James, Unsigned Review, Nation; Chapter 44 G. S. Venables, Unsigned Review, Edinburgh Review; Part 7 Middlemarch; Chapter 45 R. H. Hutton, Unsigned Reviews, Spectator; Chapter 46 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 47 Edward Dowden; Chapter 48 H. Lawrenny, Edith Simcox], Review, Academy; Chapter 49 Sidney Colvin, Review, Fortnightly Review; Chapter 50 A, V. Dicey, Unsigned Review, Nation; Chapter 51 Henry James, Unsigned Review, Galaxy; Part 8 Daniel Deronda; Chapter 52 Unsigned Notice, Academy; Chapter 53 Henry James, Unsigned Notice, Nation; Chapter 54 Extracts from George Eliot’s Journal; Chapter 55 R. H. Hutton, Unsigned Review, Spectator; Chapter 56 George Saintsbury, Review, Academy; Chapter 57 Unsigned Review, Saturday Review; Chapter 58 R. E. Francillon, Review, Gentleman’s Magazine; Chapter 59 A. V. Dicey, Unsigned Review, Nation; Chapter 60 George Eliot to Harriet Beecher Stowe; Chapter 61 James Picciotto, Review, Gentleman’s Magazine; Chapter 62 Henry James: ‘Daniel Deronda: A Conversation’; Chapter 63 R. R. Bowker, Unsigned Review, International Review; Chapter 64 Edward Dowden, Review, Contemporary Review; Chapter 65 W. H. Mallock on George Eliot; Chapter 66 Lord Acton on George Eliot; Chapter 67 Leslie Stephen on George Eliot; Chapter 68 A Too Serious Life, Unsigned Review of Cross’s Life, Saturday Review; Chapter 69 Henry James on George Eliot;