G.K. Chesterton on the American Episode in 'Martin Chuzzlewit'.

G.K. Chesterton’s notes on the novels of Dickens were collected introductions to the Everyman editions. He claims against the general critical judgment that the American section of ‘Chuzzlewit’ was a satiric triumph. That would be his reaching after paradox tic I think. My feeling is that we had reportage with extra added acerbity and quite close to the maundering cant that is a continuing tradition. Even the intelligentsia's call to repentance has a note of triumph these days. See how we beat our breasts and rend our garments! It doesn’t fit, it’s out of tune with the sublime comedy of the rest of the book - the ‘gravy’ that has added 20 years to Mrs. Todgers life, the imperturbable recoveries of Pecksniff, Mark Tapley’s seeking creditable jolliness. The quality of invention is not there in the American episode. �