"In minutely detailed paintings in color and in woodcuts done in black
and white, [Helen Mason Grose] presented a prettified, sentimental, and energized
set of illustrations. Her characters interact, especially in the paintings,
and she showed a knack for choosing dramatic scenes where reader interest in
most intense, for example, when Judge Pyncheon attempts to kiss Phoebe. Grose
depicts her drawing back just as Judge leans towards her, his lips in full pucker.
Hepzibah's consternation upon seeing Ned Higgins enter her cent-shop is vividly
captured."
