In an 1894 Journal article, Cather writes: "It is certainly inconsistent that today, when Balzac and Tess of the d'Urbervilles is in all the public libraries, there should be objections to Trilby's appearance in Harper's Magazine."
In an 1895 Courier article, Cather writes: "I admire Thomas Hardy; I admire the lofty conception of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, the finished execution of A Pair of Blue Eyes, the beautiful simplicity of Far from the Madding Crowd. But for Hearts Insurgent I have no forgiveness."