I hesitated, but allowed myself to be allured to what I felt to be wrong, much dreading the event.

How seldom is it that theories stand the wear and tear of practice! I will not say that the story which came was good, but it was received with greater favour than any I had written before or have written since.

I think that almost anything would have been then accepted coming under Thackeray's editorship.
I was astonished that work should be required in such haste, knowing that much preparation had been made, and that the service of almost any English novelist might have been obtained if asked for in due time.

It was my readiness that was needed, rather than any other gift! The riddle was read to me after a time.

Thackeray had himself intended to begin with one of his own great novels, but had put it off till it was too late.