Penelope, thank you for the link (btw, dogs grin as well, at least all of mine do).
Robert, of course! Yes! I'd completely forgotten about the introduction of Darwinism and Marxism plus the Industrial Revolution. It obviously was a frightening, insecure time. Thanks for setting me right.

Thank you for that explanation Robert:

I hadn't thought about the turbulent times in which 'Alice' was published. I always think of the First World War as the occurence which changed everything, peoples faith, womens' position in society etc., which of course it did.

I don't know if I have mentioned this, but I collect 'Girls Own Paper'. A magazine for girls and ladies of all stratas in society. Articles for kitchen maids and for debutantes. The magazine ran for 70 years, through two World Wars, and I always think it gives a very good picture of how the times and ideas change. It begins in 1886ish with 'ladies' doing little other than sitting in the drawing room embroidering something dainty. But after the war, they are encouraged to become 'typewriters' or to start businesses - like opening tea-rooms or tea gardens. Of course there weren't many young men left for them to marry, so often two ladies lived and worked together.

The articles and stories are rather pious I suppose, but I find them a breath of fresh air in these liberal times.

Anyway, this is why I hadn't really taken a bird's eye view of the decades just prior to this publication appearing and I'm really grateful to you for the pointer.