Wives and Daughters was first published serially in the Cornhill Magazine from August, 1864, to January, 1866. Elizabeth Gaskell died suddenly in November, 1865. She had completed all but the last chapter, and in that sense the book, which many consider her masterpiece, is unfinished. The editor of the Cornhill Magazine, Frederick Greenwood, appended his comments about Mrs. Gaskell's intentions for the conclusion and about Mrs. Gaskell as a person. Those comments are included at the end of this e-book. Wives and Daughters was first published in book form in 1866 by Smith, Elder. Both the Cornhill serial and the Smith, Elder first edition had eighteen full-page illustrations by George du Maurier, and those are included in this e-book. The Cornhill edition also had small illustrations at the beginning of seventeen chapters, and those too are included.