The first formal review of The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Study In Puppydom was published in the St James's Gazette. The review, written by Samuel Henry Jeyes, was thoroughly unflattering of the novel and kicked off its history of poor critical reception. Jeyes called the novel "tedious and stupid" among other things and attacked Wilde's ability to write in less than delicate terms, spurring Wilde to write back to the Gazette the next day addressing the claims made.