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I rather wish there were more examples of reviews of works that are more familiar to modern readers; other than William Wordsworth’s “The Excursion”, which I haven't read, all of the works mentioned are completely unknown to me.

I'll take Samuel Clemens on James Fennimore Cooper anyday. (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3172/3172-h/3172-h.htm)

If accurate, the description of British moral culture at this time sounds abhorrent. I wonder when and how it evolved to be more compassionate toward the less fortunate.
I'm not sure it did.

Major staples of British television nowadays appear to be eviction drama and lionizing debt collectors. My wife calls the genre "poverty porn" -- and I don't think people are watching these shows to learn more about the dire straits of their fellow citizens.

That would actually be a really good question. And it's not just British moral culture, either.

I'll go out on a limb and blame the Victorians.