The passage suggests that which of the following is true of eighteenth-century women novelists? A. In the eighteenth century, such writers were more widely known than were "the five greats" B. Their reputation among serious readers of fiction declined substantially after the eighteenth century. C. One cannot adequately describe the origins of the novel without considering the works of such writers. D. Their works embraced certain literary conventions already established by writers of earlier periods. E. It is important to recognize that such novelists' works are of greater historical significance than those of "the five greats."