Books

London: Smith, Elder and Co, 1878. First Edition. Near Fine. Three volumes. First edition, and one of 1,000 copies printed. Finely bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, without half-titles to I & II, advert leaf at rear of Volume II. Near Fine. Foxing to endsheets, contents toned. A lovely set.

The Return of the Native is one of Thomas Hardy's novels of character and environment, first published as a serial in the magazine Belgravia, a publication known for its sensationalism, and was presented in twelve monthly installments from January to December 1878. The novel follows the lives of people in the fictional Egdon Heath, a symbol of Hardy's vision of nature and human passions.

Identifying a first edition of 'The Return of the Native' involves checking the publisher and ensuring it is Smith, Elder & Co., looking for the date 1878, and confirming it was published in three volumes.