Books

London: Smith, Elder and Company, 1878. 3 volumes. First edition, and with the first issue state of the title-page to Vol. I. A COPY WITH FINE PROVENANCE, FROM THE DOHENY COLLECTION WITH THE FINE MOROCCO LABELS GILT OF ESTELLE DOHENY AT THE PASTEDOWNS. With a cartographic frontispiece in the first volume drawn by Hardy. 8vo, in the publisher's original brown fine-ribbed cloth with panels and simple ornaments blocked in black on the upper boards; the lower boards with a simple blind-stamped double ruled border, the spines attractively lettered and decorated in gilt and black, Purdy's first issue binding, which is Sadleir's second. Now housed together in a single morocco backed slipcase, with chemise, the spine tooled and decorated as a three volume set of books. [ii], vi, 304; [ii], vi, 297 [298], ad leaf; ii, vi, 320. A pleasing set in fully original state, the original cloth still bright with vivid decoration. Some of the expected rubbing along the edges and tips, the…

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.