Books

London: Macmillan and Co., 1887. Three vols. [4], 302; [4], 328; [4], 316 pp. Three-quarter green morocco over marbled boards, gilt ruling, 5 raised bands on spines, gilt lettering, dyed dark red fore-edges (very slight age-toning to fore-edges), a NF bright set. First edition of the author’s pastoral set in Dorset (1 of 1000 printed), embracing the beauty of nature, and set against the tragedy of unrequited love, betrayal, and disillusionment in this secluded community of woodcutters, spar-makers, and fruit-pickers set from 1856-1858. One of the tragic moments was the passing of the 1857 Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 and hope that the main female character Grace Medbury Fitzpiers would be freed from her philandering husband, only to discover that the Act only allowed the husband to divorce for infidelity, not the wife.

The Woodlanders is a novel by Thomas Hardy. It was published in 1887. The story is set in a small village in rural England, where the lives and loves of its inhabitants are closely interconnected. The novel explores themes of social change, rural life, and unrequited love.