THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE

First Edition Issued by the Franklin Library. With evocative drawings by Ben F. Wohlberg. 8vo, in the publisher's original brown leather, lettered and intricately decorated in gilt between four raised bands on the spine, decorated in gilt patterns and rules on both covers, with geometric designed endpapers. a.e.g. 418 pp. A pristine copy, as mint.

Edizione: hardy's sixth novel published in 1878. controversial at the time, it became one of hardy's most popular and acclaimed novels in the 20th century. the return of the native was written at riverside villa, sturnmonster newton, though probably finished at upper tooting where the hardys took a house in march of 1878. the first seven chapters were written by the summer of 1877 and the first two books by november, and serial publication was begun in chatto and windus's "belgravia" in january 1878. <br> hardy had offered the novel to leslie stephen for the "cornhill" magazine, but the latter feared that the novel's personal relations were developing into something too dangerous for a family magazine, and he refused to begin a serial publication without seeing the completed work. since this was not possible, hardy's association with stephen as editor was ended, and smith, elder and co. agreed on 20 september to publish the finished novel. the book was published in november of 1878 in an edition of only 1000 copies.