THE WELL-BELOVED: A Sketch of a Temperament (First edition - ex-library copy)

Thomas Hardy

Verlag: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., London, 1897

Beschreibung

First impression of the true first edition in book-form, issued as volume XVII of The Wessex Novels. "The Well-beloved" was Thomas Hardy's final novel. A few chapters were re-written by the author for this first edition after it appeared in 1892 in the periodical press, as mentioned in the two-page preface. ***Illustrated with a tissue-guarded black and white steel-engraved etching frontispiece by H. Macbeth-Raeburn. With a black and white map of Wessex to the rear. Two-page preface by the author written in January 1897. ***Very good in dark green cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine and gilt art-nouveau floral and monogram "T.H." circular design to the front board. Fore-edge and bottom edge of text-block untrimmed (rough-cut, as called for). ***Please note that this is an ex-library copy. Small violet ink stamp: 'Havelock House Library Sunderland' to top of front free endpaper and to top of pages 25, 249, and contemporaneous 1900's black and white floral bordered printed library book plate to the front free endpaper. Edges of boards slightly rubbed. Rear board slightly surface rubbed. Small scuff to the outer cloth towards top of rear board. Top corners of a few pages creased. No inscriptions. Spine tight. ***208mm x148mm. 338 pages plus black and white map of Wessex to rear. ***The novel, mostly set on the Isle of Slingers, is based on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. The peninsula carved by Time out of a single stone, whereon most of the following scenes are laid, has been for centuries immemorial the home of a curious and almost distinctive people, cherishing strange beliefs and singular customs, now for the most part obsolescent. Fancies, like certain soft-wooded plants which cannot bear the silent inland frosts, but thrive by the sea in the roughest of weather, seem to grow up naturally here, in particular amongst those natives who have no active concern in the labour of the 'Isle'. Hence it is a spot apt to generate a type of personage like the character imperfectly sketched in these pages - a native of natives - whom some may chose to call a fantasist (if they honour him with their consideration so far), but whom others may see only as one that gave objective continuity and a name to a delicate dream which in a vaguer form is more or less common to all men, and is by no means new to Platonic philosophers. ***To those who know the rock coign of England here depicted - overlooking the great Channel Highway with all its suggestiveness, and standing out so far into mid-sea that touches of the Gulf Stream soften the air til February - it is matter of surprise that the place has not been more frequently chosen to be the retreat of artists and poets in search of inspiration, the tempestuous rather than the fine seasons by preference.' (Quote taken from the preface by Thomas Hardy) ***An ex-library copy of the first impression of the true first edition, in the original cloth covered boards, in complete condition including the frontispiece etching and map of Wessex to the rear. ***Of interest to collectors of antiquarian and Victorian literary first editions and the works of Thomas Hardy. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 6203z

Bibliografische Details

Titel: THE WELL-BELOVED: A Sketch of a Temperament ...

Verlag: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., London

Erscheinungsdatum: 1897

Einband: Hardcover

Illustrator: H. Macbeth-Raeburn (frontispiece etching)

Zustand: Very Good

Zustand des Schutzumschlags: No Jacket, as Issued

Auflage: First Edition