About this Item
A new and revised edition, including a new four-page publisher's note, dated March 1923, and the original author's four-page preface, dated 1892. With a new author portrait by Vernon Hill, and the etched portrait of the author by William Strang. This edition includes a revised and augmented bibliography of the works of Thomas Hardy. ***Very good in green cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine and blind borders to the front board. Fore-edge and bottom edge of the page block rough-cut (i.e. untrimmed). The boards are quite clean, but do show some wear and marks commensurate with age and handling. Head and tail of spine rubbed and creased, with some fraying to the fragile cloth covering at the head of the spine. Corners are rubbed and slightly creased. The spine is unfaded but has a small mark. Light vertical reading crease to the spine. No reading lean to the book. Internally the book is also very good, with no inscriptions, but please note that there is an old circulating library label affixed too the rear pastedown. The endpapers are slightly foxed and have some off-setting, but the interior pages are clean. No creases or tears. The binding is secure and not shaken. No splitting. Spine tight. No dustwrapper. ***195mm x135mm. XII prelim pages plus 357 pages. ***'This book was originally published in 1894, the first of many dealing with Mr. Hardy's works. At that time, though "Jude the Obscure" was still unfinished, Mr. Hardy had long been hailed as one of our most distinguished living novelists, his fourth novel, "Far from the Madding Crowd", having brought him not merely a name, but popularity. In 1894, however, his reputation as a poet was still to make. "The Art of Thomas Hardy", though long since out of print, is still eagerly sought after by Hardy enthusiasts. Lionel Johnson, who was born on March 15, 1867, and died on October 4, 1902, at the age of thirty-five, was a brilliant critic and his discerning appreciation is as valuable to-day as it was in the nineties.' (Quote taken from the publisher's note) ***'Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 - 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Wordsworth. He was highly critical of much in Victorian society, especially on the declining status of rural people in Britain, such as those from his native South West England. While Hardy wrote poetry throughout his life and regarded himself primarily as a poet, his first collection was not published until 1898. Initially, he gained fame as the author of novels such as "Far from the Madding Crowd" (1874), "The Mayor of Casterbridge" (1886), "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" (1891), and "Jude the Obscure" (1895). During his lifetime, Hardy's poetry was acclaimed by younger poets (particularly the Georgians) who viewed him as a mentor. After his death his poems were lauded by Ezra Pound, W. H. Auden and Philip Larkin.' (Wiki) ***The new and revised edition of the first authorised biography of Thomas Hardy, published in 1923, in the original cloth-covered boards, in nice condition for a book that is now 100 years old. Of interest to collectors of antiquarian literature and in particular Thomas Hardy related titles. ***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. Seller Inventory # 8706
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Bibliographic Details
Title: THE ART OF THOMAS HARDY - to which is added ...
Publisher: John Lane / The Bodley Head, London
Publication Date: 1923
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Vernon Hill, William Strang
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Edition: New and Revised Edition
