Thomas Hardy — The Trumpet-Major: A Tale

London, Smith, Elder, & Co. 1880. First edition. Leather. The complete first book edition of 'The Trumpet-Major', Thomas Hardy's historical romance set during the Napoleonic Wars. First edition in book form. One of 1000 copies. The novel originally appeared in 1880 in the Evangelical serial Good Words (January–December) with 33 illustrations by John Collier.Bound in a contemporary red half morocco, with marbled paper covered boards.The Trumpet-Major concerns the heroine, Anne Garland, who is being pursued by three suitors: John Loveday, the eponymous trumpet major in a British regiment; his brother Bob, a flighty sailor; and Festus Derriman, the cowardly nephew of the local squire. This is the seventh published novel by English author Thomas Hardy. Set in Weymouth during the Napoleonic Wars, this only historical romance. Bound in a contemporary red half morocco, with marbled paper covered boards. Externally, spines and extremities rather worn. Vol III horizontal tear to backstrip with upper portion peeled away from upper joint, with detached portion loosely inserted to the book. Vol I front joint and Vol II both joints are strained. Bookplate of Charles J. Dickins to front paste downs. Internally, firmly bound. Vol III title with short closed tear to upper margin. Pages are generally bright and clean, with offsetting to the endpapers and the odd spot. Good Only . Ill.: None. Good Only .