"The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy and with wood engravings by agnes Miller Parker - Easton Press, CT - 1978 limited collector's edition bound in genuine leather - 18cmx15cm -c ondition: fine copy in fine decorative leather binding, with all engravings present The Return of the Native is Thomas Hardy's sixth published novel. It first appeared in the magazine Belgravia, a publication known for its sensationalism, and was presented in twelve monthly installments from 9 January to 19 December 1878. Because of the novel's controversial themes, Hardy had some difficulty finding a publisher; reviews, however, though somewhat mixed, were generally positive. In the twentieth century, The Return of the Native became one of Hardy's most popular and highly regarded novels.