TWO ON A TOWER. A Romance

London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1882. 3 volumes. Scarce first edition. 8vo, bound by Zaehnsdorf in near contemporary three-quarter blue morocco over blue marbled boards, the spines are gilt lettered in two compartments and have wide gilt decorated raised bands, t.e.g., the original blue cloth to the upper cover and spine of Volume I has been retained and bound in. Now housed in a fine morocco backed foldover protective case. 246; 240; 223 pp. A very pleasing and handsome set, quite fine internally with just a bit of normal age mellowing to the text, the original half-titles retained, the antique bindings with some light evidence of age or use at the joints and extremities. first Edition, one of Hardy's Wessex novels, set in a parallel version of late Victorian Dorset. It is a tale of star-crossed love in which the unhappily married Lady Constantine breaks all the rules of social decorum when she falls in love with Swithin St. Cleeve, an astronomer who is ten years her junior. Her husband's death leaves the lovers free to marry, but the discovery of a legacy forces them apart. This is Hardy's most complete treatment of the theme of love across the class and age divide and the fullest expression of his fascination with science and astronomy.
Because the book defied the social norms of the day, upon release it was called shocking, and even repulsive by some critics. Hardy wrote in a letter to Edmund Gosse on 10 Dec 1882, “I get most extraordinary criticisms of T. on a T. Eminent critics write & tell me in private that it is the most original thing I have done...while other eminent critics (I wonder if they are the same) print the most cutting rebukes you can conceive—show me (to my amazement) that I am quite an immoral person...”