Deerbrook. A Novel

London: Edward Moxon, 1839. In three volumes. [4], 336; [4], 331, [1]; [4], 304pp. Modern gilt-tooled black half-calf, black cloth boards, contrasting orange morocco lettering-pieces. Bookplate of Robert J. Hayhurst to FEP of Vol. I, scattered spotting. The first edition of Harriet Martineau's (1802-1876) novel of manners, her sole effort in the form. Appearing at the height of the vogue for 'silver fork' novels, Deerbrook provides a counterpoint, offering a sympathetic portrayal of a hero from the middle ranks of society. Assuredly over-long, and frequently rhetorically over-elaborate, the book soon fell into neglect. In her Autobiography (1877), Martineau wrote: 'My own judgment of 'Deerbrook' was for some years more favourable than it is now. The work was faithful in principle and sentiment to the then state of my mind; and that satisfied me for a time. I should now require more of myself, if I were to attempt a novel, - (which I should not do if I were sure of living another quarter of a century.) I should require more simplicity, and a far more objective character,- not of delineation but of scheme. The laborious portions of meditation, obtruded at intervals, are wholly objectionable in my eyes. Neither morally nor artistically can they be justified. I know the book to have been true to the state of thought and feeling I was then in, which I now regard as imperfect and very far from lofty:- I believe it to have been useful, not only in overcoming a prejudice against the use of middle-class life in fiction, but in a more special application to the discipline of temper; and therefore I am glad I wrote it: but I do not think it would be fair to judge me from it any later than the time in which it was written.' . First edition. 8vo.