The Return of the Native

The date at which the following events are assumed to have occurred may be set down as between 1840 and 1850 when the old watering place herein called “Budmouth” still retained sufficient afterglow from its Georgian gaiety and prestige to lend it an absorbing attractiveness to the romantic and imaginative soul of a lonely dweller inland. Under the general name of “Egdon Heath” which has been given to the sombre scene of the story are united or typified heaths of various real names to the number of at least a dozen; these being virtually one in character and aspect though their original unity or partial unity is now somewhat disguised by intrusive strips and slices brought under the plough with varying degrees of success or planted to woodland. Contents: Book One - The Three Women: 1 - A Face on Which Time Makes but Little Impression 2 - Humanity Appears upon the Scene Hand in Hand with Trouble 3 - The Custom of the Country 4 - The Halt on the Turnpike Road 5 - Perplexity among Honest People 6 - The Figure against the Sky 7 - Queen of Night 8 - Those who are found Where there is said to be Nobody 9 - Love Leads a Shrewd Man into Strategy 10 - A Desperate attempt at Persuasion 11 - The Dishonesty of an Honest Woman Book Two - The Arrival: 1 - Tidings of the Comer 2 - The People at Blooms-End make Ready 3 - How a Little Sound Produced a Great Dream 4 - Eustacia is Led on to an Adventure 5 - Through the Moonlight 6 - The Two Stand Face to Face 7 - A Coalition between Beauty and Oddness 8 - Firmness is Discovered in a Gentle Heart Book Three - The Fascination:1 - “My Mind to me a Kingdom is” 2 - The New Course causes Disappointment 3 - The First Act in a Timeworn Drama 4 - An Hour of Bliss and Many Hours of Sadness 5 - Sharp Words are Spoken and a Crisis Ensues 6 - Yeobright goes and the Breach is Complete 7 - The Morning and the Evening of a Day 8 - A New Force Disturbs the Current Book Four - The Closed Door: 1 - The Rencounter by the Pool 2 - He is Set upon by Adversities but he Sings a Song 3 - She Goes Out to Battle against Depression 4 - Rough Coercion is Employed 5 - The Journey across the Heath 6 - A Conjuncture and its Result upon the Pedestrian 7 - The Tragic Meeting of Two Old Friends 8 - Eustacia Hears of Good Fortune and Beholds Evil Book Five - The Discovery: 1 - “Wherefore is Light Given to him that is in Misery” 2 - A Lurid Light Breaks in upon a Darkened Understanding 3 - Ustacia Dresses Herself on a Black Morning 4 - The Ministrations of a Half-forgotten One 5 - An Old Move Inadvertently Repeated 6 - Thomasin Argues with her Cousin and he Writes a Letter 7 - The Night of the Sixth of November 8 - Rain Darkness and Anxious Wanderers 9 - Sights and Sounds Draw the Wanderers Together Book Six - Aftercourses: 1 - The Inevitable Movement Onward 2 - Thomasin Walks in a Green Place by the Roman Road 3 - The Serious Discourse of Clym with his Cousin 4 - Cheerfulness again Asserts itself at Blooms-End and Clym Finds his