[HARDY, Thomas, Sr. (1811-1892), and HARDY, Thomas, Jr. (1840-1928), their copy]. ASH, John. The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language. London: Edward and Charles Dilly, 1775.

2 volumes in one. Half contemporary black morocco gilt, marbled boards (extremities rubbed). Provenance: Thomas Hardy, Sr., (book label).

THE HARDY FAMILY COPY OF WORK MENTIONED IN THE AUTHOR'S MOST DESIRED AND SOUGHT AFTER WORK, Far from the Madding Crowd (1874). In Hardy's fourth novel, the fictional hero Gabriel Oak and his small library of eight books is mentioned in Chapter 8, p. 117, and included among them is Ash's Dictionary: "The Young Man's Best Companion, The Farrier's Sure Guide, The Veterinary Surgeon, Robinson Crusoe, Ash's Dictionary, and Walkingame's Arithmetic, constituted his library; and though a limited series, it was one from which he had acquired more sound information by diligent perusal than many a man of opportunities has done from a furlong of laden shelves."

In his "Attempted Reconstruction of Thomas Hardy's Library at Max Gate," Millgate surmises that the early book label could be that of Hardy's father in his entry for this volume. Millgate's entry notes this copy was for sale by the Bournemouth bookseller Horace G. Commin in 1938, citing a listing of books the bookseller produced in that year which mentions several books he had purchased at the sale of Hardy's Library at Hodgson's in May of that year.