It was at present a place perfectly accordant with man's nature-neither ghastly… — Thomas Hardy
It was at present a place perfectly accordant with man's nature-neither ghastly, hateful, nor ugly; neither commonplace, unmeaning, nor tame; but, like man, slighted and enduring; and withal singularly colossal and mysterious in its swarthy monotony. As with some persons who have long lived apart, solitude seemed to look out of its countenance. It had a lonely face, suggesting tragical possiblities.
The Return of the Native · 1878
★ 3.5A description of Egdon Heath, a fictional place in southeast England.
Provenance
Current citation
Hardy, Thomas. The Return of the Native, edited by Simon Gatrell. Oxford University Press, 2009.
Original citation
Hardy, Thomas. "The Return of the Native." Belgravia, 9 Jan. 1878 - 19 Dec. 1878.
