''The Poor Man and the Lady'' was the

first novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

written by Thomas Hardy. It was written in 1867 and never published. After the manuscript had been rejected by at least five

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s, Hardy gave up his attempts to sell the novel in its original form; however, he incorporated some of its scenes and themes into later works, notably in the poem "The Poor Man and the Lady" and in the novella '' An Indiscretion in the Life of an Heiress'' (1878). The manuscript no longer exists; Hardy destroyed the last surviving fragment during his last years, after abandoning the idea of reconstructing the rest of the novel from memory.

Sources

''Oxford Reader's Companion to Hardy'' (

Norman Page Norman Page (born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshiredied 4 July 1935 in London) was a British actor. He is best known for his portrayal of David Lloyd George, Prime Minister during the First World War, in the 1918 film ''The Life Story of David Lloyd ...

, Editor). Oxford:

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, 2000. 1867 British novels Novels by Thomas Hardy Lost books English novels 1867 debut novels {{1860s-novel-stub