title: Thomas Hardy (Authors in Context) (Oxford World's Classics)
author:  Patricia Ingham 
description: `'a remarkable and succinct statement of many different but important aspects of Hardy's life and work, invaluable to students studying his work'' Dr James Gibson
zlib_text: * * *
  
  
  # Two on a Tower
  
  
  ### Thomas Hardy
  
  
  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  'Ah, my heart! her eyes and she
  
  
  Have taught thee new astrology.
  
  
  Howe'er Love's native hours were set,
  
  
  Whatever starry synod met,
  
  
  'Tis in the mercy of her eye,
  
  
  If poor Love shall live or die.'
  
  
  CRASHAW: Love's Horoscope.
  
  
  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  PREFACE.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This slightly-built romance was the outcome of a wish to set the
  
  
  emotional history of two infinitesimal lives against the stupendous
  
  
  background of the stellar universe, and to impart to readers the
  
  
  sentiment that of these contrasting magnitudes the smaller might be
  
  
  the greater to them as men.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  But, on the publication of the book people seemed to be less struck
  
  
  with these high aims of the author than with their own opinion,
  
  
  first, that the novel was an 'improper' one in its morals, and,
  
  
  secondly, that it was intended to be a satire on the Established
  
  
  Church of this country. I was made to suffer in consequence from
  
  
  several emi