The Martian: A Novel.

DU MAURIER, George.

Item Number: 100137

London and New York: Harper & Brothers, 1898.

First edition of du Maurier’s largely autobiographical novel. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, illustrated with engravings including frontispiece portrait of the author. In near fine condition.

George du Maurier's third novel, The Martian, describes the life of Barty Josselin as told by his close friend Robert Maurice, starting from their school days in Paris in the 1850s. After his vision begins to fail and he contemplates suicide, Barty learns in a dream that he has a guardian spirit Martia, a female spirit from Mars, who communicates with him and offers him guidance. When Barty marries and his wife bears a child, Martia becomes incarnated in the form of their daughter, and when the child dies, her spirit returns to Mars, and Barty also passes away.