The Three Wayfarers (1893)

Dramatic version by Hardy of his story The Three Strangers. "Probably the only one in existence!" In these words Thomas Hardy referred to a copy of the first edition of his one- act pastoral play, The Three Wayfarers. Writing to Mr. (later Sir) Sydney Cockerell on February 28, 1918, Hardy said: "About six copies were printed in New York in 1893 for copyright purposes, and the one I enclose is probably the only one in existence, except a similar copy my wife has." Hardy was not quite correct in thinking that there were, in 1918, only two copies of The Three Wayfarers, but he was correct in reporting that only "about six copies were printed in New York in 1893." Apparently only two of the six were sent to England: one Hardy gave to his second wife.