Thomas Hardy&#39;s second published novel, &quot;Under the Greenwood Tree&quot;, was published in 1872 by Tinsley Brothers in two volumes bound in green cloth. Like &quot;Desperate Remedies&quot;, it was published anonymously, but this time Tinsley recognised the value of the novel and offered Hardy 30 pounds for the copyright. &nbsp;In 1873, the novel was published in the United States by Holt &amp; Williams with Hardy&#39;s name.<br /><br />&quot;Under the Greenwood Tree&quot;, set in the small village of Mellstock in Thomas Hardy&rsquo;s fictional Wessex, is both a love story and a nostalgic study into the disappearance of old traditions and a move towards a more modern way of life. The book is divided into five sections, one for each of the four seasons of the year plus a final concluding section.<br /><br />&quot;Under the Greenwood Tree&quot; is the story of the romantic entanglement between church musician, Dick Dewey, and the attractive new school mistress, Fancy Day.&nbsp;<br /><br />A pleasant romantic tale set in the Victorian era, this work is one of Thomas Hardy&#39;s most gentle and pastoral novels.