# Is "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Brontë (as 'Acton Bell') a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë (as 'Acton Bell') (Thomas Cautley Newby, 1848) is identified by: Three volumes, published by Newby around 1 July 1848 'by Acton Bell'. The UK Newby 1848 three-decker is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Three volumes, published by Newby around 1 July 1848 'by Acton Bell'
- The first issue lacks the author's preface
- Newby printed only part of the agreed run and issued the remainder with a cancel title and Anne's newly written preface as the 'second edition' in mid-August 1848
- First issue therefore has no preface; the second-edition state carries the preface 'To the Second Edition' (dated 22 July 1848) in which Anne defends the novel
- The second edition also incorporates some corrections while introducing new errors
- Publisher imprint reads Thomas Cautley Newby
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anne Brontë (as 'Acton Bell') |
| Publisher | Thomas Cautley Newby |
| Year | 1848 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Three volumes, published by Newby around 1 July 1848 'by Acton Bell' |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Three volumes, published by Newby around 1 July 1848 'by Acton Bell'. The first issue lacks the author's preface; Newby printed only part of the agreed run and issued the remainder with a cancel title and Anne's newly written preface as the 'second edition' in mid-August 1848. First issue therefore has no preface; the second-edition state carries the preface 'To the Second Edition' (dated 22 July 1848) in which Anne defends the novel. The second edition also incorporates some corrections while introducing new errors.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Newby 1848 three-decker is the true first. Presence or absence of Anne's preface distinguishes the second-edition state from the first issue. Sadleir considered it the scarcest of the Brontë sisters' first editions.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Editions or issues carrying Anne's defensive preface 'To the Second Edition' are the second edition state or later, not the first issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Tenant of Wildfell Hall* by Anne Brontë (as 'Acton Bell') a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-tenant-of-wildfell-hall
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.