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Editor's Statement

Lysbeth, A Tale of the Dutch

Lysbethny1901cover

Lysbeth, A Tale of the Dutch is a historical romance set in the Netherlands during the time of Spanish occupation. In this adventure, Dutch Protestant Lysbeth van Hout is forced into a false union with the Spanish villain Ramiro. When the illegitimacy of the marriage is discovered, Lysbeth weds her true love Hendrik, with whom she raises her two children: Ramiro's son Adrian and Hendrik's son Foy. With the help of the mad-woman Martha the Mare and the warrior Red Martin, Ramiro receives justice at the hands of the Dutch citizens he has wronged.

Haggard originally wanted to title this novel The Secret Sword of Silence, but ultimately decided to name it after his heroine. Lysbeth was serialized in The Graphic between 1 September 1900 and March 1901 and illustrated by G. P. Jacomb-Hood, R. I.. The Longmans, Green, and Co., New York edition was published in 1901 and featured 26 illustrations by Jacomb-Hood. Longmans, Green, and Co., London also published an edition in 1901 with identical illustrations as the Longmans edition. Longmans issued 10,000 copies for this printing.

The Graphic sent Jacomb-Hood to the Netherlands to research illustrations for Lysbeth. Unfortunately for Jacomb-Hood, during his visit Britain was engaged in the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). Residents of the Netherlands tended to sympathize less with the British cause than that of the South African Dutch colonial farmers, or Boers. In his autobiography, With Brush and Pencil (1925), Jacomb-Hood recollects:

During the Boer War I went for The Graphic to Holland to get material for illustrating a serial story by Rider Haggard, on the subject of the struggle of the Hollanders for freedom from the Spanish yoke. The tale was entitled 'Lysbeth.' Holland, at the time of my visit, was not a comfortable country for an Englishman, as the war in South Africa was making us unpopular, and even hated. I had to pocket some insults and to shut my eyes to horrible cartoons and postcards in the shop windows, of our poor Queen suffering all sorts of indignities, and of the British lion, bandaged and patched, and looking very sorry for himself. Here and there, however, intelligent and well-bred Dutchmen cheered me by an understanding and approval of English action. (139)



Further Reading


Jacomb-Hood, G. P.. With Brush and Pencil. London: John Murray, 1925. Print.


Whatmore, D.E.. H Rider Haggard: A Bibliography. Westport, CT: Meckler Publishing Co., 1987. F24, 37-38. Print.



Editions of Lysbeth, A Tale of the Dutch

Lysbeththegraphiccover809
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1618. London: The Graphic Office, 1 December 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover313
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1605. London: The Graphic Office, 1 September 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover697
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1615. London: The Graphic Office, 10 November 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover49
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1624. London: The Graphic Office, 12 January 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover545
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1611. London: The Graphic Office, 13 October 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover889
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1620. London: The Graphic Office, 15 December 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover385
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1607. London: The Graphic Office, 15 September 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover249
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1629. London: The Graphic Office, 16 February 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover737
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1616. London: The Graphic Office, 17 November 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover81
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1625. London: The Graphic Office, 19 January 1901.
Lysbethny1901cover
1st US Edition. New York: Longmans, Green and Co., 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover183
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1627. London: The Graphic Office, 2 February 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover1901313
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1631. London: The Graphic Office, 2 March 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover577
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1612. London: The Graphic Office, 20 October 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover929
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1621. London: The Graphic Office, 22 December 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover425
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1608. London: The Graphic Office, 22 September 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover281
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1630. London: The Graphic Office, 23 February 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover769
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1617. London: The Graphic Office, 24 November 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover121
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1626. London: The Graphic Office, 26 January 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover617
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1613. London: The Graphic Office, 27 October 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover961
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1622. London: The Graphic Office, 29 December 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover457
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1609. London: The Graphic Office, 29 September 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover17
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1623. London: The Graphic Office, 5 January 1901.
Lysbeththegraphiccover505
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1610. London: The Graphic Office, 6 October 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover849
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1619. London: The Graphic Office, 8 December 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover349
The Graphic, vol. 62, no. 1606. London: The Graphic Office, 8 September 1900.
Lysbeththegraphiccover223
The Graphic, vol. 63, no. 1628. London: The Graphic Office, 9 February 1901.
Lysbethnewnessixpenny1906dustjacket
Newnes' Sixpenny Novels Illustrated. London: George Newnes, c. 1906.

Illustrations from Lysbeth, A Tale of the Dutch

Icannot98
Itis273
Iam428
Youwaste62
Thusit166
Youare117
Twomen315
Itis259
Illnot304
Foyturned211
Heedlessof217
Sixtyhours244
Along354
Afterhim370
Ahlook388
Beholdthe134
Thewhite407
Hesprang336
Thatvery494
Thenthere452
Therebeneath78
Theypassed38
Iwill181
Paidback473
Thenshe443
Therewerethegraphicinitial385
Afoulfrontispiece
Threedaysthegraphicinitial505
Whendirkthegraphicinitial617
Adrianwokethegraphicinitial889
Twodaysthegraphic81
Lysbethsatthegraphic505
Inanotherthegraphic349
Dirkheardthegraphic457
Seatedinthegraphic385
Seatedbythegraphiccover769
Itisthegraphic809
Vandethegraphic313
Atthethegraphic697
Sotherethegraphic425
Martinhadthegraphic617
Theherothegraphic577
Martinseemedthegraphic545
Themonkthegraphic889
Thedoorsthegraphic849
Foyslongthegraphic961
Dirklockedthegraphic17
Menappearedthegraphic737
Thenlysbethsthegraphicinitial349
Onthethegraphicinitial425
Thatafternoonthegraphicinitial457
Afterhimthegraphic49
Halfathegraphic929
Menturnedthegraphic81
Elsahungthegraphic121
Whentheythegraphic183
Lookoutthegraphic223
Itwasthegraphic249
Axeinthegraphic281
Thatverythegraphic1901313
Somemonthsthegraphicinitial1901 313
Theservicethegraphicinitial545
Onthisthegraphicinitial577
Iffoythegraphicinitial769
Tothethegraphicinitial929
Whenadrianthegraphic49
Afterathegraphic121
Itwillthegraphic223
Atathegraphicinitial697
Forhalfthegraphicinitial737
Inthethegraphicinitial809
Atnightfallthegraphicinitial849
Thesergeantthegraphicinitial961
Sothegraphicinitial17
Whenadrianthegraphic49
Thedaythegraphic183
Itwasinitialthegraphic249
Lysbethnewnessixpenny1906dustjacket
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