“But indeed the business of the universe is to make such a fool of you that you will know yourself for one, and so begin to be wise!”

George MacDonald, from Lilith

Lilith was originally published in 1895 by Chatto & Windus, London.

Eight distinct manuscript versions of Lilith exist, chronicling the book’s development under MacDonald’s pen until its release in 1895. Some view Lilith as the other-worldly climax of MacDonald’s literary career. As in Phantastes, with which Lilith is usually linked, the narrator finds himself embarking on a quest. But unlike the earlier journey into the land of faerie, that of Lilith is an inward journey that leads to the world of death, exploring what new self-awarenesses, even repentance, may be possible in that realm.

(Source: The Cullen Collection)