Tales of Mystery and Imagination; or, What is the first SF novel?

What is the first Science Fiction novel?

This question was raised in an interesting article by one Jim Harris at Auxiliary Memory (found here http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/the-time-machine-by-h-g-wells/) where he argues that THE TIME MACHINE by H.G. Wells is the first science fiction novel properly so called.

Let me quote his words, so as not to mislead:

“…I’ve come to the conclusion there are two types of stories labeled science fiction. There’s the all-purpose label that...