Purity of Heart or the Ancient Costume: A Tale (1816)

Purity of Heart or The Ancient Costume: A Tale is a novel written by An Old Wife of Twenty Years and first published in 1816. The story follows the life of a young woman named Ellen, who is raised in a strict and religious household. Ellen is determined to live a virtuous life and maintain her purity of heart, but she is constantly tested by the world around her.As Ellen grows older, she becomes increasingly interested in the ancient costume worn by her ancestors. She believes that wearing the costume will help her maintain her purity and connect her to her heritage. However, her family and community are opposed to the idea, viewing it as outdated and unnecessary.Ellen's struggle to reconcile her desire for purity with the expectations of her community forms the central conflict of the novel. Along the way, she meets a variety of characters who challenge her beliefs and force her to question her own values.Purity of Heart or The Ancient Costume: A Tale is a thought-provoking exploration of the tension between tradition and modernity, faith and reason, and personal freedom and social norms. It is a timeless story that continues to resonate with readers today.In One Volume.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.