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"Purity of Heart or The Ancient Costume: A Tale" is a novel written by an anonymous author who identifies herself only as "An Old Wife of Twenty Years." The book was first published in 1816 and tells the story of a young woman named Emily who is torn between two suitors: the wealthy and handsome Mr. Stanley and the kind and virtuous Mr. Elford. Emily's mother, who is obsessed with social status and wealth, encourages her to choose Mr. Stanley, while Emily's own conscience tells her that Mr. Elford is the better choice. As Emily struggles to make her decision, she becomes increasingly drawn to the ancient costume worn by the people of her village. The costume represents a simpler time, before the corrupting influence of wealth and social status took hold. Emily becomes convinced that wearing the costume will help her to find the purity of heart that she seeks. Throughout the novel, the author explores themes of love, morality, and the corrupting influence of wealth and social status. The book is written in a simple, straightforward style, and is intended to be both entertaining and instructive. It is a classic example of early 19th-century literature, and is still widely read and studied 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.
