The French Convert Circa 1830.

To quote Led Zeppelin, "Good times, bad times."  Through them all I've never lost my love for the past.  I guess that the prevailing way of thought is that one grows more consevative as they age.  Some perhaps.  Not this lady.  I want to world to open up wider, not become increasingly narrow.

This wonderful book is a perfect example. "Don't you have enough books?" Say what? "Now that you are growing older shouldn't you be cutting back on so many books?" Come again? "You still want to travel?  Isn't that all out of your system?"

Uh, ho. Let it be said here and now that I shall continue to explore the universe both past and present.

   I stumbled upon The French Convert on Ebay for just a few dollars. As is often the case, the photos were lousy.  Word to the unwise. Do post items for sale accompanied by decent pics. You will get more offers if people are can get a better idea of what they are about to bid on.  My guess is that partly explains how this intriguing book came to arrive on my doorstep.

The book is small and can be easily held carefully in one hand, although I wouldn't recommend it.  The front cover is no longer attached to the rest of the book.  No matter.

The title page reads as follows:

THE FRENCH CONVERT:

Being a true relation of the

Happy Conversion

of a

Noble French Lady,

From the errors and superstition of

Popery,

To The Reformed Religion, By Means of Her

Protestant Gardener Her Servant

Wherein Is Shewn Her

Unparalleled Sufferings

On account of her said Conversion;

As Also Her Wonderful Deliverance From

Two Assassins, Hired By a Popish

 

                                         Priest To Murder Her;

And of

Her Miraculous Preservation

in a

Wood For Two Years;

And how she was at last providentially found by her Hus-

band; who together with her Parents, were brought

over to the embracing of the True Religion,

as were divers others also.

 

New York

G.G. Sickels  Publisher

1830

Such delcious drama!

Well naturally the title page alone had enough to peak my interest and poof! My imagination was on fire.  But wouldn't you know it?  I barely got a chance to read the first few pages and then had to carefully and ever so gently, pack it away for a who know how long and place it in storage.

One of these days my hands will once again hold this precious and fragile book.

Until then, I wonder who held it before me over the last 182 years.