57058 COPYRIGHT, 1876, E. P. TENNEY. BOSTON: STEREOTYPED BY C. J. PETERS & SON, 73 FEDERAL STREET. BV4905 ос INTRODUCTION. DRELINCOURT's "Meditations on Death" had as remarkable a run, in its day, as any well written modern novel. First published in France in 1651, there were fifteen editions in forty-one years. It was published in nearly every country in Europe. There were more than twenty editions in England and Scotland in little more than a hundred years. Queen Mary, consort to William III., read it over seven times. De Foe was so much pleased with it, that he wrote a ghost-story for an introduction to one edition, the better to sell it, representing Mrs. Veal as coming from another world to recommend this book; and the indorsement proved so popular, that it has been printed in every edition since. There have been, at least, three American editions. Drelincourt's fulness of learning, and quaintness of illustration, might warrant another edition: it |