An Adventure.
London: Faber, 1931. Fourth Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 104pp (+ plates & fold-outs). Heavy brown cloth (possibly a library rebind) lettered in gilt on spine. Three plates; four fold-out plans at rear. The revised fourth edition of "An Adventure." The book was first published pseudonymously in 1911, and after being reprinted a number of times in 1911 and 1912, was revised with added material added in 1913, 1924 and 1931. The account is of the event now sometimes referred to as "The Versailles Time Slip" (also known as "the Ghosts of Trianon," or "the Moberly-Jourdain Incident"), which took place in 1901 during a visit to the Petit Trianon Gardens in Versailles by the Principal of St. Hugh's College in Oxford, Anne Moberly, and a fellow teacher Eleanor Jourdain. While searching for a small chateau on the grounds that had been given to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI, they suddenly found themselves viewing the landscape as it would have appeared in the late eighteenth century, and encountering people dressed in the clothing of the time. Their account attracted considerable attention, and criticism, by disbelievers. The most vigorous of these was J. R. Sturge-Whiting who published a critique in 1937. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, although not marked as such. Corners, spine ends and edges chafed with a bit of light fraying, a few light bumps to edges and points, "shield" shaped discoloration on front board where a label has been removed. Small chip in front free endpaper, remains of label on rear paste-down. A tight and solid Good only copy. (no dust jacket). Item #62612
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