Fables Ancient and Modern Adapted for the Use of Children from Three to Eight Years of Age

Title

en_US Fables Ancient and Modern Adapted for the Use of Children from Three to Eight Years of Age

Description

en_US First edition

Edward Baldwin (William Godwin)

Creator

en_US Baldwin, Edward See all items with this value

Contributor

en_US Mulready, William

Date

2019-07-05T20:12:45Z

2018-10

en_US 1805

Date Available

2019-07-05T20:12:45Z

Date Issued

en_US 1805

Abstract

en_US A terrific find. This is Volume II of the first edition, published as the cover says in 1805. So far I find few records or images of this first edition on line. An early edition mentioned online is the 1807 second edition, which already drops the last seven words from the title. I also find an 1808 4th edition done by the same "Juvenile Library" as the first, apparently the author's publication arm. I am amazed that I found this book so easily and cheaply on Ebay. I have ordered a print-on-demand copy of the 1818 edition for comparison. This collection has three later versions of this author's work: Fables Ancient and Modern Adapted for the Use of Children (11th edition, Thomas Tegg, 1840/1920?); Fables from Aesop and Other Writers of Standard Celebrity Explained and Adapted to Popular Use (Hogan and Thompson, 1851); and The Book of Fables: Selections from Aesop, and other Authors Explained and Adapted to Popular Use (Collins, 1856). Who is this author? Edward Baldwin is a nom-de-plume for William Godwin. He married the feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Their daughter was Mary Shelley. After the death of his first wife, he set up with his second wife a small publishing company for children's books. Charles Lamb, whose works the two published, said of Godwin, "A middle sized man, both in stature and understanding"! Godwin is categorized in many ways: utilitarian, anarchist, opponent of the institution of marriage. It is good to remember that he lived in the time of the French revolution, which his first wife went to France to see for herself. Godwin's introduction to later editions of the fable book – and no doubt to the first volume of this edition -- gives some surprising tips, which the versions follow: (1) Do not shorten fables; make them visible; (2) do not let fables end unhappily; and (3) introduce nothing new without explanation. Endings are thus often softened, and we get some surprises. The cock in CJ was apparently wise in rejecting artificial beauty for natural; besides, just after his encounter with the precious stone, the farmer's wife came out with a handful of barley (19). Godwin deliberately rationalizes "The Mountain in Labor" (20) and calls it a comical fable. People did not think it was giving birth. They thought it was having a disastrous eruption. The fable ridicules "large promises and small performances." Godwin follows his rules here, I believe, when he explains and even pictorially describes mountains and oaks to children. His versions are longish and "visible," as he urged. The fox who urged getting rid of tails is about to be thrust out by force when a wise old fox urges "Stop! He will go fast enough of himself" (35). The wagoner with the stuck cart is encountered by a philosopher who offers his help and urges the wagoner to ask two travelers coming by. It is therefore not Hercules who needs to chide the carter (41). In CW (42), an elaborate build-up pictures the young man as the product of a bad upbringing: he is spoiled and "entitled." The particular cat that the young man dotes on is grass green! When she bolts out of bed because she hears a rustling behind the drapes, the bridesmaids burst into laughter. She and her husband agree to ask Venus to make her a cat again, and the man happily marries another. The cat is convinced that it is best to be content as nature has made her. Happy endings are everywhere! In "The Satyr and the Traveller" (97), Baldwin is clear: The satyr was in the wrong. The same thing is often found to serve two purposes. The china jar in 2P (112) is not broken, and the author expresses the hope that she will not be. New to me is The Murderer and the Moon (86); it is not a strong fable. The illustrations are simple and strong. They tend to extend through the margins on the left and right sides. iv + 219 pages. Not in Bodemann. Now can I find a copy of Volume I? Second edition images: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/77f514e9-dc56-14de-e040-e00a18064e39. Complete edition online, including images: https://romantic-circles.org/editions/godwin_fables/index.html

Identifier

en_US 11590 (Access ID)

uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10504/123209

Language

en_US eng

Publisher

en_US Thomas Hodgkins

en_US London

Subject

en_US PR4722.F3 1805 See all items with this value

Aesop and others See all items with this value