Banbury Chap Books | Page 3

British Museum, and gives the full text and history of these. This curious book would well bear representing with the original Bewick cuts, after the manner of the present Newbery firm, who have revived Butterfly's Ball, Grasshopper's Feast, Goody Two Shoes, Looking Glass for the Mind, and contemplate others in the immediate future. Tegg in his reprint of the Book on Philip Quarll, states that he was born in St. Giles' Parish, London, 1647, voyaged to Brazil, Mexico, and other parts of America, was left on an island, nourished by a goat, and other surprising adventures. Edward Dorrington communicates an account (see p. 1 to 94 inclusive) of how the hermit Philip Quarll was discovered, with his (E. D.'s) return to Bristol from Mexico, Jan. 3, 1724-5; but is about returning to Peru and Mexico again (p. 94). This is of both American and Bewick interest. Besides these representatives of this Chap Book, we are enabled to give in this collection impressions from the blocks of other editions fortunately rescued from oblivion and destruction.
[Illustrations: v1, v2]
[Illustrations: vi1, vi2]

[Illustration: 11]
BANBURY CHAP BOOKS.
"Old Story Books! Old Story Books! we owe ye much old friends, Bright coloured threads in memory's wrap, of which Death holds the ends, Who can forget ye? Who can spurn the ministers of joy That waited on the lisping girl and petticoated boy? Talk of your vellum, gold emboss'd morocco, roan, and calf, The blue and yellow wraps of old were prettier by half."
--Eliza Cook's Poems.
In 1708 John White, a Citizen of York, established himself as a printer in Newcastle-on-Tyne, bringing with him a stock of quaint old cuts, formerly his father's, at York, where he was Sole Printer to King William, for the five Northern Counties of England. He entered into partnership with Thomas Saint, who on the death of John White, at their Printing Office in Pilgrim Street, succeeded in 1796 to his extensive business as Printer, Bookseller, and Publisher. In this stock of woodcuts were some of the veritable pieces of wood engraved, or cut for Caxton, Wynken de Worde, Pynson, and others down to Tommy Gent--the curious genius, historian, author, poet, woodcuter and engraver, binder and printer, of York. We give some early examples out of this stock. Thomas Saint, about 1770, had the honour of introducing to the public, the brothers Thomas and John Bewick's first efforts in wood-engravings, early and crude as they undoubtedly were. They are to be found in Hutton "On Mensuration," and also in various children's and juvenile works, such as ?sop's and Gay's Fables. We give some of the earliest known of their work in this very interesting collection of woodcuts.
Some years ago a collection was formed of Newbury and Marshall's Children's Gift Toy Books, and early educational works, which were placed in the South Kensington Museum, in several glass cases. These attracted other collections of rare little volumes, adorned with similar cuts, many of which are from the identical blocks here impressed, notably the "Cries of York," "Goody Two Shoes," etc. They are still on view, near the George Cruikshank collection, and during the twenty years they have been exhibited, such literature has steadily gone up to fancy prices.
Charles Knight in his Shadows of the Old Booksellers, says of Newbury, (pp. 233), "This old bookseller is a very old friend of mine. He wound himself round my heart some seventy years ago, when I became possessed of an immortal volume, entitled the history of 'Little Goody Shoes.' I felt myself personally honoured in the dedication." He then refers to Dr. Primrose, Thomas Trip, etc., and adds further on, "my father had a drawer full of them [Newbury's little books] very smartly bound in gilt paper." Priceless now would this collection be, mixed up with horn-books--a single copy of which is one of the rarest relics of the olden time.
Chalmer's in his preface to "Idler," regards Mr. Newbury as the reputed author of many little chap books for masters and misses.
Mr. John Nichols brings forward other candidates for the honour of projecting and writing the "Lilliputian histories, of Goody Two Shoes, etc.;" and refers to Griffith Jones and Giles Jones, in conjunction with Mr. John Newbury, as those to whom the public are indebted for the origin of those numerous and popular little books for the amusement and instruction of children, which have ever since been received with universal approbation.
The following are two of the identical cuts engraved by John Bewick, and used in the Newbury editions of Goody Two Shoes, London, 1769 to 1771.
[Illustrations: 21, 22]
It will be seen on contrasting these cuts with the other two, on the following page, from early York editions, how wonderfully even in his early years Bewick improved the illustrated juvenile literature of his day. No wonder when Goldsmith the poet had