OLIN Z 7855 H6 B3w 1911 THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY JESUS A list of editions of this once popular Children's Book Compiled by ALBERT CARLOS BATES Librarian Connecticut Historical Society HARTFORD 1911 The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, Hartford, Conn. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 1924 077 727 059 a r This tentative list is issued by me with the hope that others will be able to supply information that will render it more com- plete bibliographically, and also with the hope that something may be learned of the history of the little book itself. Was it originally an American or an English publication; who is its author; who engraved the rude cuts which it contains; when and where were its earliest and latest editions issued? These and other queries will occur to whoever examines a copy of the History. That it was popular with the children of a century and a half ago is evidenced by the numerous editions that were issued; but up to this time it seems to have been almost entirely neglected or overlooked by writers on early American juvenile literature. No eighteenth century juvenile publication issued in this country, with the exceptions of the New England Primer and the Shorter Catechism (if this latter should be classed as a juvenile), appears to have passed through so many editions as did this. There seems to be no reason for supposing that the publi- cation now under consideration had any relation (beyond a chance similarity of title) to the " History of the Holy Jesus with the lives, etc., of the Evangelists and Apostles", by Wil- liam Smith, first published in London in 1708, and first in this country in Boston in 1716. That was a duodecimo bound vol- ume, written in prose and not calculated for the use of children. Will the persons into whose hands this list may come aid the compiler by sending him any information they may have of the location of copies of the History (even if the edition al- ready appears in this list), also any items regarding its origin, compilation or history. Albert C. Bates Hartford Conn. QL- 1 ^J ml The History of the Holy Jesus: Containing, a brief and plain Account of his Birth, Death, Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven ; and his coming again at the great and last Day of Judgment. Being a pleasant and profitable Companion for Children; compos'd on purpose for their Use. To which is added, two excellent Hymns, one on the presence, the other on the absence of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and a Body of Divin- ity for little Children. By a Lover of their precious Souls. Sold by B. Gray, at the North-side of the Market. The above advertisement announcing the book as "Just Pub- lished" appears in the Boston News Letter of January 31, 1745. It appears also in the two issues next following with the additional sentence after the words "little children", "Adorn'd with sixteen Cuts" In the absence of further evidence, this is assumed to be the first edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The second edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The third edition. No copy of this edition is known. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing j A brief and plain Account of his Birth, | Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascention | into Heaven; and his coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profit- able Companion ] for Children ; compos'd on Purpose for] their Use. I By a Lover of their precious Souls. ) The Fourth Edition. | Boston, Printed for D. Gookin in | Marlborough-street. 1747- I 3ji x 2$4 inches; signatures, [A], B, [C] in 8s; 24 leaves; illustrated. Private collection. Reference to this copy ; Evans, no. 5967. This edition is "Adorned" with sixteen illustrations, twelve of them full page and one other nearly so. One of these is signed J T, and it is believed that all of them, except perhaps the two smallest, are the work of James Turner. Probably they are identi- cal with the sixteen which appeared in the 1745 edition. This edi- tion was probably printed by John Draper, as two of the type orna- ments in it are found also in John Barnard's Massachusetts election sermon, which was printed by John Draper for Daniel Gookin in 1746 6 The History of the Holy Jesus. Containing a brief and plain account of his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascen- tion into Heaven, and his coming again at the great and last day of Judgment. Being a pleasant and profitable companion for children ; compos'd on purpose for their use. By a Lover of their precious Souls. The fifth edition. Boston; Printed for D. Gookin. 1748. 48 mo. Reference to this copy: Evans, no. 6157. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, [ Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascention | into Heaven ; and his coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion | for Children; compos'd on Purpose for | their Use. I By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Sixth Edition. | Boston, Printed by J. Bushell | and J. Green, 1749. | 3J4 x 2?4 inches; signatures, [A], B, [C] in 8s; 24 leaves; illustrated. E Dwight Church collection. References to this copy: Goodspeed's catalogue, no. 4, 1900; Evans, no. 6331 ; Church catalogue. This copy has fourteen large illustrations. Two of them are known to be from the same blocks as those in the fourth edition, and it is presumed that the others also are. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing. | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, | Life, Death, Resurrection & Ascenti- | on into Heaven ; and his coming again | at the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant & profitable Com- panion I for Children; compos'd on Purpose | for their Use. I By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Seventh Edition. | New-London, Printed | and Sold by John Green, 1754.I 4x3 inches; signatures, [A], B, [C] in 8s; 24 leaves; illus- trated. The first and last two leaves of this copy are wanting. The collation given is for a complete copy. New York Public Library (Lenox foundation.) Reference to this copy: Evans, no. 721 1. The illustrations, except the two smallest ones, are believed to be from the identical blocks used in the fourth edition. The [ History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing, | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, | Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascen- | tion into Heaven ; and his coming | again at the great and last Day of | Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Com- I panion for Children; compos'd on | Purpose for their Use. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Eighth Edition. | New-London: | Printed and Sold by T. Green, 1762. | 3% x 3 inches; signatures, [A], B, [C] in 8s; 24 leaves; illus- trated. Private collection. Reference to this copy: Evans, no. 9138. There are eighteen illustrations, fourteen of which are from the identical blocks used in the fourth edition. The portrait which appears as a frontispiece in this and earlier editions, and in subse- quent Hudson, N. Y., editions, is also found printed from the same block on the back cover of "The Conversion of a Mehometan," sixth edition, New London, T. Green, 1773.. The illustration of a skeleton holding a scythe and arrow and standing beside three cof- fins, which appears in this and earlier editions, is found printed from the same block on "A Short Account of Three Men that were kill'd by Lightning, at Suffield, May 20, 1766", by E. Remington, which was probably printed the same year at either New London or Hartford. The History of the Holy Jesus. The ninth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The tenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. Ths History of the Holy Jesus. . ... .The Eleventh Edition. Boston : | Printed and Sold by Z. Fowle at his Print- | ing Office, in Back-Street. 1766. | (Price 4 Pence.) | Private Ownership. The History of the Holy Jesus. The twelfth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The thirteenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The fourteenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, Life, | Death, Resurrection and Ascention into | Heaven ; and his coming again at the | Great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion | for Children; composed on Purpose for | their 8 Use. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Fifteenth Edition, f Boston : | Printed by I. Thomas, for Z. Fowle, in | Bach- Street, near the Mill-Bridge. | (Price 6 Coppers.) | 4% x 2 l A inches; signatures, [A], B, C in 8s; 24 leaves; illus- trated. Two copies in private collections, one of them imperfect. Reference to the perfect copy; Goodspeed's catalogue, no. 64, 1909. The date of printing is probably 1767. This edition contains nineteen illustrations. Seven of the full page ones and one half page one are copies of those appearing in earlier editions and (with one exception) have been reversed in the engraving. These re-engraved cuts and at least one of the small cuts are believed to be the work of Isaiah Thomas the printer of this edition, six of them being signed I T. One full page and several small illustrations are much better engraved and may be stock cuts. The History of the Holy Jesus. The sixteenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The seventeenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The eighteenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The nineteenth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The twentieth edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The twenty-first edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The twenty-second edition. No copy of this edition is known. The History of the Holy Jesus. The twenty-third edition. No copy of this edition is known. . The | History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, f Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension | into Heaven ; and his coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion. | for Children; composed on Purpose for |. their Use. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Twenty-fourth Edition. | Boston: | Printed and Sold by Ez. Russell, in | Queen- Street. 1771. I 4/4 x z% inches ; signatures, [A] , B, [ ?C] in 8s ; 30 pages only remaining in copy seen ; illustrated Boston Public Library (seen), Brown University (Harris Col- lection), and private collection. References to Boston Public Library copy; Goodspeed's cata- logue, no. 4, 1900; Evans no. 12073, Reference to private copy, which is also imperfect wanting pages 1, 2, 33 and all subsequent; Goodspeed's catalogue, no. 64, 1909. Reference to Brown University copy; Index to the Harris collection, 1874, no. 1560, The imperfect copy seen contains twelve illustrations, five of the full page ones are from the identical blocks used in the fifteenth edition, one full page and five smaller ones are copies of similar illustrations in that edition, and one small cut of a globe (perhaps a stock cut) is new to the work. The reason for the new block in this edition for the full page cut of the comet is shown by the serious break which appears in the old block used for that cut in the fifteenth edition. The seven cuts which appear for the first time in this edition are very rudely engraved. They are not found printed from these blocks in any other edition. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, | Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension | into Heaven; and his coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Com- I panion for Children; composed on | Purpose for their Use. I By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Twenty- Fifth Edition. | Boston : | Printed and Sold by John Boyle in | Marlborough- Street, 1774. | 4x3% inches; signatures, [A], B, C in 8s; 24 leaves; illustrated, Pequot Library, Southport, Corwi., Boston Public Library (imperfect) and two imperfect copies in a private collection. References to Pequot Library copy; Ripka sale at Libbie's Oct 22, 1907, no. 270; Book Prices Current, 1908. This edition contains nineteen illustrations, fifteen of which are printed from the same blocks as those in the fifteenth edition; two of the others are the same subjects but different engravings. 10 The | History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing ] A brief and plain Account of his Birth, | Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension | into Heaven; and his coming again at j the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Com- | panion for Children; composed on | Purpose for their Use. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Twenty-Sixth Edition. | Boston : ] Printed for John Boyle in Marlbo- | rough-Street. 1779- I 4 x 3% inches; signatures, [A], B, C in 8s; 24 leaves; illustrated. Pequot Library, Southport, Conn., and private collection, also an imperfect copy offered by Goodspeed, August, 1909. This edition contains the nineteen cuts, printed from the same blocks, that appear in the twenty-fifth edition, also three additional full page cuts on the first and last pages and reverse of title. It was probably this edition which was advertised in the Connecticut Courmt of April 10, 1781, among" A number of entertaining Books for Children " as " Just come to hand and now selling by Nathaniel Patten, Book Binder and Stationer, A little north of the State- House, Hartford." The [ History | of the | Holy Jesus, | containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, Life, | Death, Resurrection and Ascension into Hea- | ven ; and his coming again at the great and I last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion for | Children; composed on purpose for their | Use. I By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The First Worces- ter Edition. | Worcester, (Massachusetts ) | Printed by Isaiah Thomas, | and sold at his Book Store. | MDCCLXXXVI. | zVi x '2% inches; signatures, [A], B, C in 8s; 43, (4) pages; illustrated. American Antiquarian Society, and imperfect copy in a private collection. Reference to perfect copy; Nichols' Bibliography of Worcester, no. 78. This edition contains nineteen small well engraved illustrations in the book itself, and four on the covers. Two of the illustrations in the book are printed from the same blocks used in the fifteenth, twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth editions. The History of the Holy Jesus. The first Hudson edition. No copy of this edition is known. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, Life, | Death, Resurrection and Ascension into Heav- | en ; and his coming again at the great II and last" | Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion for | Children; composed on purpose for their | Use. j By a lover of their precious Souls, f The Second Hud- son Edition. | Printed at Hudson (New- York) | By Ashbel Stoddard, | And Sold, Wholesale and Retail, at his Print- I ing Office. M,DCC,XCIII. | 3& x 3% inches; signatures, [A], B, C, D in 8s and 4s alter- nately ; 24 leaves ; illustrated. Private collection. This edition contains twenty-four illustrations. The portrait frontispiece of " the author " appears to be printed from the same block as in the fourth edition (1747). A window and a clock face have been added in the blank space at one side, a part of the back- ground cut away surrounding the head and some lines retouched. Of the twenty-three other illustrations, ten appear to have been engraved more or less closely after the Boston edition of 1779 and are reversed. Three others follow that edition but are not reversed. The I History | of the [ Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, Life, ] Death, Resurrection and Ascension into | Heaven ; and his coming again at the great | and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Companion | for Children; composed on purpose for | their Use. I Together with a Number of Innocent | Songs. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Second Worcester Edi- tion. I Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts, | By Isaiah Thomas. \ And Sold Wholesale and Retail at his Book-| store. MDCCXIV. j 4x2^ inches signatures, [A], [B], C, D in 8s; 63 pages illustrated. American Antiquarian Society (imperfect), Pequot Library, Southport, Conn., and private collection. Reference to Pequot Library copy; Goodspeed's catalogue no. 4, 1900. Reference to private copy; Nichols' Bibliography of Wor- cester, no. 248. This edition contains thirty small illustrations, including two tail pieces. Eighteen of them are printed from the same blocks used in the first Worcester edition, eleven new ones have been added, and a new one put in place of one of the two that had appeared in several previous editions. There are no illustrations on the covers. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus | containing | A brief and plain Account of his | Birth, Resurrection, Life, and Death, Ascension 12 Into Heaven ; and his coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable | Companion for Children; | Composed on Purpose for their Use. | By a lover of their precious Souls. | Boston: | Printed and sold by S. Hall, No. 53 Cornhill. | 1796. 1 3% x 2Yz inches; signatures, [A], B, C, D in 8s; 58, (5) pages; illustrated Boston Public Library, and private collection. This edition contains, including a tail piece, twenty well en- graved illustrations, fifteen of which are carefull copies of illus- trations in the first Worcester edition. The History of the Holy Jesus. The third Hudson edition. No copy of this edition is known. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A Brief and plain Account of his | Birth, Resurrection, ' Life, and Death, Ascension Into Heaven ; and his Coming again at | the great and last Day of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable | Companion for Children; ] Composed on Purpose for their Use. f By a Lover of their precious Souls. | Boston: | Printed for Hall & Hiller, No. 53 Cornhill. | 1 804. 1 4 x 2$i inches; signatures, "[A], B, C, D in 8s; 63 pages; illustrated. Boston Public Library, and private collection. Reference to private copy; Thomas J. Taylor's catalogue, no. 151, September 1910, This issue contains twenty illustrations printed from the same blocks as those in the issue of Boston, 1796. A I History | of the | Holy | Jesus. | [cut] Suffield: Printed by Edward Gray. | 1804 | 6% x 4^ inches; signatures [A], B, in 6s; 23, (1) pages; illustrated. Library of Congress. Contains, including a small stock cut on the title page, four- teen illustrations. Twelve of these are copies of illustrations that had already appeared in other editions; but the blocks here used are not found in any other issue. On the last page is a square illustration the full width of the page showing in the center, within an oval, a profile half length cut of a man in uniform facing right 13 which may be inteded to portray Washington. Below appear war trophies, cannon, drum and flags. On either side is a standing figure, representing probably Liberty with a cap on a pole, and Victory blowing a trumpet, The illustrations in this issue are, with the exception of the one on the title, very rudely engraved and resemble somewhat in their execution those in the 1771 edition. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | A brief and plain account of his Birth, Life, Death, | Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven; | and his coming again at the great and last Day | of Judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable Com- panion for Children; | composed on purpose for their use. | Together with a number of Innocent | Songs. | Second Worcester Edition. | Worcester, Massachusetts: | Printed by Thomas & Sturte- vant, I For Isaiah Thomas, Jun. | Sold Wholesale and Retail at his Bookstore; by Thomas & Whipple, | Newburyport ; and by Thomas & Tappan, Portsmouth. | 1806. | 554 x 354 inches; signatures, [A], B, C, D, E, F in 6s; 69, (2) pages; illustrated. American Antiquarian Society, Boston Public Library, and two copies in private collections. Reference to one of the copies in private collection; Nichols' Bibliography of Worcester, no. 494. This edition contains forty one illustrations, twenty four of these (including one that is repeated) are printed from the same blocks as those in the second Worcester edition (1794), four are new cuts of the same subjects appearing in that edition, and thirteen are entirely new illustrations. This is the third Worcester edition, although called the second on its title page. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus, f Containing | A brief and plain Account of his Birth, Life, | Death, Resurrection and Ascention into | Heaven ; and his coming again | at the great and last Day of | Judgment. | Being | A pleasant and profitable companion for Children ; | Composed on purpose for their use. | By a Lover of their precious Souls. | The Fourth Hudson Edition. | Hudson : | Printed by Ashbel Stoddard, | And Sold Whole- sale and Retail at his Book-Store, | No. 137 Warren Street — 1807. I 4 x 3J4 inches; signatures, [A], B, C, D in 8s and 4s alternately; 24 leaves illustrated. Two copies in a private collection. This edition contains twenty four illustrations, printed from the same blocks as in the second Hudson edition. 14 The | New Testament, | In Verse; | or | The History Of Our | Blessed Saviour. | Containing | A brief account of his Birth, Resurrection, Life, and Death, Ascension, &c. Being a pleasant and profitable companion for | Children. • Philadelphia : | Published by Benjamin Johnson, No. 22, | North Second Street. | 1813. | 2 x 2^4 inches; signatures, [A], B, C in 12s; 72 pages; illustrated. Private collection. The text of this book is that of previous editions of the "His- tory of the Holy Jesus," the title only being changed. There are eighteen illustrations. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus. | Containing | a brief and plain account of his birth, life, | death, resurrection, and ascension into | heaven ; and his coming again at |" the great and last day of | judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable | com- panion for children ; compo- | sed on purpose for their use. | Together with | St. Paul's Shipwreck. | Exeter: | Published by Benjamin P. Sheriff. [ 1813.I 5/-£ x 3^2 inches; 18 pages; one illustration. Private collection. Reference to this copy: Thomas J. Taylor's catalogue, no.- 151, September 1910. The I History | of the | Holy Jesus, | containing | a brief and plain account of his birth, | life, death, resurrection, and ascen- | sion into heaven ; and his com- | ing again at the great and I last day of judgment. | Being a pleasant and profitable companion | for children, composed on purpose | for their use. | Together with St. Paul's Shipwreck. | Exeter: | Published and sold by Benjamin P. Sheriff. Sold also I by W. & J. Gilman, Newburyport. | 1814.I 454 x 2% inches; 23 pages; one illustration. Boston Public Library, Library of Congress. Reference to one of these copies : Whitmore sale at Libbie's Nov. 12, 1002, no. 1767. The illustration is printed from the same block as in the Exeter edition of 1813. Besides the foregoing printed editions there is also in a private collection a manuscript copy of The History of the Holy Jesus, complete except for lack of title leaf, which was made by James Wells of Wethersfield, Conn., in 1759, when he was eleven years of age.