writing or abridging the various children’s tales; even the pompous Dr. Johnson is said to have had a hand in their production—­since he expressed a wish to do so.  Newbery himself, however, assumed the responsibility as well as the credit of so many little “Histories,” that it is exceedingly difficult to fix upon the real authors of some of the best-known volumes in the publisher’s juvenile library.

The histories of “Goody Two-Shoes” and “Tommy Trip” (once such nursery favorites, and now almost, if not quite, forgotten) have been attributed to various men; but according to Mr. Pearson in “Banbury Chap-Books,” Goldsmith confessed to writing both.  Certainly, his sly wit and quizzical vein of humor seem to pervade “Goody Two-Shoes”—­often ascribed to Giles Jones—­and the notes affixed to the rhymes of Mother Goose before she became Americanized.  Again his skill is seen in the adaptation of “Wonders of Nature and Art” for juvenile admirers; and for “Fables in Verse” he is generally considered responsible.  As all these tales were printed in the colonies or in the young Republic, their peculiarities and particularities may be better described when dealing with the issues of the American press.

John Newbery, the most illustrious of publishers in the eyes of the old-fashioned child, died in 1767, at the comparatively early age of fifty-four.  Yet before his death he had proved his talent for producing at least fifty original little books, to be worth considerably more than the Biblical ten talents.

No sketch of Newbery’s life should fail to mention another large factor in his successful experiment—­the insertion in the “London Chronicle” and other newspapers of striking and novel advertisements of his gilt volumes, which were to be had for “six-pence the price of binding.”  An instance of his skill appeared in the “London Chronicle” for December 19, 1764-January 1, 1765: 

“The Philosophers, Politicians, Necromancers, and the learned in every faculty are desired to observe that on the 1st of January, being New Year’s Day (oh, that we may all lead new lives!) Mr. Newbery intends to publish the following important volumes, bound and gilt, and hereby invites all his little friends who are good to call for them at the Bible and Sun in St. Paul’s Churchyard, but those who are naughty to have none."[54-A]

Christopher Smart, his brother-in-law, who was an adept in the art of puffing, possibly wrote many of the advertisements of new books—­notices so cleverly phrased that they could not fail to attract the attention of many a country shop-keeper.  In this way thousands were sold to the country districts; and book-dealers in the American commonwealths, reading the English papers and alert to improve their trade, imported them in considerable quantities.