Children's Books and Their IllustratorsWhite, Gleeson
General
Children's Books and Their Illustrators
White, Gleeson
Children's literature; Illustrated books; Illustration of books; Illustrators
The titles of a few odd books which possess more than usually
interesting features may be jotted down. Of these, "Little Thumb and the
Ogre" (R. Dutton, 1788), with illustrations by William Blake, is easily
first in interest, if not in other respects. Others include "The Cries
of London" (1775), "Sindbad the Sailor" (Newbery, 1798), "Valentine and
Orson" (Mary Rhynd, Clerkenwell, 1804), "Fun at the Fair" (with spirited
cuts printed in red), and Watts's "Divine and Moral Songs," and "An
Abridged New Testament," with still more effective designs also in red
(Lumsden, Glasgow), "Gulliver's Travels" (greatly abridged, 1815),
"Mother Gum" (1805), "Anecdotes of a Little Family" (1795), "Mirth
without Mischief," "King Pippin," "The Daisy" (cautionary stories in
verse), and the "Cowslip," its companion (with delightfully prim little
rhymes that have been reprinted lately). The thirty illustrations in
each are by Samuel Williams, an artist who yet awaits his due
appreciation. A large number of classics of their kind, "The Adventures
of Philip Quarll," "Gulliver's Travels," Blake's "Songs of Innocence,"
Charles Lamb's "Stories from Shakespeare," Mrs. Sherwood's "Henry and
his Bearer," and a host of other religious stories, cannot even be
enumerated. But even were it possible to compile a full list of
children's books, it would be of little service, for the popular books
are in no danger of being forgotten, and the unpopular, as a rule, have
vanished out of existence, and except by pure accident could not be
found for love or money.
[Illustration: ILLUSTRATION FROM "COMIC NURSERY TALES" (G. ROUTLEDGE.
1846)]
With the publications of Newbery and Harris, early in the nineteenth
century, we encounter examples more nearly typical of the child's book
as we regard it to-day. Among them Harris's "Cabinet" is noticeable.
The first four volumes, "The Butterfly's Ball," "The Peacock at Home,"
"The Lion's Masquerade," and "The Elephant's Ball," were reprinted a few
years ago, with the original illustrations by Mulready carefully
reproduced. A coloured series of sixty-two books, priced at one shilling
and sixpence each (Harris), was extremely popular.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account