Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song-Book is the first extant anthology of English nursery rhymes, published in London in 1744. It contains the oldest printed texts of many well-known and popular rhymes, as well as several that eventually dropped out of the canon of rhymes for children. A copy is held in the British Library. In 2013 a facsimile edition with an introduction by Andrea Immel and Brian Alderson was published by the Cotsen Occasional Press.
With the full title of Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book Voll. [sic] II, this was a sequel to the now lost Tommy Thumb's Song Book, published in London by Mary Cooper in 1744.[1][2][3] For many years, it was thought that there was only a single copy in existence, now in the British Library,[4] but in 2001 another copy appeared and was sold for £45,000.[5] As a result, this is the oldest printed collection of English nursery rhymes that is available. Henry Carey's 1725 satire on Ambrose Philips, Namby Pamby, quotes or alludes to some half-dozen or so nursery rhymes.[6] The rhymes and illustrations were printed from copper plates, the text being stamped with punches into the plates, a technique borrowed from map and music printing. It is 3×13⁄4 inches and it is printed in alternate openings in red and black ink.[6]
Contents
The book contains forty nursery rhymes, many of which are still popular, including;
^Wolf, Shelby; Coats, Karen; Enciso, Patricia A.; Jenkins, Christine (2010). Handbook of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature. Routledge. p. 188. ISBN9780203843543.
^"Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book". British Library.
^Lynch, Jack. The Oxford Handbook of British Poetry, 1660-1800. Oxford University Press. p. 90.
^British Library, "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song-Book". retrieved 14 November 2009.
^"Rhyme book fetches £45,500". 13 December 2001, Telegraph.co.uk, Retrieved 14 November 09.
Lina Eckstein, Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes, p. 7
February 24, 2023
tommy, thumb, pretty, song, book, tommy, thumb, pretty, song, book, first, extant, anthology, english, nursery, rhymes, published, london, 1744, contains, oldest, printed, texts, many, well, known, popular, rhymes, well, several, that, eventually, dropped, can. Tommy Thumb s Pretty Song Book is the first extant anthology of English nursery rhymes published in London in 1744 It contains the oldest printed texts of many well known and popular rhymes as well as several that eventually dropped out of the canon of rhymes for children A copy is held in the British Library In 2013 a facsimile edition with an introduction by Andrea Immel and Brian Alderson was published by the Cotsen Occasional Press Contents 1 Publication 2 Contents 3 References 4 External linksPublication EditWith the full title of Tommy Thumb s Pretty Song Book Voll sic II this was a sequel to the now lost Tommy Thumb s Song Book published in London by Mary Cooper in 1744 1 2 3 For many years it was thought that there was only a single copy in existence now in the British Library 4 but in 2001 another copy appeared and was sold for 45 000 5 As a result this is the oldest printed collection of English nursery rhymes that is available Henry Carey s 1725 satire on Ambrose Philips Namby Pamby quotes or alludes to some half dozen or so nursery rhymes 6 The rhymes and illustrations were printed from copper plates the text being stamped with punches into the plates a technique borrowed from map and music printing It is 3 13 4 inches and it is printed in alternate openings in red and black ink 6 Contents EditThe book contains forty nursery rhymes many of which are still popular including Baa Baa Black Sheep Girls and Boys Come Out To Play Hickory Dickory Dock Ladybird Ladybird Little Robin Redbreast Little Tommy Tucker London Bridge is Falling Down Mary Mary Quite Contrary Oranges and Lemons Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross Sing a Song of Sixpence There Was an Old Woman Who Lived Under a Hill Who Killed Cock Robin There are also a number of less familiar rhymes some of which were probably unsuitable for later sensibilities including Piss a Bed Piss a Bed Barley Butt Your Bum is so heavy You can t get up Some nursery rhymes turn up in disguise The Moon shines Bright The Stars give a light And you may kiss A pretty girl At ten a clock at night This is an earlier version of When I was a little boyMy mammy kept me in dd Now I am a great boy I m fit to serve the king dd I can handle a musket And I can smoke a pipe dd And I can kiss a pretty girlAt twelve o clock at night 7 dd References Edit Wolf Shelby Coats Karen Enciso Patricia A Jenkins Christine 2010 Handbook of Research on Children s and Young Adult Literature Routledge p 188 ISBN 9780203843543 Tommy Thumb s Pretty Song Book British Library Lynch Jack The Oxford Handbook of British Poetry 1660 1800 Oxford University Press p 90 British Library Tommy Thumb s Pretty Song Book retrieved 14 November 2009 Rhyme book fetches 45 500 13 December 2001 Telegraph co uk Retrieved 14 November 09 a b H Carpenter and M Prichard The Oxford Companion to Children s Literature Oxford University Press 1984 pp 533 4 William S Baring Gould and Ceil Baring Gould The Annotated Mother Goose pp 24 43 External links EditTommy Thumb s Pretty Song Book at the British Library Children s literature portalLina Eckstein Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes p 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tommy Thumb 27s Pretty Song Book amp oldid 1125038513, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
