Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-09
ABOUT MOTHER GOOSE.
.uTnoR or THe OLD RHYMES
Still A MATTER OF DOUBT.

thiidrsn-A nit Of History.
The question, Who was "Mother
3ooseY' arises periodically In various
journalistic query departments, and IN
recent Year, has generally been answered
In one way. In fact, the tradition OF this
venerable characters Boston origin Ia
now 10 ingrainad, ~ Il were, into cur
rent belief that very few dispute II. Tbs
story IL that Mr., Elizabeth Goose.
widow Of one Isaac Goose Tor Vergoosel,
was the mother.in.law Of Mr.. Thomas
Fleet, printer In the early par, Of the
Eighteenth century In Boston.
She seemed to have been a troublesome
mo,her.in.lsw, too, for her multiplied
lmprovised songs TO her little grandson
greatly annoyed the printer, Fleet. lie,
however, found his account aud revenge
by finally collecting them and making
the book known ~ Mother G0osc's Mel
udios." hi. accoTds substantially with
the reply the New York Ledger gives a.
10 the authorship Of tho Mother Goose
iingles
But II IL probably one Of the cherished
myths, nattering asst t. TO local pride,
when, like that Of tho William Tell leg
end and many others equally dear, tho
solid verdict Of history does not, IN my
opinion. serve TO sustain. There mover
was, think. any just foundation for II,
While Il IL possible that Mr.. Fleet, Of
ancient Boston fame, may have Issued
a 'Mo,her Goose book, no copy Of such
nn issue can be found, nor can its
former existence DO proved. II lac did
print such hook he merely reprinted
one that was imported In his time
CONCLUSIVE KvIDHNCE
According TO the bent accounts that
va have on this subject the first book
bearing tho Mother Goose name was 10y
Pcrrault, u French author. This was
titled, "coh,es du Tcns Pasco de Ma
Mep L'oyo" Tho first English trans
laiion Of this was by Robert Sander.
Very soon, as Mr.. Wclsh's caalosue
shove, it appeared in Mr.. Nowburya
liet OF publications In London. Ho saya
the seventh EDITION was printed May 10,
iT17. Thomas CarinAn entered for copy
night Mother Qoose's Melody OF san
uels for the Crndl.," and was brought
oatdR Worcester. Me4A, by baao Thon'
~. German was Neweury's siepson.
who formed cerarInership Ne his sue
csssor In business with Francis New
bury. the original Newbury's nephew
Il was from Nr. Eewbury's eiforta
therefore, that 'Me,her Goose got IT
circulation In EigliAh-tho Nowbury
who madc famous tho now forgotten bu'
once celebrated story Of "GoOdy Tw,
Sllses." Both thsss boolo appeared with
gu, recognized authonhlp; but there 4
very strong evidence for believing tha
tho "0ooiy Two Shoes was written by
no lo.s a parsonage than Oliver Gold
sfnith. Tho facts supporting this as
suiaptien u would taks too much space
to.reistc hare. but they seem, in addition
tota,ernal eyldsrce. TO make out yer.
plausiblslcsse.
II is believed also by Mr.. William ii
whi,more, q noted Boston historical
scholar, that Mr.. Goldsmith had han,
in the Mother Coca" bool, likewise
The stortes o. Unstable, Ike Topsy. hav'
grown In number from timO TO time
and loaio OF ulotr from tho Newbur.
press were no dopbt additions, and pos
aSly Additions from Golasnith's owl
muse. A curious piece OF evidence OF
this point Il furnished by Mr Viii,
more, who says; "Forslcr, In his famon
Life Of 00ldsiuith,' gives proof tina
usidsmiyh vas very fond OF tho chi
drNn aud was familiar with nurser
rhymes aud games He writes that Mri
Hawkins savs. j little thought what
should have 10 toast WHOM GoldSmit
tola mo TO play Jack aud jill by Nv
pieces Of paper on his fingers"
isrrREsriSo HISTORY.
Mr.. whltmore also adds the followin
scrap Of history;
Jan. 20, i1Cs-Goldsmith's play Q
The Good Nstured Man was produced
lie went to dine with his friends aftt
Il Nay. TO impress his friends still MOI
forcibly with 10 hdea Of his magnaniu
ity no even sung his favorite song, "A
Old Woman TosLrd In Blanket Sever
teen Times ~ High "a tho Moon, au
was altogether very noisy and loud. On
readers will find this identical fayorit
fong' IN the preface TO Mother Goose
Melody page Z, dragged in without an
excuse, but evidently because 1t was II
iniliar to the writer"
MI Whitnore has lately brought OF
an edition OF the Newbury "Moth,
Goose. ~ which he adds twenty-eigl
pages OF historical and biographies
notes. He has undoubtedly settled IL
whole history Of this vexed question I
authorship NO far "A It can now be settle
aud with no little pains TO himself, M
has certainly exploded the alleged Bos;c
origin Of "Mistrcss Goose"
Forty years ago mother Goose" vi
much more current than 1t has been
recsnt years; but within ten years past
variety OF edihons have been on tioma
ket-some full and padded with lat
rhymes and n few containing only tho
that are the oldest and best known.
those who arc greatly Interested In III
form Of literature, "HLlliwclls Engli
Nursery Rhymes" edited with minu
notes, as becomes great Shakespearel
commentator. Is book that will rich
repay perusal. 1t seems to contain I
whole Of "Mother Goose" and near
MI OF note that has been written by Il
iu,itators, but It lacks the amusing al
almost necessary adjunct of pictori
ILLUSTRATION. New York Home Journ
HaHass
Adele. IN I.ll.tsa atuu.ul.