Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-02-07
Dear Editor:


journal, "The Times. of Richmond, Va"
| shall use for text for this commuuica-
:ion-"Mother Goose" This article is the
third sent to the press from Boston making
the extraordinary claim that Mother Goose
melodies were first published in Pudding
Lane, and their author an aged woman OF
that city. Boston declares herself the cen
ire of literary excellence in the United
States. and therefore this effort on the part
of some one or more of her citizens to i'm
pose on the credulity of the people OF the
land makes us all the more culpable in not
preventing the designed imposition on those
who take things as they find them.
About FIVE years ago the entering wedge
of this falsehood was made through the
Southern CIurchman, of your city. The
editors attention being called to the sub
iect he asked for information, and there
came from Philadelphia and other places
many replies and much valuable informa-
ton, and many facts were given which had
the effect to silence the subject for while.
but few months ago another form of this
story was published in the New York Sun,
and now we have still another in the Times.
The story told in the Southern Churchman
was that certain Elizabeth Foster, OF
Connecticut, married Isaac Goose, of Bos-
ton, who was widower with eleven chill
dren to which number she added five. No
| wonder she sung, "There was an old woman
who lived in shoe, and had so many chill
dren she did not know what to do" and
80 numerous were her rhymes for the chill
dren's amusement, that either a son OF
grandson of Isaac Goose wrote them out
and published them from Pudding Lane
This "Mother Goose is said to be buried
| in the old South churchyard.
You see, Mr.. Editor, how unlike are the
two stories, and this one says nothing OF
| wanting to erect a monument to the memo
nv of this wonderful woman, whereas that
sent to the Churchman did. Doubtless the
Southern Churchman will be glad to repub-
ish the interesting articles sent in response
to its requests.
It will not do to have the children of the
United States educated away from the
TRUTH as is now continually done through the
books placed in their hands. "Mother
Goose" melodies are as old as the time OF
Edward l., many of them beyond and many
of them nearer to the settlement of North
America they were designed as ampoons
aud satires of the people of the times
"Humpty Dumpty" was an early French
fable, and the story of a goose, said to have
been the first French fable, and written by
father and son of the same name.
"Three wise men went to sea in bOwl'
was TO satirlze the tri parti treaty between
the kings of France, Spain and Austria
mo sooner made than broken" "Ride the
cock. horse to Bambury Cross to see the old
woman mount her white horse" was intend
ed for Queen Elizabeth.
Little Boy Blue" was to taunt the Scots
for not being ready for the invasion of Ed
ward |. Sir Walter Scott found some Of
them in Arabia and others along the shore
of the Mediterranean.
"The Knights of Spain" was written by
Queen Elizabeth, her sister MARY" Lady
Jane Grey and herself being the prominent
n
characters, Philip the Second having paid
his attention to all three.
Assertions made publicly and not denied
are supposed to be true. The country has
suffered enough by treating falsehood with
contempt. Let's try little healthful con-
tradiction. l.. L. ;.