The Washington times., 1903-12-21
FAMOUS CHAP BOOK
SERIES At HARVARD
Valuable Collection of the
Elder Boswell.
SAMUEL JOHNSoN'S FRIEND
Little Books From Bow Churchyard
Filled With Curious Productions
of Two Centuries Ago.


average Englishman of the eighteenth
century should return to this planet and
wanted something TO read he would find
literary nourishment not at the mod
ern book shops or news stands. but
rather either in the British Museum or
the Harvard College Library.
Curiously enough, the great Harvard
collection Of old English chap books is
much better arranged and more readily
accessible to the casual reader than even
that Of the British Museum Nowadays.
of course, there are few casual readers
unless one imagines that the sturdy
ghosts of two hundred years ago haunt
the Harvard book shelves from midnight
till cockcrow.
An Early Collector.
One of the earliest collectors of chap
books was the elder Boswell. Samuel
Johnson's friend and blographer, and
the Harvard Library has long contained
some ffty-five volumes-which means
some hundreds of chap books of from
eight to twenty-four pages each-that
were. supposed to have been collected by
him These books are now believed to
have been got together by the son of
the great biographer and the real James
Boswell collection has only recently
been acquired ~ the Harvard Library.
The authenticity of the new collection,
which only recently came into the mar
ket. is attested by an autograph note on
the fly leaf of the first of the three vol
umes. In which Boswell arranged his
chap books. whose original cost was
probably less than the price of binding
them together.
Boswell's Letter.
The autograph note, dated from the
Inner Temple. London, in 1853. naturally
adds greatly 70 the value Of the books
/ from the point of view of honest biblio-
maniacs, and gives also a characteristic
history of the way in which the author
Of the big Life of Johnson" brought
his little library OF popular literature
together.
Having. when boy" wrote Boswell,
been much interested in Jack, the
Giant Killer and such little story
/ books. L have always retained a kind
Of affection for them. as they recall
my early days. 1 went 10 the printing
/ Office in Bow Churchyard and bought
| this collection. and had it bound up
with the title of Curious Productions
shall certainly. some time or other.
! write little story book in the style
! OF these IL will not be an easy task
/ for me; ii viii require much nature and
simplicity and a great acquaintance
with the humors and traditions of the
English common people. shall be
/ happy to succeed, for he who pleases
children viii be remembered with pleas
ure by men
Remarkable Collection
Boswells collection, although It con-
tains but eighty-five out Of an snnum-
bered host OF little histories. tales, rid
die books. jest books. romances, dream
books, ''garlands'' Of songs and verses
in fact, every form OF written matter
that could be expected to find a ready
sale among the common people Of that
childish, superstitious. and credulous
age--is remarkably representative
If all the other chap books in the
world should be lost this one collection
would practically preserve the spirit
of the whole mass Of contemporary
popular nterature-a fact which sug-
gests the notion that Boswell himself
took pains to make his three volumes
of productions" not only curious"
but educational. Nor did the great
\ biographer ever write his Little Story
Book" although ne has succeeded in
being remembered with pleasure by
men even II he has not been popular
with children.
Some Familiar Names.
1t is an interesting proof OF their wide
popularity that many of the names that
come to light in turning the pages OF
the Boswell collection are almost as
familiar as If the modern reader had
the chap books in his own library.
There is the History OF Mother
Bunch Of the West. containing Many
Rarities out OF her Golden Closet OF
Curiosities." whose words of wisdom
were undoubtedly consulted with hope
full faith by many a lovesick swain or
maiden of the eighteenth century;
1.-THE History OF DIR. Faustus. Showing
How He Sold Himself to the Devil TO
Have Power TO do what he pleased for
Twenty-four Years"
Also Showing Things done by him and
his servant Mephistopheles. 18th an &C
count how the Devil came for him and
tire him to Pieces" The Golden ca, binet
or the Compleat Fortune Teller" THE
Merry Tales OF the Wise Men of Goth
am" 1.-The History OF Mother Shipton."
and others which we still partly recog-
nize.
| 1t Is an interesting fact in view Of
the Importance attached to illustration
In modern books and periodicals that
| -. hc,lrg T,,llxy Cd