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Cobwebs to catch flies, or, Dialogues in short sentences, adapted to children from the age of three to eight years (v.1, title page)
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| Title | Cobwebs to catch flies, or, Dialogues in short sentences, adapted to children from the age of three to eight years (v.1, title page) |
| Author | Lovechild, Mrs. (Lady Eleanor Frere Fenn), 1743-1813 |
| Publisher | Marshall, John
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| Publisher Location | England--London |
| Publication Date | ca. 1794 |
| Printer | Marshall, John
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| Illustrator | Unknown
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| Image Production Process | Relief prints--woodcuts
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| Notes | Illustrated with uncolored woodcuts.
This book uses the progressive method of teaching reading, starting with words of three to six letters in Volume 1 and "progressing" to words of one to four syllables according to the child's age in Volume II. The lessons are presented as a series of short, illustrated dialogues between mother and child or between two children. Because it focuses on the child's own experience and interests, it provides us with an invaluable insight into the everyday life and speech of the contemporary child.
This is volume one of a two volume set. Volume one contains "easy lessons in words of three letters, four letters, five letters, six letters, suited to chlidren from three to five years of age."
Written in the introductory section, "To my little readers": Do not imagine that, like a great spider, I will give you a hard gripe and infuse venum to blow you up. No, I mean to catch you gently, whisper in your ear, "Be good, and then you will be beloved. Be good, and you will be happy"; and then release you to frisk about in pursuit of your innocent pastimes. Dear little creatures! enjoy your sports; be merry as you will; but remember the old proverb, "Be merry and wise". You whole duty is contained in one short precept, "Obey readily and cheerfully." |
| Contextual Notes | Lady Eleanor Frere Fenn wrote numerous short books for children in the 1780s under the pseudonyms "Mrs. Teachwell" "'Mrs. Lovechild" and "Solomon Lovechild." Her work proved popular, and her books did much to establish John Marshall as the predominant publisher of children's books in the 1780s and '90s.
Written in dialogues, this popular reader was in print throughout the nineteenth century. This book deviated from earlier readers in that was printed in large type with a spacious layout and contained simple illustrations that related directly to the text. |
| Category | Primers (Instructional books)
Moral instruction
Cautionary tales
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| Language | English |
| Digital Collection | Children's Historical Literature Collection |
| Digital ID Number | CHL1350 |
| Repository | University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division |
| Repository Collection | Children's Historical Literature Collection. 372.4 F36c v.1 |
| Object Type | Book
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| Physical Description | 72 p.: illustrated; 15.5 x 10 cm. |
| Digital Reproduction Information | Photographed from original book in TIFF format using a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/EOS 400D, resized and enhanced using Adobe Photoshop, and imported as JPEG2000 using Contentdm's software JPEG2000 Extension. 2009. |
| Exhibit Checklist | Exhibit checklist L.31 |
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