Tommy Thumb's Song Book
Encyclopedia
Tommy Thumb's Song Book is the earliest known collection of British nursery rhymes. Though it was printed in 1744, no original copy has survived, but its content has been recovered from later reprints. It contained many rhymes that are still well known.
for 17-22 March 1744, with the full title: Tommy Thumb's Song Book for all little Masters and Misses; to be sung to them by their Nurses 'till they can sing themselves. By Nurse Lovechild. To which is added, a Letter from a Lady on Nursing; it was published by Mary Cooper of London. No copy has survived, but a book of exactly the same title was published in 1788 by Isaiah Thomas of Worcester, Massachusetts, who normally reprinted English books in the form he found them. A few weeks after the first publication Mrs Cooper produced a sequel, Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Voll. [sic] II, of which copies are extant.
, nor to injure them by swinging them by the arms.
It then moves to a section of illustrations of animals, with the representative sounds they make, which instructions for the reader to show the child the pictures and to make the sounds: 'by which means the child, in a short time, will be able to do the same.'
The final section is a series of nursery rhymes with the titles:
Publication
The book was advertised in the London Evening PostLondon Evening Post
The London Evening Post was a pro-Jacobite Tory English newspaper published in Great Britain from 1727 until 1797....
for 17-22 March 1744, with the full title: Tommy Thumb's Song Book for all little Masters and Misses; to be sung to them by their Nurses 'till they can sing themselves. By Nurse Lovechild. To which is added, a Letter from a Lady on Nursing; it was published by Mary Cooper of London. No copy has survived, but a book of exactly the same title was published in 1788 by Isaiah Thomas of Worcester, Massachusetts, who normally reprinted English books in the form he found them. A few weeks after the first publication Mrs Cooper produced a sequel, Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book is the earliest extant printed collection of English language nursery rhymes, published in London in 1744. It was a sequel to the lost Tommy Thumb's Song Book and contains the oldest version of many well-known and popular rhymes, as well as several that have been...
Voll. [sic] II, of which copies are extant.
Contents
The 1788 edition begins with a letter to Nurse Lovechild, thanking her for bringing up the author's children and for the 'laudable design' of compiling a collection of songs 'fit for the capacities of infants ... by which they are often lull'd to Rest, when cross, and in great pain.' It also asks her not to frighten the children by singing too loud or by telling the names of various BogiesBogeyman
A bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour...
, nor to injure them by swinging them by the arms.
It then moves to a section of illustrations of animals, with the representative sounds they make, which instructions for the reader to show the child the pictures and to make the sounds: 'by which means the child, in a short time, will be able to do the same.'
The final section is a series of nursery rhymes with the titles:
- The Features
- Baby on the Tree TopRock-a-bye BabyRock-a-bye Baby is a nursery rhyme and lullaby. The melody is a variant of the English satirical ballad Lilliburlero. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 2768.-Lyrics:...
- Patty Cake
- Penny a day
- London BellsOranges and Lemons"Oranges and Lemons" is an English nursery rhyme and singing game which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as #3190.-Lyrics:Common modern versions include:...
- London BridgeLondon Bridge is Falling Down"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 502.-Lyrics:...
- Tom Thumb and Nurse
- Robin and Bobbin