Only the Second Children's Magazine Printed in the United States
Juvenile Magazine. or, Miscellaneous Repository of Useful Information. Volume II.
Philadelphia: Benjamin Johnson, 1802.
First edition. Volume II of four volumes. Twelvemo (5 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches; 140 x 84 mm). 214, [2, index] pp. Printing of this magazine began with vol. 1 in 1802 and ceased with volume 4 in 1803. With engraved frontispiece, vignette on the title-page, one engraved plate and two full page illustrations, included in pagination. This title is only the second Children's magazine to be printed in the United States, after The Children's Magazine of 1789. We could find no copy of this or any volume at auction in the past 40 years.
Publisher's full red calf, ruled in gilt. Two black calf spine labels. Spine lettered and stamped in gilt. Edges speckled brown. Marbled endpapers. Boards a bit rubbed along edges, and back board a bit creased. Title-page with two small holes, just barely affecting text. Frontispiece trimmed short at lower margin, not affecting engraving. Some toning throughout, as usual for American paper. Overall a very good copy.
"The Juvenile Magazine was the second children's magazine to be published in the U.S.; the first was Children's magazine, published in 1789. Contents included essays, articles on natural science, biographical sketches, poetry, some illustrations, and reviews of school books and other juvenile publications." (Stanford Libraries).
This volume II contains, various poems, and essays and anecdotes, including one entitled "Angling" by Benjamin Franklin (pg 57), natural histories of some animals including the bat and the elephant. On page 66, there is a poem entitled "The Slave," by Anonymous with a somewhat sympathetic footnote the the end which reads "It may not be improper to remind the young reader, that the anguish of the unhappy negroes, on being separated forever from their country and dearest connections, with the dreadful prospect of perpetual slavery, frequently becomes so exquisite, as to produce derangement of mind, and suicide."
From the editor "There is perhaps no period of human life when a thirst for information is more strikingly predominant... than from the age of ten to twenty. For this age we have no appropriate periodical publication in America... under this impression we conceive we cannot devote our time more properly or employ our press more profitably to ourselves or advantageously to the rising generation of America, than by publishing monthly (or more frequently should sufficient encouragement offer) a volume devoted peculiarly to their entertainment and information."
Early American Imprints, 2476.
HBS 68551.
$1,500.
Price: $1,500.00
Item #68551