1802.]. 32mo, pp. vi, 7-32; with engraved frontispiece; pagination error with p. 3 in Arabic rather than Roman; some light soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; without endpapers (as issued?), textblock a little shaken; stitched as issued, in the original cream paper-covered boards, all edges yellow, with mounted shaped engraved labels on upper and lower board, each hand-coloured, spine slightly worn, covers a little soiled and darkened, but otherwise very good. A scarce and charming miniature introduction to basic arithmetic for children, issued by John Marshall as one of the series of little books that formed his boxed library ‘The Book-Case of Instruction and Delight’. The work begins with a brief potted history of mathematics: ‘From Asia it passed into Egypt... her it was greatly cultivated and improved. From Egypt it was transmitted to the Greeks, who handed it forward with great improvements, which is had received by the computation of their astronomers to the Romans from whom it came to us’ (p. iv). The young readers are then taken through the basic principles of numeration, addition, multiplication, subtraction and division, the work including a number of small tables and examples.
John Marshall (1783-1828) was a renowned publisher of miniature children’s books and series, including The Juvenile; or Child’s Library’; The Infant’s Library’; and The Doll’s Library. Printed in brightly coloured boards, often with numerous illustrations and frequently offered with the option of purchasing an accompanying specially designed ornamental doll-house-like bookcase, they became incredibly popular, offering as they did a practical system of learning through play. According to Brian Alderson the series comprised twelve volumes, though noted that a set had yet to be found complete. It is believed that all volumes could be purchased individually, and all are scarce.
The precise date of publication of the present work is uncertain, and a number of variants have been identified. Toronto (Osborne) and Princeton cite an addition to 1800 of pp. 61 with a variant imprint of ‘No. 4, Aldermary Church-yard, Bow-lane Cheapside’. Princeton has three issues, two of which have watermarks dated 199 and 1800. The present issue is believed to date to around 1802. A further edition was published after Marshall had moved to 140 Fleet Street (1807-1828) according to Brown, ‘London publishers and printers c. 1800-1870’, p. 124. A copy with this imprint is located at the UCLA and which they date to 1812, but based upon an inscription.