t newspapers whether
the work offered for sale was printed in America or England. But the
books he received in every fresh invoice from London were 'just
published by James Rivington' and this form was speedily adopted by
other booksellers, so that after 1761 the advertisement of books is no
longer a guide to the issues of the colonial press."

Although Rivington did not set up a press until about seventeen hundred
and seventy-three,--according to Mr. Hildeburn,--he had a book-shop much
earlier. Here he probably reprinted the title-page and then put an
elaborate notice in the "Weekly Mercury" for November 17, 1760, as
follows:

JAMES RIVINGTON

_Bookseller and Stationer from London over against the Golden Key in
Hanover Square._

This day is published, Price, seven Shillings, and sold by the said
JAMES RIVINGTON, adorned with two hundred Pictures

THE
FABLES OF AESOP

with a moral to each Fable in Verse, and an Application in Prose,
intended for the Use of the youngest of readers, and proper to be
put into the hands of Children, immediately after they have done
with the Spelling-Book, it being adapted to their tender Capacities,
the Fables are related in a short and lively Manner, and they are
recommended to all those who are concerned in the education of
Children. This is an entire new Work, elegantly printed and
ornamented with much better Cuts than any other Edition of Aesop's
Fables. Be pleased to ask for DRAPER'S AESOP.

From such records of parents' care as are given in Mrs. Charles
Pinckney's letters to her husband's agent in London, and Josiah Quincy's
reminiscences of his early training, it seems very evident that John
Locke's advice in "Thoughts on Education" was read and followed at this
time in the American colonies. Therefore, in accordance with the
bachelor philosopher's theory as to reading-matter for little children,
the bookseller recommended the "Fables" to "those concerned in the
education of children." It is at least a happy coincidence that one of
the earliest books (as far as is known to the writer), aside from school
and religious books, issued as published in America for children, should
have been the one Locke had so heartily recommended. This is what he had
said many years previously: "When by these gentle ways he begins to
_read_, some easy pleasant Book, suited to his capacities, should be put
into