Thursday, September 18, 2014

Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century

John Ashton - Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century (1882)

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As a follow-up to the last post here's another book about ephemeral literature.  Some of the chapbooks are reprinted more or less complete but most are summarized, occasionally in just a paragraph but often with excerpts.  All are accompanied by numerous illustrations (especially the chapbook about witches).  The topics range from religious stories (Joseph of Arimathea and the Wandering Jew), histories (especially if there's a murder involved), jest-books, folk tales (Reynard the Fox, Tom Thumb), crimes, some ghosts and stray tales.