The Fables of Aesop; Samuel Croxall, D.D.
This book is a facsimile of parts of an edition of The Fables of Aesop which was written by Samuel Croxall D.D. (c1690-1752) and published in 1845 in Halifax by William Milner. The tales were told in an instructive style, aimed at children. It seems to have been a miniature edition of the Fables, so was amenable to reproduction as a 16 page small book. Carr's book is unusual in that he is not named as the publisher, only the hand-written text inside the front cover (see below) indicates that he published it. It is not listed in the History of the QTP as it is a later publication.
In an article on Carr and the Quince Tree Press in Reader's Digest published in March 1990, Carr reported that his next small book would be Aesop's Fables, so it was probably published in late 1990 or in 1991. The price was 50 pence (see copy below), probably the highest retail price that was charged for Carr's small books in his lifetime.
The text, in Carr's writing, inside the front cover on the sides states:
O my friends, what perils may be skirted by heeding these fables . . the faithlesness of boards of directors, taking on too burdensome a mortgage, griping when there's nothing to gripe about, standing up when it is safer to lie down, taking more than you can swallow, trying to please two women, the penalty of puffed up pride, seeking to be a manager before you have served an apprenticeship . . . Yrs truly, Aesop
The text, in Carr's writing, in the middle states:
A word to the Prudent. 'A wolf in sheep's clothing', 'dog in a manger', 'sour grapes' sprang from these fables. They point a moral . . . Do likewise. Tell them to a child in your own words (not the Revd Sam Croxton's (sic)) and make a moral to suit the tale and our times. How? Well, as Aesop said 'Necessity is the mother of invention'. The Publisher.
I thank Don Bramley of Sherburn-in-Elmet for bringing this publication to my attention.
(Last updated on 17/4/2021)
SBX-AES1: First edition
Title: The Fables of Aesop
Publisher: None stated
Year: (1990/91)
ISBN: None
Size: 129 x 94 mm
Pages: 16 pp
Staples: two
Binding: white glossy printed card covers
Paper: cream
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: none stated
Internal illustrations: 18 engravings from the original edition
Number in series: none given
Colophon: none
Telephone number: none given
Printing history: none stated
Number of other titles listed: none
Printed by: not stated
Content: The dog and the shadow; The oak and the reed; The proud frog; The dog in the manger; The lion in love; The ant and the grasshopper; The fox and the grapes; The wolf and the crane; The husbandman and the stork; Fortune and the boy; The fox and the crow; The crow and the pitcher; The ass in the lion's skin; The lion and the mouse; A fox; The travellers and the bear; The travellers; The mountains in labour; The fox and the vizor-mask; The hare and the tortoise; The mice in counsel; The shepherd's boy'; The fox and the ass; The man and his two wives; The man and his goose; The wolf and the lamb.
Rear and front covers
Inside front cover (click to enlarge)