illustrated with Cuts." Such a library, complete in itself, was a fine
and most welcome reward for scholarship, when prizes were awarded at the
end of the school session.

Importations of "Parcels of entertaining books for children" had earlier
in the year been announced through the columns of the "Gazette;" but
these importations, though they show familiarity with Newbery's quaint
phraseology in advertising, probably also included an assortment of such
little chap-books as "Tom Thumb," "Cinderella" (from the French of
Monsieur Perrault), and some few other old stories which the children
had long since appropriated as their own property.

In 1751 we find New York waking up to the appreciation of children's
books. There J. Waddell and James Parker were apparently the pioneers in
bringing to public notice the fact that they had for sale little
novel-books in addition to horn-books and primers; and moreover the
"Weekly Post-Boy" advertised that these booksellers had "Pretty Books
for little Masters and Misses" (clearly a Newbery imitation), "with
Blank Flourished Christmas pieces for Scholars."

But as yet even Franklin had hardly been convinced that the old way of
imparting knowledge was not superior to the then modern combination of
amusement and instruction; therefore, although with his partner, David
Hall, he without doubt sold such children's books as were available, for
his daughter Sally, aged seven, he had other views. At his request his
wife, in December, 1751, wrote the following letter to William Strahan:

MADAM,--I am ordered by my Master to write for him Books
for Sally Franklin. I am in Hopes She will be abel to write for
herself by the Spring.