The first book of the kind known to be printed in this country bears
the title of "Songs for the Nursery; or, Mother Goose's Melodies
for Children." Something probably intended to represent a goose
with a very long neck and mouth wide open, covered a large part
of the title page, at the bottom of which, Printed by T. Fleet[*],
at his printing house, Pudding Lane, 1719. Price, two coppers.
Several pages were missing, so that the whole number could not be
ascertained.

[*][Note from Brett: T. Fleet is probably Thomas Fleet (1685-1758)
and is referenced by John Fleet Elliot (a descendent). Thomas
Fleet was married to Elizabeth Goose (AKA Vertigoose), and is the
presumed author. Unfortunately, modern research and research at
the time failed to substantiate the existence of this book. This
information is culled in part from the introduction to L. Frank
Baum's edition of "Mother Goose" in 1897. The introduction written
by Mr. Baum considered this line of reasoning and this article is
referenced by him.]

This T. Fleet, according to Isaiah Thomas[*], was a man of considerable
talent and of great wit and humor. He was born in England, and
was brought up in a printing office in the city of Bristol, where
he afterwards worked as a journeyman. Although he was considered
a man of sense, he was never thought to be overburdened with
religious sentiments; he certainly was not in his latter days. Yet
he was MORE than suspected of being actively engaged in the riotous
proceedings connected with the trial of Dr. Sacheverell, in Queen
Ann's time. In London, Bristol, and many other places, the mobs
and riots were of a very serious nature. In London several meeting