Nursery Rhymes of England Obtained Principally from Oral Tradition Book

Give it a 2.49 for novelty. And why, oh why, are there so many modern editions of this thing? Other than it's in the public domain, costs next to nothing to publish, and there's a sucker born every minute when it's described as " . . . kept from the public for many years" or "Banned in Boston in 1872."

If you've never heard of bundling, it's simply being together in a bed as a form of courtship . . . presumably clothed and chaste. Presumably. That's why some parents put boards between the two kiddos. Apparently the practice was a way to spend time together in the cold cold nights of northern climes. Don't think it was necessary in sunny Italy, for instance.

The most important part of the book for 2020 may be the author's 1871 preface to the original edition, remarking on some critics who wish that bundling would NOT be discussed. He makes a statement that REALLY should be noted in these days of ancestor-bashing and statue-trashing:

"As for myself, I am no believer in the theory that the objectionable portions of history should be kept in the background, and that only the bright side should be turned toward the world. If, as one has happily said, 'history is experience teaching by example,' we most surely need to have both sides fairly presented to us, before we can properly extract therefrom the lesson of good or of evil which is therein taught. It is unnecessary to pursue the argument further. Suffice it to say, that perfection is as little to be expected in the history of a state or a community, as in the life of an individual. As to our ancestors, we must take them as history shows them to us -- 'men of like passions with ourselves' and, 'in all respects tempted as we are,' yet neither worse, nor, again, very much purer or better that ourselves."

Discovered in a box of other books given to me by a friend, this little hardback book in nondescript gray covers is in decent shape (other than browning of the pages). I threw a bit of speed-reading at the first 50 pages, tired of the exercise, and scanned the rest. So saying I've "read" this is a bit of an exaggeration . . . but who's keeping score?

The text is heavily footnoted . . . they sometimes go on for pages . . . and covers lots of historical and geographic ground in 82 pages. The author discusses bundling practices in Britain (especially a big deal among the poor of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, it seems) and goes on to Holland, Switzerland, and even Asia. Finally, we arrive in New England . . . where 17th- or 18th-Century bundling apparently is an embarrassment to the fine folks of the mid-19th Century.

The next 30+ pages contain songs and poems about bundling. Perhaps a bit raunchy, but only a bit.

The final 30 pages consist of two appendices, one a newspaper article from 1828, the other a report from "The Royal Commission on Marriage Laws" (1868) talking about bundling among the Scottish agricultural laborers resulting in nine out of 10 women either having children or being pregnant before marriage. Perhaps THAT is why the book was suppressed!