MISERABLE MARRIAGE AND MERRY MURDER
The courtship and marriage of Jerry & Kitty.
London.
J. Harris, 1814.
First edition.
16mo.
[16] engraved leaves, printed on one side only, comprising engraved title page and fifteen hand-coloured engravings. Original publisher's pink wrappers, printed paper label with title in manuscript to upper wrapper. A trifle rubbed and marked. Very occasional light spotting, minute hole to centre of terminal leaf.
A satisfyingly eccentric and unorthodox publication for children; a merry tale of murder illustrated with grotesque caricatures.
The eponymous raw-boned Jerry successfully courts the corpulent, bald- headed, Kitty. They marry and together have a child. They soon however tire of domestic life, and indeed each other, and so resolve to journey to Ireland - seemingly abandoning their infant son. Whilst at sea, Jerry, seizing upon an opportunity, pushes Kitty overboard to her death:
'And Jerry was sick of his sweet little Wife Jerry alone Jerry alone
Jerry was sick of his dear little Wife
And wish'd he alone could be;
So he told her the Sea was not very deep And popp'd her in when she went up to peep, Oh! fye Mr. Leary, where is your deary?
- Just gone a bathing said he.'
The eponymous raw-boned Jerry successfully courts the corpulent, bald- headed, Kitty. They marry and together have a child. They soon however tire of domestic life, and indeed each other, and so resolve to journey to Ireland - seemingly abandoning their infant son. Whilst at sea, Jerry, seizing upon an opportunity, pushes Kitty overboard to her death:
'And Jerry was sick of his sweet little Wife Jerry alone Jerry alone
Jerry was sick of his dear little Wife
And wish'd he alone could be;
So he told her the Sea was not very deep And popp'd her in when she went up to peep, Oh! fye Mr. Leary, where is your deary?
- Just gone a bathing said he.'
Moon 169.
£ 1,500.00
Antiquates Ref: 30147