History of "Rural Scenes; or, A Peep into the Country" (Cooperstown, H. & E. Phinney, 1829)

Overview

"Rural Scenes; or, A Peep into the Country" is a small children's book first published in the early 19th century. The 1829 edition you referenced was printed and sold in Cooperstown, New York, by the publishing house of H. & E. Phinney, a prominent name in early American printing and publishing.

Authorship and Origins

• The book was originally written by Ann Taylor and Jane Taylor, two English sisters renowned for their contributions to children's literature, including the famous poem "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"123.
• The first edition of "Rural Scenes" appeared in London in 1805, published by Harvey and Darton. It was part of a movement to provide moral and educational reading for children, often in the form of poetry and short prose45.

The American Edition

• The 1829 Cooperstown edition was part of a wave of British children's books reprinted for the American market. H. & E. Phinney, the publisher, was known for producing affordable, accessible books for families and children, including primers, storybooks, and Bibles67.
• The Phinney firm, founded by Elihu Phinney and later run by his sons Henry and Elihu Jr., was a major force in early American publishing. Their print shop in Cooperstown became a hub for distributing books throughout the region and beyond, using both wagons and canal boats to reach rural communities68.

Significance

• The book reflects early 19th-century values, emphasizing rural life, nature, and moral lessons for children. Its content typically includes poems and short stories about country living, animals, and the virtues of simplicity and hard work2.
• The Phinney editions are notable for their role in spreading literacy and educational materials in the young United States, especially in rural areas where books were scarce68.

Collectibility and Rarity

• Early American children's books, especially those printed outside major cities, are now quite rare. The 1829 Cooperstown edition by H. & E. Phinney is a collectible artifact, valued for its historical significance and as an example of early American printing97.

Summary Table

Feature

Details

Title

Rural Scenes; or, A Peep into the Country

Authors

Ann Taylor & Jane Taylor

First Published

1805 (London, Harvey & Darton)

American Edition

1829 (Cooperstown, H. & E. Phinney)

Genre

Children's literature, poetry, moral tales

Publisher's Significance

Major early American publisher, known for Bibles and children's books

Collectibility

Rare and valued among collectors of early American children's books

Further Context

• The Phinney family’s publishing house was instrumental in making books available to a broad American audience, and their editions are often cited in bibliographies of early American children’s literature67.
• The book’s content and style are representative of the period’s didactic approach to children’s reading, blending entertainment with instruction25.

If you have the physical book, it is a tangible piece of early American literary and publishing history.

1. https://jacksonbibliography.library.utoronto.ca/book/details/rural-scenes-or-a-peep-into-the-country-for-children/2260
2. https://womensprinthistoryproject.com/person/509.rdf
3. https://www.abebooks.co.uk/first-edition/Rural-scenes-peep-country-children-Taylor/31787403243/bd
4. https://janeaustenslondon.com/2019/03/09/water-water/
5. https://hockliffe.dmu.ac.uk/items/0777.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elihu_Phinney
7. https://books.google.com/books/about/Four_Authentic_Reproductions_of_Children.html?id=LNGuzwEACAAJ
8. https://baseballhall.org/media/cooperstown-new-york
9. https://www.bluemountainbooks.com/product/180764/RURAL-SCENES-Or-A-Peep-Into-the-Country-For-Children
10. https://pplx-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/v1751822721/user_uploads/265100/823b546f-dcee-4d25-bd21-e44a81e0f03b/image.jpg
11. https://www.botany.org/psbarchive/issue/1973-v18-no-3.html
12. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18621.html.images
13. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44497933.pdf
14. https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=phinney+bible
15. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44604987.pdf
16. https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/9949718203506421
17. https://antiquemapsandglobes.com/Books/Antique/Geography/Rare/$500-to-$1,000?MinimumPrice=500&MaximumPrice=1000
18. https://www.bonhams.com/auction/14500/lot/1022/taylor-jane-and-ann-rural-scenes-or-a-peep-into-the-country-for-children/
19. https://www.lexisnexis.com/documents/academic/upa_cis/3453_americanprimers.pdf
20. https://archives.byui.edu/s/public/item/2771
21. https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V46N03_412b.pdf
22. https://moons-rare-books.myshopify.com/products/1828-cooperstown-phinney-holy-bible
23. https://shop.keoghsbooks.com/shop/rural-scenes-or-a-peep-into-the-country-for-children-2/
24. https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/joseph-smiths-cooperstown-bible-historical-context-bible-used-joseph-smith-translation
25. https://womensprinthistoryproject.com/title/9565
26. https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofcoop00coop
27. https://womensprinthistoryproject.com/title/9478
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29. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-rural-studies/publish/guide-for-authors
30. https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/gilbert-ann-taylor-jane/
31. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/456249.pdf
32. https://academic.oup.com/jvc/article/27/3/477/6634938
33. http://www.dickens.jp/etexts/dickens/others/American.pdf
34. https://womensprinthistoryproject.com/title/17417
35. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1898147
36. https://www.abebooks.com/Cinderella-Little-Glass-Slipper-Childrens-Books/30619992336/bd
37. https://jacksonbibliography.library.utoronto.ca/author/details/taylor-jane/14014
38. https://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/374653600994?itmmeta=01JR695BFG4XRHSTP2BN42TK9B&hash=item573b1844e2%3Ag%3ArccAAOSwRBZimgVf
39. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv656279?q=Mini
40. https://catalogs.booksbypress.com/product/book-of-animals-mary-and-her-little-kid-the-two-cocks-the-faithful-dog/