Parley's Magazine, Part First
Boston: Lilly, Wait, and Company, Portland: Colman, Holden , and Co 1833, Vol I, No 1 through Vol 1 No 7, published bimonthly, by #4 it was also published in Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, and Providence by different local firms, plain brown boards, black leather spine, double columns, 5.5. Juvenile Journal.
Samuel Goodrich, in the guise of Peter Parley, the period's most popular author of children's books, planned this magazine, but due to serious ill health, followed through for only about a year until editorship was assumed by William Alcott. In To the Public, the new magazine describes itself through the little vignettes on the title page. In To The Publisher Parley writes "so long as my life is spared I shall be happy to converse with my little friends through your magazine."
The end of Vol 1 #6 reprints a letter written to a little admirer, Sarah Ann M from North Carolina on the conduct of a good life. Parley's Magazine takes a pragmatic view, full of interesting facts about the world, interspersed with moral lessons and "cheerful and pleasing Rhymes." It is devoid of fantasy and almost devoid of humor. Quite fascinating. (As a footnote, Parley recovered and began his own competitive magazine, Merry's Museum, in 1841, which merged with this magazine several years later and lasted until 1872.).
CONDITION: Good; on flyleaf "James S Leonard's Book July 7th 1834" copperplate in rusty ink and "Dr Clarence Sorensen," probably Geography professor at Illinois State Normal University in the 50s, corners bumped, paper boards rubbed, leather joint rubbed through and 1.5" split at foot of leather spine, a waterstain in bottom inside margin that runs through, some small margin tears, final pages creased, tear in advertisement page, darkening with occasional foxing, still quite clean and tight, very easy to read. Item #22729
$155