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British It-Narratives, 1750–1830

General Editor: Mark Blackwell
Volume Editors: Liz Bellamy, Mark Blackwell, Heather Keenleyside and Christina Lupton

4 Volume Set: c.1600pp: April 2012

978 1 84893 120 6: 234x156mm: £350/$625

It-narratives are prose fictions that take as

their central characters animals or inanimate
objects. This four-volume reset collection includes
numerous examples of narratives in different
forms, including short stories, excerpts from
novels, periodical fiction and serialized works.
While some are told from the perspective of the
objects themselves, others use them as hubs
around which other characters’ stories are spun.
Though similar tales are the basis of many modern
children’s books, the earliest eighteenth-century
examples addressed an adult audience. Exploring
the circulation of objects in an increasingly
commercial society they provide an insight into
important social and cultural trends. Central to
the genre are questions about how humans differ
from animals or objects, an important issue for
an age haunted by the Atlantic slave trade and
capital punishment. These narratives are also of
contemporary relevance to our concerns about Frontispiece to ‘A Tale of a Tub’
cyborgs, smart machines, animal rights and by Jonathan Swift (1710)
ownership of the human genome.
The stories are contextualized by an extensive
editorial apparatus including a substantial general •F
 irst scholarly collection of an important
introduction, volume introductions, headnotes, eighteenth-century genre
endnotes and a consolidated index. The edition
•O
 ver 60 texts represented
will be of value to those studying eighteenth-
century and Romantic literature, children’s •L
 inks to other forms including spy fictions, secret
literature, the history of the novel and material histories, romans à clef, picaresque narratives,
culture. fables and domestic novels
•E
 xtensive editorial matter includes: general
introduction, volume introductions, headnotes,
endnotes and a full consolidated index
IO T
N
IT E
D S
E RE
 www.pickeringchatto.com/itnarratives

Contents†
The contents include relevant excerpts or full texts. Full texts are indicated with *

Volume 1: Money (Liz Bellamy) Volume 2: Animals (Heather Keenleyside)

‘Adventures of a Halfpenny’, The Adventurer The Life and Adventures of a Cat. By the late
(1753)*; Edward Thompson, ‘Adventures of a Six- Mr. Fielding (1760); ‘The Adventures of a Cat’,
and-Nine-Pence, comprehending Anecdotes of Westminster Magazine (1774)*; History of a
Living Characters’, Westminster Magazine (1774)*; French Louse; or the Spy of a New Species, in
The Adventures of a Silver Penny. Containing France and England; containing A Description
Much Amusement, and many Characters with
of the most remarkable Personages in those
which Young Gentlemen and Ladies ought to
Kingdoms. Giving A Key to the Chief Events of
be acquainted. Written by Mr. Truelove, For
the Year 1779, and those which are to happen
the Benefit of all Good Children, who love to
in 1780 (1780); Dorothy Kilner, The Life and
be merry and wise [1780?]; Helenus Scott, The
Adventures of a Rupee. Wherein Are Interspersed Perambulation of a Mouse [1785?]; Memoirs and
Various Anecdotes Asiatic and European (1782); Adventures of a Flea; In which are interspersed
The Adventures of a Silver Penny. Including many humorous characters and anecdotes
Many Secret Anecdotes of Little Misses and (1785); The Story of the Learned Pig, by an
Masters Both Good and Naughty (1786); ‘The officer of the Royal Navy (1786)*; Stephen Jones,
Adventures of a Shilling’, The New Lady’s The Life and Adventures of a Fly. Supposed
Magazine (1788–9)*; Argentum: or, Adventures to be written by Himself (1794); ‘Memoirs of
of a Shilling (1794); ‘The Adventures of a Bad Amourette, a Lap-Dog’, The Lady’s Magazine
Shilling, in the Kingdom of Ireland’, Ireland’s (1791)*; Edward Augustus Kendall, The Crested
Mirror (1805–6)*; ‘Adventures of a Farthing’, The
Wren (1799); Memoirs of Dick, the Little Poney,
Weekly Entertainer (1807)*; Ann Hamilton, The
Supposed to be written by himself; and published
Adventures of a Seven-Shilling Piece (1811); The
for the Instruction and Amusement of Good
Origin and Adventures of a Hull Eighteen-penny
Boys and Girls (1800); Lucy Peacock, The Life
Silver Token; containing descriptive sketches
of the town and its inhabitants [1811?]; ‘The of a Bee. Related by herself (1800)*; The Dog
Adventures of a Three-Shilling Bank Token’, Town of Knowledge; or, Memoirs of Bob, the Spotted
Talk (1813)*; ‘The Adventures of a Bank Note’, Terrier, Supposed to be written by Himself. By
Scourge, or, Monthly Expositor of Imposture and the Author of Dick the Little Poney (1801); Felissa;
Folly (1813)*; ‘The Adventures of a One Pound or, The Life and Opinions of a Kitten of Sentiment
Bank Note’, Theatre, or, Dramatic and Literary (1811); The Adventures of a Donkey (1815);
Mirror (1819)*; ‘The Adventures of a Sovereign’, The Life and Adventures of Toby, The Sapient
Lady’s Monthly Museum, or, Polite Repository of Pig: with his Opinions of Men and Manners.
Amusement and Instruction (1819–22)*; A Month’s Written by Himself. Embellished with an Elegant
Adventures of a Base Shilling [1820?]; Aureus; or, Frontispiece, Descriptive of a Literary Pig Sty,
The Life and Opinions of a Sovereign (1824); ‘The
with the Author in Deep Study [1817?]*; Further
Life and Adventures, and Serious Remonstrances
Adventures of Jemmy Donkey; interspersed with
of a Guinea Note’, Edinburgh Magazine and
biographical sketches of the horse (1821); Mary
Literary Miscellany (1826)*
Elliot, Confidential Memoirs: Or, Adventures of a
Parrot, a Greyhound, a Cat and a Monkey (1821);
Ann Elizabeth Oulton, Adventures of a Parrot,
named Poll Pry (1826)
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Volume 3: Clothes and Transportation Volume 4: Toys, Trifles and Portable

(Christina Lupton) Furniture (Mark Blackwell)
The Memoirs and Interesting Adventures of an The Genuine and Most Surprizing Adventures
Embroidered Waistcoat (1751)*; Travels of Mons. of a Very Unfortunate Goose-Quill (1751)*;
Le Poste-Chaise. Written by Himself (1753)*; The ‘Adventures of a Quire of Paper’, London
History and Adventures of a Lady’s Slippers and Magazine, or Gentleman’s Monthly Intelligencer
Shoes (1754)*; The Sedan. A Novel. In Which Many (1779)*; [Mary Ann Kilner], The Adventures
New and Entertaining Characters are introduced of a Pincushion. Designed chiefly for the use
(1757); The Adventures of a Black Coat (1760)*; of young ladies [1780?]; The Adventures of a
Edward Thompson, ‘Indusiata: Or, The Adventures Whipping-Top. Illustrated with Stories of many
of a Silk Petticoat’, Westminster Magazine Bad Boys, who themselves deserve Whipping, and
(1773)*; The Adventures of an Air Balloon [1780?]; Of some Good Boys, who deserve Plum-Cakes.
[Dorothy Kilner?], The Adventures of a Hackney Written by Itself [1780?]*; Theophilus Johnson,
Coach (1781); Christopher Smart, ‘The Genuine Phantoms; or, The Adventures of a Gold-Headed
Memoirs of an Unfortunate Tye-Wig’, The New Cane (1783); ‘The Adventures of a Gold Ring’,
Novelist’s Magazine (1787)*; The Aerostatic Spy: Rambler’s Magazine (1783)*; ‘The History and
Or, Excursions with an Air Balloon (1785); The Adventures of a Bedstead’, Rambler’s Magazine
Adventures of an Ostrich Feather of Quality (1784–7); ‘The Adventures of the Rambler’s
(1812)*; Henry Beauchamp, The Interesting Magazine’, Rambler’s Magazine (1785)*; The
Adventures of a Hackney Coach (1813); Jun Adventures of a Watch! (1788); The Adventures
Peruke, ‘Memoirs of a Wig’, The Scourge (1814) of a Pin, Supposed to Be Related by Himself,
Herself, or Itself (1790); ‘Adventures of a Mirror’,
Lady’s Magazine (1791)*; The History of a Pin,
As Related By Itself (1798)*; The Silver Thimble
(1799); William Collins, Memoirs of a Picture:
Containing the Adventures of Many Conspicuous
Characters (1805); ‘The Adventures of a Pen’, The
European Magazine (1806)*; ‘The History of an
Old Pocket Bible, Supposed to Be Written by Itself’,
The Cottage Magazine (1812–13); Mary Mister,
The Adventures of a Doll (1816); Domestic Scenes,
or, The Adventures of a Doll (1817); Adventures of
a Bible; or the Advantages of Early Piety [1825?]*;
Transformation of a Beech Tree: Or the History of
a Favourite Black Chair: Related By Itself (1828)

Editorial Board
Liz Bellamy is at the Open University
Mark Blackwell is at the University of Hartford
Heather Keenleyside is at the University of
Chicago
Christina Lupton is at the University of
Michigan

†contents may alter prior to publication

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