A true tale to be added to Mr. Gay's fables[.] Bound after FABLES. Invented for the amusement of His Highness William Duke of Cumberland. By Mr. Gay by Barber, Mary, approximately 1685-1755. Bound after Gay, John, 1685-1732 - 1727: Engraved illustration on title page by the Irish engraver Philip Simm

Dublin & Dublin: Printed by S. Powell & George Ewing, at the Angel and Bible in Dame's-street 1728 & : London: printed, and Dublin reprinted for G. Risk, G. Ewing, and W. Smith, 1727. Barber is a FIRST EDITION: ¶ There is another undated edition by Barber also printed in Dublin by printed by S.[i.e. Sarah] Harding, next door to the sign of the Crown in Copper-Alley. ESTC Citation No. N491542. But there is a typo in the Entry, as the only location listed is Harvard whose is the same as this one :> http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990043101670203941/catalog The GAY is most likely the First Irish printing of the " FABLE First series," the same year as the London, Original edition printed in London in May of 1727. These two book are bound as one in coeval full calf with neat framing and flowers in the corners blind stamped. I have only located three copies Harvard and British Library (strangely not on ESTC) and National library of Ireland ./Barber: Pollard p.465; Foxon, B77; ESTC Citation No. N491542. Gay: Foxon, p.295; Pollard p. 496; ESTC Citation, No.T13819. Barber : π4 with π4v ads Gay: π1, A2, B8,C4,D8,E4,F8,G4,H8,I4,K8, π2. §16 x 10 cm. The Fables, by Mr. Gay, slight as they may appear, cost him more labour than any of his other works. The narratives are in nearly every case original, and are told in clear and lively verse. The moral which rounds off each little story is never strained. They are masterpieces in their kind, and the very numerous editions of them prove their popularity. [E.B.] Mary Barber's True Tale is an appeal by Barber to Queen Caroline to provide a pension for Gay. THE PRINTER OF THE BARBER, S. Powell , is infact Deborah Powell printer from 1722-1727. She was at the " Sign of the Printing Press, Copper alley, near Cork hill. (quoted from The Dublin Book trade. M. Pollard p. 465. She is not represented in the Bradshaw collection (Cambridge) Deborah Powell also print Susanna Centlivre as well as Elizabeth Singer Rowe! Almost All of her printings are quite rare in this country and England.