Gymnastics for Youth: Or a practical Guide to healthful and amusing exercises for the use of Schools. An Essay toward the necessary improvement of education, chiefly as it relates to the body; freely translated from the German of C. G. Salzmann, master of the Academy at Schnep

Philadelphia: William Duane,, 1802. Strong body, healthy mind First American edition, following the British of 1800, "a systematic and comprehensive manual of physical exercise" (Pfister, p. 164). This translation is sometimes attributed to Mary Wollstonecraft, and the illustrations are probably after designs by William Blake. The book is considered a foundation treatise on modern gymnastics. Borrowing from the Greek concept of gymnastics, the author takes the term to include all exercise, and includes chapters on running, wrestling, climbing, balance, vaulting, lifting, dancing, walking, and swimming. Following Rousseau, he focuses on the training of the human body in order to cultivate a strong and healthy mind. The book was printed across Europe in various translations. The translator, illustrator, and author are all disputed. The translation follows the original German edition of 1793 and is often taken to be by Mary Wollstonecraft, who had earlier translated Salzmann's Elements of Morality, published 1791. However, Windle questions this attribution, and indeed if it were so, the book was published three years after her death. The plates were probably designed, though not engraved, by William Blake. Geoffrey Keynes accepted them as such, acknowledging that others have questioned this; ESTC states it as probable. This American edition has the plates "carefully but crudely copied by an American engraver" (Bentley & Nurmi). If the attribution is correct, the illustrations would represent the first publication of Blake's designs in America. Finally, authorship is sometimes attributed to Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths, despite the naming of Salzmann on the title page. It has been argued that the publisher used Salzmann's name after the success of the Elements of Morality in 1791, which went through several editions. Octavo (208 x 121 mm). Contemporary sheep, neatly rebacked, new red label, inner hinges reinforced. Folding frontispiece and 9 engraved plates probably after William Blake. Contemporary label, name effaced with "David Carpenter" written in pencil, his further note "bought at auction" to front free endpaper and signature to rear pastedown, ink name effaced to front pastedown with purchase price of $3. Contents browned and foxed as usual. A very good copy. Bentley, Blake Books, 493; Bentley & Nurmi 403; Keynes 121; Morgan, Early Children's Books, 194; Windle, Wollstonecraft Bibliography, C4b. Gertrud Pfister, Gymnastics, a Transatlantic Movement, 2013.