Artifact Inventory.

1. Published in 1797 in Hartford, Connecticut by Elisha Babcock.    After searching through the Evans database, we came to the conclusion that Babcock was publishing many bibles and religious almanacs.  We also found that he published Rudiments of English grammar.  Other than The History of Maria Kittle, Babcock only seems to be publishing factual or instructional books.  This shows that the publisher was printing useful books that were very popular instead of novels and other short stories.  

2. Reprinted many times in the late 20^th Century.  However, reprinting does not seem to be present prior to those dates.

3. The actual size of the book is 70 pages, 16 centimeters. 

4. The title page includes, The History of Maria Kittle by Ann Eliza Bleecker.  In a Letter to Miss Ten Eyck.  The book was printed in Hartford by Elisha Babcock, 1797. The History of Maria Kittle was published posthumously, by her daughter who fought to have the works published.  This may be why the authors name was included in the title page, when most women authors of the day were not included.

5. A second edition does not appear to be available. This story was found in a modern anthology but it does not contain a title page.

 6. There is no miscellaneous front matter to be found.  This could mean that the publisher did not have any extra money to spend on the copies, or it could have been printed only for the author. 

 7. The History of Maria Kittle was published as a single, seventy page letter from the author Ann Eliza Bleeker to Miss Ten Eyck.  At no point in the text is it broken up into multiple letters or chapters instead reading as one continuous letter.  The print is a relatively large size with lines spaced out in an adequate fashion.  The prose is fairly easy to read with distinct font.  The diction is at times archaic with older styled lettering.

8. No back matter is evident once the novel is complete.  The final page contains a few lines of prose followed by the typical; FINIS.

9. The text has been reprinted extensively in the late 20^th century.  Kittle’s captivity narrative has been republished in the Heath Anthology of American Literature, 5th edition.

 10. After completing an extensive day of research many different ideas for the blog have had their inception.  One of the most pronounced ideas might be to look at the text as a historical piece and how it has translated into modern times.  It is not by accident, as you have told us during our research that texts go unprinted for decades, even centuries, only to be feverishly reprinted in later centuries.  It is important to discover why these pieces, and our piece in particular, have significance at different periods of history.