Memoir of John Mooney Mead, who died at East Hartford, Conn. April 8, aged 4 years, 11 months, and 4 days

Leather backed boards, 18mo, 108pp. Written by his father, with additions "by another hand" after the father's death (per the preface). Engraved frontis portrait.

A widely circulated example of a particularly precocious child, who speaks enigmatically--as children under 5 sometimes, inadvertently, do. But the child is depicted as having grave concerns for the poor, giving away money and comforting widows; if he was in any way naughty, was punished by not getting to pray in front of his parents. The extent of idealization makes the book seem like the father's idea of who his child could have become, which is a real and poignant part of grieving, if not a realistic or helpful example for others.