Susan and Edward

In Short

This charming piece of mid-nineteenth-century juvenile literature follows two siblings, Susan and Edward, as they accompany their mother on a routine shopping trip to Fulton Market. Through their fresh eyes, the reader experiences the sensory richness of a historic New York landmark, from the stalls of fresh-caught fish to the exotic arrival of turtles from the West Indies. As a quintessential moral and educational text of its era, the book serves both as a gentle lesson in obedience and a vibrant, illustrated field guide to the city’s early industrial food supply.

The Story

The narrative begins in the crowded, crooked streets of 1840s New York, specifically Pearl Street, where the houses are packed so tightly together they resemble rows in a tree nursery. Susan, the modest and obedient eldest, and Edward, her lively, inquisitive younger brother, are granted permission to leave their home to accompany their mother on a domestic errand. Their destination is the bustling Fulton Market, a massive structure situated near the East River, which serves as a central hub for the city’s commerce and daily provisions.

As they enter the market, the children are immediately immersed in a chaotic, sensory-rich environment. The first stop is the butchers’ stalls, where the rhythmic, metallic sound of knives meeting bone fills the air, sounding to the children like a hive of bees. The mother goes about her business, purchasing necessary meat, while the children explore the nearby fish stalls with wide-eyed fascination. Edward, in particular, is struck by the sight of fish jumping in their water-filled boxes, and the children delight in the variety of species, such as sea-bass and black-fish, that appear on the counters.

Moving deeper into the market, the children encounter the clam and oyster stands, where they are allowed to sample the wares before their mother purchases a large supply for the family. A highlight of the trip occurs when they discover a large turtle resting on its back—a curiosity that fascinates them until the fisherman allows them to observe it closely. Their mother explains that such creatures are brought from the West Indies to be turned into soups for the city’s hotels, providing the children with a fleeting glimpse into the global nature of their city's trade.

The final leg of their journey takes them to the "Country Market," a section bursting with the agricultural bounty of the region. Here, the siblings encounter a dizzying array of produce, from piles of apples and pumpkins to cages of live birds. Susan is captivated by the pigeons, while Edward is enchanted by a proud, colorful peacock, despite the bird’s refusal to spread its tail for the crowd. The sheer volume of food—cabbages, peaches, and poultry—prompts a reflection on the scale of the city, which must feed hundreds of thousands of mouths every day.

Despite their reluctance to leave such a captivating place, the children demonstrate their good character by responding immediately to their mother’s call. Hand in hand, they walk back through the city streets, their baskets now heavy with the fruits of their morning. The trip concludes with the children safely back home, filled with the excitement of their discoveries, eager to recount the vivid sights of the market to those who stayed behind, marking a day that will remain etched in their memories.

How It Unfolds

The journey begins The narrative establishes the home life of Susan and Edward in the densely packed quarters of Pearl Street. After being put in "neat trim," the siblings set out with empty baskets and eager spirits, following their mother through the city toward the riverfront.

The butcher’s chorus Upon entering the market, the children are confronted with the visceral reality of commerce. The sound of saws and knives creates a rhythmic atmosphere that introduces them to the labor required to feed a growing city.

The aquatic discovery The siblings transition to the fish stalls and oyster stands, where they learn about the origins of their food. The encounter with the West Indian turtle adds an element of wonder and exoticism to their otherwise domestic errand.

The agricultural display In the final section of the market, the children observe the abundance of the countryside brought to the city. This visit to the produce and poultry stalls concludes their education in the variety and scale of New York’s food sources.

The return home The trip ends on a note of moral reinforcement as the children obey their mother’s signal to leave. They travel back to Pearl Street, transformed by their observations and ready to share their newfound knowledge with their family.

The People

Susan and Edward serve as the audience’s primary lenses for viewing the world of the market. Susan, the elder of the two, is defined by her modesty and her consistent obedience to her parents. Though she is fond of play, she remains composed and observant, allowing her to appreciate the finer details of the market, such as the pigeons or the oyster stands. She represents the ideal of the well-mannered child of her time.

Edward provides the energy and the voice for the pair. As a five-year-old, his curiosity is boundless and his reactions are immediate. He is the one who points out the jumping fish and the peacock, his "pert" and active nature driving the narrative forward. While Susan is the steadying force, Edward is the explorer, constantly asking questions and engaging with the environment. Together, they form a balanced unit; they are not merely passive recipients of their mother’s knowledge, but active participants who, through their shared experience, grow in their understanding of the complex, industrious city that surrounds them. By the end of the day, their character is reaffirmed by their ability to balance their intense curiosity with the discipline of returning home, demonstrating the transition from youthful play to responsible maturity.

In Its Own Voice

The book emphasizes the joy of discovery through the eyes of the young, noting how even the most mundane sights appear extraordinary to them:

With what high joy do children young Behold the varied sight-- As each new object strikes their view, 'Tis seen with fresh delight.

The narrative also captures the sudden, sensory shock of the market, where the mundane becomes a spectacle of labor and life:

The noise was something like a company of mowers whetting their scythes, and their voices and motion might be compared to a hive of bees.

Finally, the text acknowledges the sheer scale of the city’s appetite, reflecting on the necessity of the constant supply chain:

Who will buy them? But we must remember, that there are more than 200,000 mouths to eat three or four times a day in New-York.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this is a book about the "socialization of the eye." It aims to teach children how to observe their environment with both curiosity and structure. By framing the market as a site of orderly commerce, the author argues that the city is a vast, interconnected system that relies on the hard work of laborers and the discipline of consumers. The underlying question concerns how a child transitions from the narrow, protective environment of the home to the complex, diverse, and often noisy reality of the public sphere. It frames urban life not as a chaotic mess, but as a fascinating, manageable system that rewards the observant and the obedient, subtly reinforcing the values of industry and respect for the natural and commercial order.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of New York City will find a vivid, if idealized, snapshot of a lost era. The descriptions of Fulton Market offer a rare glimpse into how the city fed itself before the age of refrigeration and supermarkets, capturing the sounds and sights of a time when the East River was the city's pulsing artery. It is a quiet, gentle read that feels like stepping into a nineteenth-century nursery.

However, a modern reader must be prepared for the didactic tone common to its time. The prose is designed to instruct as much as to entertain, and the emphasis on the children's "modesty" and "obedience" may feel restrictive to contemporary sensibilities. The book also reflects the period's specific, sometimes rigid, attitudes toward childhood behavior. Despite these dated elements, there is a genuine warmth in the way it celebrates the act of discovery. It asks the reader to slow down and look at their own surroundings with the same intensity that Susan and Edward apply to the fishmongers and the peacock. If you enjoy historical curiosities or literature that captures the small, transformative moments of childhood, you will find this a brief, atmospheric window into the past.