[Ads-l] Antedating of "cry-baby"

[Steven Losie]

CRY-BABY (OED3, 1852)

[begin quote]
My grand father came in and found me crying; bless me said he, what are you
crying? you my grand son; faith my boy I am afraid your mother did not play
fair, I am sure my son William never got a cry-baby; I think you will be a
disgrace to your family.
[end quote]
Source: A History of the Life, Very Strange Adventures, and Works of
Captain John Macpherson…, 1789, Philadelphia, p.21
Author: John Macpherson
Database: America's Historical Newspapers (Readex/Newsbank)


[begin quote]
"Indeed!" exclaimed one of the commissioners, "can that old cry-baby care
so much about living a few days more?
[end quote]
Source: Memoirs of His Serene Highness Antony-Philip D'Orleans: Duke of
Montpensier, Prince of the Blood, 1824, London, p.141
Author: Antoine Philippe d'Orléans duc de Montpensier
Translator: Anonymous
Database: Google Books
https://books.google.com/books?id=vjU9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA141&dq=%22cry-baby%22


[begin quote]
If anything was said to her, which she thought was meant to be unkind, she
would burst into tears, and it was a long time before she could dry
them—but though other people laughed at her, and called her "cry-baby,"
there was always one friend, who would soothe and speak kindly to her,—and
that was her mother.
[end quote]
Source: The Juvenile Miscellany, Or, Friend of Youth, Vol.2, No.1, March
1827, Boston, p.51
Article title: A True Story
Author: Anonymous
Database: Google Books
https://books.google.com/books?id=_7Y9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA51&dq=%22cry-baby%22

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