THE TIME-PIECE & LITERARY COMPANION, New York, Sept. 29, 1797

• Very rare 18th century publication
• American Editor Philip Freneau
• Short-lived publication

A quite rare title by Philip Freneau which lasted from March 13, 1797 to August 30, 1798. This is volume 2, number 7 issue.

Page 3 has various news reports including an update on the construction of the frigate Constitution, beginning: "Two reasons are assigned for the stoppage of the frigate Constitution in her launch..." with the details. The back page is mostly taken up with ads.
Four pages, very nice condition.

Background: The August 30, 1798, issue of The Time-Piece & Literary Companion serves as a vital artifact of the Federal Era, capturing a moment when the young United States was grappling with its identity and looming international conflict. Edited by the "Poet of the American Revolution," Philip Freneau, the paper’s dense coverage of Congressional reports reflects the hyper-partisan atmosphere of the late 1790s, likely dominated by debates over the Alien and Sedition Acts and the escalating Quasi-War with France. The inclusion of the advertisement for Gilbert Stuart’s "large as life" portrait of George Washington at the New City Tavern underscores the transition of Washington from a living leader to a national icon, offering the public a rare, visceral connection to the "Father of His Country" for the price of two shillings. Flanked by a "Ten Dollars Reward" for a military deserter, the document juxtaposes the high-minded political discourse of the nascent Republic with the gritty, practical realities of maintaining a standing army, making it a definitive record of the early American experience.