Bundling; its Origin, Progress and Decline in America.

8vo; green cloth binding; 139pp; some wear and tear; some small paperloss on p13; o/w vg cond. A very interesting and rare treatise on an old tradition, known as ‘bundling’ which – originally – is the practice of sleeping fully dressed with another person, with a board of wood in between them as part of courtship. It is said to have originated in the Netherlands and British Isles but also became in common in colonial America, especially in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and is still associated with the Amish as a form of courtship. However, in the 18th century in America, travellers occasionally were permitted to ‘bundle’ with locals, ie renting half a bed for an extra fee.