Swift, Jonathan,
A Tale of a Tub (London: J. Nutt, 1704).

A| TALE| OF A| TUB.| Written for the Universal Im-|provement of Mankind.| [rule]| Diu multumque desideratum.| [...] LONDON: Printed for John Nutt, near| Stationers-Hall. M DCC IV.

History of Publication

Cf. W. H. McBurney (1960), p.6-7 and ESTC for further editions. At least 10 editions appeared till 1730:

A.	a	[...] (London: J. Nutt, 1704).
	b	[...] 2nd edition (London: J. Nutt, 1704).
	c	3rd editon (London: J. Nutt, 1704).
	d	4th edition (London: J. Nutt, 1705).
	e	4th edition (Dublin: Re-Printed and are to be sold only at Dick's and Loyd's Cofee-Houses, and the Printing Press in Fishamble Street, 1705).
	f	5th edition (London: J. Nutt, 1710). eText: Deep Singh, http://www.duke.edu/~as1/tub.html.
	g	[...] ANNO M.DCC.XI.
	h	6th edition (London: S. Tooke/ B. Motte, 1724).
	i	(1726).
	j	7th edition (London: B. Mote, 1727).

Inspired by the success - frequently attributed to George Duckett. Accordig to R. Straus (1927), p.235 first published by E. Curll:

B.	a	A Second Tale of a Tub: or, The History of Robert Powel the Puppet-Show-Man (London: J. Roberts, 1715). [Date of Publication: Prior to May 1715 - Charles Montagu, the Earl of Halifax dies after short illness on 19 May 1715 - and is still noted among the living.]
	b	[...] second edition (London: J. Roberts, 1715).
	c.	[...] third edition (London: J. Roberts, 1717).

Self-classification

Title: "Tale".

Remarks

Complete History of the Christian Religion with all its factions presented as a satire about three brothers - interrupted by Prefaces, "Digressions" adorned with footnotes. Designed to keep the secondary discourse busy like the tub given to a whale to play with if he threatens to tumble the boat.

Literature

A Complete Key to The Tale of a Tub; with some account of the authors (London: E. Curll, 1710).

o.s.