Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/58 - The Two Fours/Historical Note

Historical Note on $58$. - The Two Fours
reports:
 * I am perpetually receiving inquiries about the old "Four Fours" puzzle.
 * I published it in $1899$, but have since found that it first appeared in the first volume of ($1881$).
 * It has since been dealt with at some length by various writers.

locates that original article in as being the December $30$th issue.

He then goes on to cite a number of more recent discussions on the subject, including his exposition in his own column in for January $1964$.