"EVEN EXCHANGE,” OR PROGRESSIVE TRUTH VINDICATED! A Reply to Messrs. Brewer & Tileston's late Pamphlet and Advertisement. THE charge of "falsehood" so lavishly bestowed upon me on the part of Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, publishers of a rival series of Readers, would not, in its results, be very serious, even if such assertions should pass unnoticed. Too much notoriety has already been given to Hillard's Readers and Worcester's Spellers, by being brought in contact with meritorious works of a similar nature. The Progressive Books, by Town and Holbrook, gain nothing by such notoriety, as they are too well known to require the bolstering assistance emanating from a source, one prominent object of which is to keep "fresh before the people" the fact that Hillard's Readers and Worcester's Spellers are not yet out of print. The assertion of "falsehood" will be clearly seen, I trust, to rest upon the heads of those who have serenely laid themselves down under the darkened shadow, displayed in an extraor dinary effort to vindicate the "Truth," while the very evidence, plainly deducible from their own acknowledgments, goes far to convict them of misrepresentation. in Ohio, to Messrs. J. B. Smith & Co., of Cincinnati. Now, turning my attention to the article in the "Massachusetts Teacher," and presuming it is the intention of its authors to reprint it in other equally able Educational Journals of the day, I will call attention to the following table of comparative size and cost, given in the "Even Exchange" circular (with such corrections as I hereafter refer to), which circular was issued by me, June 20th, though bearing date June 16th, 1862: Hillard's First Class Reader, No. pages. Wholesale. Retail. 552 .67 $1.00 66 Second " 66 278 .45 .67 Correction. To the Second Class Reader, 58 pages, and to the Third Class Reader 46 pages of "other matter" should be added; 40 pages of which are the same in each book. But after giving the series credit for these additions and repetitions, it will be seen that the aggregate number of pages is still less than in the Progressive Series. In the "Massachusetts Teacher" of November, present, and in a pamphlet, entitled "Truth Vindicated," appear articles over the signature of Brewer & Tileston, which neither do justice to myself nor reflect honor upon Hillard's Series, to make it complete, has a their authors.Truth Vindicated" contains Fourth Class Reader (price 42 cents), and a twenty-eight pages, twelve of which appear Primary Speller (price 13 cents), in addition to be a eulogy on Hillard's Readers and to the above-named books, thereby requiring a Worcester's Spellers. The larger portion of greater outlay on the part of the pupil using the recommendations embraced therein, how- this series, while nothing is gained by the ever, came from the State of Ohio, where study of such additional matter. Hillard's and Worcester's Series no sooner No. pages. Wholesale. Retail. 504 had their birth than their moral and practi- Progressive Fifth Reader, cal characteristics developed themselves; and they were strangled in the attempt to breathe pure atmosphere. As it is my intention to offer proof of my "assertions," in this reply to Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, I would respectfully refer those interested in the "increased Total number of words in Worcester's Speller, 8,286 popularity of Hillard's and Worcester's Series" We have here shown that the corresponding books. Country schools, because they are books, alone, of the Progressive Series contain "not graded," we are led to understand, or more pages than Hillard's and Worcester's may plainly infer, do not receive the full bene Series, while the latter two are much more ex- fit of Hillard's and Worcester's Series, in ther pensive; and, if we add the extra cost of the adoption. This is not the case with the Pre two books above named, we have the unne- gressive Series; and hence the great succes cessary sum of eighty-eight cents to be expended of these well-graded and practical booksfor every set of Hillard's and Worcester's books issued about the same time as Hillard Series. The comparison between Worcester's and the Progressive Speller is significant; the former, containing only 8,286 words, costs twenty-five cents, retail, and the latter, containing 13,911 words (all common words in the language), costs thirteen cents, retail. It is shown by the preceding table, that the sum of two dollars eighty-nine cents, the retail price of the Primer, First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Readers and the Speller, is the total expense to which the scholar is subject in the adoption of the Progressive Series. I quote from the "Teacher: "Mr. Ellsworth introduces into his table the Progressive Speaker as an optional book with the Fifth Reader, but excludes its cost from the table of prices." O consistency! Will Messrs. Brewer & Tileston have the candor to give the Progressive Series due credit for the number of pages the "Speaker" contains, if they intend to include it in the table of prices? Our table neither shows the number of pages, nor includes the price of the "Speaker." Every one knows, that where the Fifth book is in use, the Speaker cannot be, since both books are intended for the most advanced class in school, their use being optional with the teacher. Series, yet numbering in their adoption ty towns to Hillard's one. As I propose to g proof, my introductory Ledger, with accours settled and unsettled, and my reports, received from various towns within the last six months. are at the service of any one doubting my statement. In Messrs. Brewer & Tileston's computation of "Other Matter," these gentlemen eve out-Herod Herod. In their eager efforts swell the size of their books, they have re sorted to counting the blank or fly-leaf of one of their Readers, and of twice taking into their account of "other matter," forty pages of Hillard's Third Class Reader, for the same forty pages, word for word, are repeated in Hilard's Second Class Reader, a higher book of the series. And this is not all. These introductory exercises, most of which are twice repeated in the series, having neither form, comeliness, nor practicality, may, perhaps, be found quite as useful in the hands of pupils as so many pages of Latin, Greek, or Choctaw to merely Eng lish scholars. But this wily deception, so plainly manifest on the part of Messrs. Brewer and Tileston, I will not include in my table of falsehoods, simply allowing it to pass as a specimen of one of their white lies. How com mendable and ennobling the exertion, displaying such tenderness of conscience, and such a degree of honesty! The other matter," referred to in Hillard's Series, will be found, on examination, to be composed of material very properly classed under that head; and it most conclusively shows the author's impractical ideas of what is one of the indispensable requisites in a series of Readers for school use. Falsehood number one is uttered by Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, when they say, "It is not necessary to use the two extra books embraced in Hillard's and Worcester's Series (viz., Hillard's Fourth Class Reader, costing forty-two cents, retail, and Worcester's Elementary or Primary Speller, costing thirteen cents, retail), for these books can be omitted, as they generally are," &c. I shall show this last quotation, however, to be nearer the truth than any other portion of their infamous sheets, In the preface of the "Third Class Reader." bearing upon every page unblushing falsehoods it is taken for granted that some teachers ww and vailed deception. Now, these two books not understand this "other matter;" and wei must have a meaning; they must have been may such apprehensions arise, for it evidently intended for something; and they should fill a is too obscure and unintelligible even on the space no other books of Hillard's and Worces- subject of Orthoepy, the only subject presented ter's Series can, to be of any practical use. in any number of the series, to be a One is the pivot book of a series of Readers, benefit to a teacher who knows but little leaving a broken link, if omitted; the other the subject; and it is equally useless to o is a Primary Speller, without which (in country schools especially) Worcester's large Speller (retailing at twenty-five cents, while it contains only about half the number of words embraced in the Progressive Speller, which retails at thirteen cents) cannot be successfully used. The fact that schools are "not graded," is no reason why the scholars should not have the full benefit of all the matter to be obtained in the adoption of a well-graded series of text who thoroughly understands it, because it is for the most part altogether impractica What, then, shall be said of its adaptation Third or Fourth Class readers, children ten or twelve years of age, for whom it is é signed? Now, while the subject of Orthoepy should have been more briefly and familiarly treated, exercises in the other departments of ele tion ought not to have been omitted. The justice of this criticism will be obvious from not where such objectionable pieces may be the following extracts: EXPLODENTS." Page x. "The indefinite and extendible elements are sometimes called CONTINUANTS; and the abrupt, Page XI. "The abrupt subtonics, when fully articulated separately, have, at the precise moment after the OCCLUSION is suddenly broken, a short and obscure vocal sound, which is called a vocule." Page xv. "The rocule of an atonic should not be made vocal; nor that of a subtonic overdone." In the Progressive Series, Messrs. Brewer & Tileston ignore eighty pages in the Third Reader, one hundred thirty-six in the Fourth, and two hundred fifty-four in the Fifth, embracing in all every department of elocution, and THREE HUNDRED PAGES of peculiarly appropriate and illustrative reading-matter, all of which, according to their judgment, comes under the head of "other matter," thus modestly offsetting in their table the most valuable portions of the three higher books of the Pro, gressive Series, by frankly acknowledging, but at the same time attempting to hide the deficiency in Hillard's Series, in which they claim only ten pages of "other matter" in the First Class Reader, fifty-eight in the Second, and forty-six in the Third. The want of "other matter," embracing all the departments of elocution, practically arranged and illustrated, the ground-work of every practical and successful series of Readers, is one of the many weak points in Hillard's Series. To falsehood number two, the preceding is believed to be a full and satisfactory refutation. As one evidence of a "sorry confession, relative to changes made in Hillard's Readers," on the part of Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, I offer the fact that the author has expunged from the late editions of one Reader a certain immoral and otherwise objectionable piece. I refer to his selection of "Midshipman's Pranks," in which the dog Shakings is said to take improper liberties with an officer's newly polished boots; and because this " ugly, dirty beast of a dog" is expelled from the ship, the old sow and all the pigs on board are put in mourning, by tying bits of black bunting to their legs. The row which ensued in the pig-sty was prodigious," &c. &c. "How debased the mind that can invest so pure and beautiful a passage with an impure meaning!" See Truth Vindicated, page 4. The exclusion, also, of a certain sectarian piece, entitled "The Three Friends," may or may not offend a few members of our Boston School Committee; while no one would be surprised if the omission of the Roman Catholic piece of poetry should create opposition in another direction. The only happy medium, gentlemen, is to let such subjects entirely alone, giving hightoned moral and practical lessons, and carefully excluding from your books all pieces from which inferences of a low, vulgar, and "sensual character" are sure to be drawn. I care found, whether in the writings of American or English poets. Much as I admire the writings of Shakespeare and other authors referred to in your scurrilous" Truth Vindicated," allow me to say, that the "figures" I "the referred to in my "Even Exchange authors have drawn from real life. It matters not how little or how much the writers may have embellished the background, they have accomplished one object in a masterly style; and there is no "dishonesty, and fitful, fraudulent trickery," in perceiving the idea such figures will unavoidably suggest. In the construction of sentences, Hillard's Readers are still open to criticism (as many of the sentences can not be properly reconstructed without making new plates), notwithstanding the alterations made in the late revision of the series, in which over one hundred grammatical, sentential and other errors were corrected, in accordance with the suggestions made in the "Critic Criticised," and published by Bazin & Ellsworth more than three years ago, in reply to a criticism on one of their publications. Falsehood number three. "In the matter of price," says the "Teacher," "it is an established custom of publishers to give nominal retail prices fifty per cent. in advance of the wholesale prices. This may be called the catalogue retail price; but it is well known that the actual retail price of school books is always much less than the catalogue price. Yet Mr. Ellsworth has the disingenuousness to give the catalogue price of Hillard's Readers, and the actual retail price of the Progressive Series." The writer of the above could not have uttered a more gross and willful falsehood had he just emerged from the depths where "all liars find their part." I copied from the publishers' catalogue the wholesale and retail prices of each series. Your very" Truth Vindicated," Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, convicts you of falsehood. See pages 17, 18, and 19.- "A First Class Reader by George S. Hillard, 12mo., 528 pages (a few pages have since been added.). Price $1.00, &c. &c.!" and yet you claim that your retail price, after all, is only 88 cents. You have attempted to draw off attention to this fact, by skulking into a corner, with no curtain of honesty to hide your picayune acts, and there showing how many pages of reading and "other matter" Hillard's Series furnish for "one cent." No such miserable subterfuge will shield a design" conceived in sin and born in iniquity." My "catalogue," "nominal," and "actual retail price," is the price I publish to the world, and the only price I charge for my books at retail. I have never deceived the pupil or the parent by giving "nominal" prices to enrich the merchant. I do not charge the sum of one dollar on my catalogue to be shown the scholar, for the sake of making friends with the "manimon of unrighteousness." Messrs. Brewer & Tileston may make such discounts to the "trade" as they choose; this will not protect the pupil BOSTON, Nov. 1, 1862. from imposition. The following proof of false- good speller, in a much higher perfection. hood number three, will, I trust, be satisfactory The wholesale price of the Progressive Speller to every one:— is also exceedingly low, when compared with Worcester's, since it contains nearly double the number of words embraced in Worcester's large book, and sells for about one-half the price. OLIVER ELLSWORTH, ESQ. Dear Sir: In answer to your inquiry as to what is considered the retail price of a book, I would say, that I understand the retail price of any book to be that which the publisher of the book puts in his catalogue or trade list" which he issues for general distribution and guidance, in juxtaposition to the wholesale price; and it is so considered by the "trade" everywhere. If it were not so, why publish these catalogue prices? What do they represent when a long and short price is given in a circular or catalogue, but wholesale and retail prices? Reference to the catalogue of Messrs. Harper & Brothers, Lippincott & Co., D. Appleton & Co., Ticknor & Fields, Little, Brown & Co., R. S. Davis & Co., Gould & Lincoln, Ivison & Phinney, Brewer & Tileston, and, in fact, the catalogue of every publishing house in this country, shows this fact. (Signed) WILLIAM LEE, I know no other retail prices for my books than those charged in my circular, the object of which is to prevent exorbitant charges, as the general tendency is to exceed the ordinary price in this respect. In the opinion expressed by Mr. Lee, I cheerfully concur. (Signed) JOHN L. SHOREY, Publisher of Sargent's Standard Series. We consider our published retail prices, contained in our catalogue, the usual prices at which our publications should be furnished to scholars. (Sigued) CROSBY & NICHOLS. GOULD & LINCOLN. The little time allowed me for reply to the two efforts of Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, that have just made their appearance, is my only apology for not going more fully into the proof of the declarations contained in the “Eve Exchange" circular, every one of which is true. Mr. Swan's denial of his remarks to me creates no surprise in this community. Every teacher and bookseller in Massachusetts, who has any personal acquaintance with Mr. Swan, knows that he has many times acknowledged the fact that he is the author or compiler of the Primary books of Hillard's Series. Let us quote Mr. Swan's letter, and compare the same with the evidence hereafter presented. "BOSTON, Sept. 24, 1802 "In relation to the statement purporting to be made by Oliver Ellsworth, in regard to Hillard's Readers, so far as it relates to me, I have to say that it is wholly false. The charge is not only untrue in itself, but the statement that the facts in regard to the use of Mr. Hillard's name came from me is also false. (Signed) "W. D. SWAN." Mr. Hillard, in his letter to Messrs. Swan 1 consider the statement, as made by Mr. Lee, en- Brewer & Tileston, under date of July, tirely correct. (Signed) F. A. BROWN. The undersigned, publishers of Greenleaf's Series of Mathematics, fully concur in the opinion expressed by William Lee. (Signed) ROBERT S. DAVIS & CO. We coincide in the opinion expressed by William Lee. (Signed) CROCKER & BREWSTER. Such an array of testimony as the above, so clearly fastening deception and falsehood upon Messrs. Brewer & Tileston, should convince every recipient of a copy of " Truth Vindicated," that something more than their mere assertions will be necessary, hereafter, to satisfy the public. But, in the purchase of Hillard's and Worcester's books, let school committees demand "fifty per cent. discount" from Messrs. Brewer & Tileston's "nominal," "catalogue," "retail prices," and merchants and booksellers "govern themselves accordingly." From the "Teacher," again : 1862, says: "There is something flattering to one's self-love is tion were compiled exclusively by me, with the exce I certainly wish to do Mr. Hillard no inju tice. What I have stated in my "Eves Exchange" is founded not only upon my ecversation with Mr. Swan, as stated, and the evidence of others who have conversed on the same subject with both of the above-named gentlemen, but on the evidence of those wh when this question of veracity comes before a proper tribunal, will convince Mr. Hillary and Mr. Swan that the assertions made m my part had their origin in acknowledgment which they themselves have made. I therefor retract nothing, reserving my chief evidence for a future occasion, trusting that the follo ing proof will assure those who have receive! my former statements, that I have been strictl truthful in making the same. The "flattery," which Mr. Hillard's " love" may have experienced by such ass tions, is very properly confined to the indivi ual himself; and the "silence," now broke. on his part, under the charge of havi been base enough to sell" his name (this his language, not mine), gains nothing for cause by the crutched defense made, either by himself or one of his former publishers. Such statements fall to the ground when tested by the strength of evidence, and that, too, on the part of one so well known throughout the country. Therefore, no euology from my pen is necessary to sustain the high social and Christian character enjoyed on the part of the Rev. Mr. Tilton. This is but one of many witnesses I have it in my power to present; but this, alone, is sufficient to fully sustain the assertions referred to. "BOSTON, Nov. 8, 1862. "MR. OLIVER ELLSWORTH. "DEAR SIR: In reply to your favor, regarding a personal interview I had with the Hon. George S. Hillard, allow me to say, that at the time Hillard's Serics of Readers was being compiled, I called upon Mr. Hillard, and incidentally referred to the books in question, calling his attention to Webster's orthography as being the standard, and generally adopted throughout the country, at the same time asking him if it would not be to his advantage to adopt the Websterian orthography. Mr. Hillard remarked that he had nothing to do with that matter; that he was only aiding Mr. Swan in compiling the Readers, and that he did not know that he should have anything to do with the series beyond the books then published. Yours truly, "D. TILTON." Mr. Swan, while at New Bedford, will explain itself, the original of which I have seen, and can publish if required. It unmasks an arrangement I never supposed so many "honorable" gentlemen would engage in. The letter emanates from the younger Tileston, announcing the receipt of one of the "Even Exchange" circulars (which Mr. Tileston terms "Ellsworth's circular") some days before its issue from the office of Rand & Avery, printers, and, in fact, before one hundred copies of the circular had been printed. This interesting letter contains the following: "The Ellsworth circular is not yet issued. It may be he will change his mind, and not send it. The person bringing us the copy does not wish to be known in the matter." The letter is in the hand-writing of the young gentleman referred to; but, fortunately for another party, notice is given that "fatherhas not yet returned." Messrs. Brewer & Tileston publish the vote of the Boston School Committee in reference to the "Progressive Speaker" (by D. B. Tow From Messrs. Brewer & Tileston's "TRUTH er), by which a few books of that number of VINDICATED" : I hereby certify that the above is a true copy (except the omission of date and signature) of the origi nal letter as compared by me this day. W. W. COWLES, Notary Public. "Truth Vindicated" is a worthless, slandering apology, avoiding the question at issue, or else elevating old ones in such forms as to be easily stripped of their disguise. None but those akin to old "Original Sin" would issue a "hand-bill" containing such an array of self-convicting evidence. The system of espionage, the late "firm" of Swan, Brewer & Tileston have carried on, has given them an undue advantage over me in procuring early reports. A letter directed to the Progressive Series, then used in a few of the East Boston schools, have been displaced by Hillard's First Class Reader. But they do not inform the public, that within the past year the Hon. William D. Swan, then one of the publishers of Hillard's Series of Readers, called upon D. B. Tower, of this city, author of the Progressive Speaker," to engage hand and employ the workings of his brains to revise his (Swan's) old Readers. 66 his If Mr. Swan's ideas were very exalted in regard to the practicality of Hillard's books, why not employ the gentleman who has lately announced that he "alone is responsible for the contents" of Hillard's Readers as they originally appeared? What did Mr. Hillard say soon after the "Critic Criticised" was issued? Not until the corrections had been made in his Readers to the extent of adopting nearly every suggestion found in the "Critic," and not until sufficient time had elapsed since its issue to bring about a general change in the appointment of new men as members of school committees in various towns, has Mr. Hillard been heard from; neither have the publishers, so commendable for their sagacity, until now, attempted a reply. Have Messrs. Brewer & Tileston informed those who have been the favored recipients of a copy of "Truth Vindicated," as well as a copy of the "Teacher" referred to, that Dr. Brewer, a member of that "firm," is a member of the Boston School Committee? Have they intimated that this same gentleman has button-holed nearly every teacher in this vicinity using the Progressive Speaker, and very "disinterestedly" urged the adoption of an inferior book, known by the "flattering" title of Hillard's First Class Reader? any notice been given that the Boston schools, Has |