In taking ame with missel weppons, the presizhun witsh savvidje nashuns have attaned is wondurful. In throing a stone, tha seldum mis the smalest mark; tha transfiks fish in the watur; nok down burds on the wing; and strike evury enemy with unerring egzaktnes.

Among savvidjes, the uzhual mode ov produsing fire is bi the rapid frikshun ov too peeses ov wood til tha produse flames. Having no mettels, tha do not pozzes the simpel methud ov kommunikating a spark to tinder, bi the violent kollizhun ov flint and steal.

In 1843 a similarly strange educational scheme was perpetrated under the title Companion to Spellingbooks. A single specimen of the more than three hundred lessons in the book will suffice.

I have seen thy wonderous mite,
Thro' the shaddows of the night;
Thou who slumb'rest not nor sleapest,
Blessed are they Thou kindly keepest !
Thine the flaming sphear of light,
Thine the darkness of the night,
Thine are all the gemms of ev'n
God of angels! God of Heav'n!
God of life, that fade shall never!
Glory to thy name fore ever!

Such a medley of mistakes would soon confuse even a good speller, and the plan is worse than useless unless one wants to acquire the orthography of a Josh Billings or an Artemus Ward.

T

IX

PRIMARY READERS

It

HE first period of American school-book authorship was characterized by erratic efforts and random shots in many directions. did not become the general custom to put forth books in nicely graded series until well toward the middle of the nineteenth century, and in consequence many isolated spellers, primers, and readers were published and used for a brief period within a limited area. Readers of any sort for beginners were very few previous to 1825. So far as I am aware the first was The Franklin Primer, published in 1802, "containing a new and useful felection of Moral Leffons adorned with a great variety of elegant cuts calculated to strike a lasting impreffion on the Tender Minds of Children." The elegant cuts were a frontispiece portrait of Benjamin Franklin and about a dozen text illustrations of Bible scenes.

The book in size and general appearance had very much the look of a New England Primer. Indeed, the introduction says it was intended "as a fubftitute for the old Primer which has of late become almoft obfolete." The most important portions of the volume were "a variety of tables, moral leffons and fentences, a concife hiftory of the World,

appropriate Hymns, and DR. WATTS, and the Af fembly of Divines' Catechifms." The history of the world was entirely Biblical, and began with the

creation and ended with Christ's resurrection. For an example of the miscellany in the book I quote a poem entitled: —

WHEN

Leffons in Verfe.

WHEN the Sun doth rife you must go up each day,
And fall on your knees, and to God humbly pray :
Then kneel to your parents, their bleffing implore,
And when you have money, give fome to the poor.
Your hands and your face, in the next place wash fair,
And brush your apparel and comb out your hair.

Then wifh a good morning to all in your view,
And bow to your parents, and bid them adieu;
Salute every person as to school you go;

When at school, to your master-due reverence show.
And if you can't read, pray endeavour to spell,
For by frequently fpelling you'll learn to read well.

Shun all idle boys, and the wicked and rude;
And pray, only play with those boys who are good.
To church you must every Sunday repair,
And behave yourself decently while you are there.
At the clofe of the day, ere you go to your reft,
Kneel again to your parents, and be again blest:
And to the Almighty again humbly pray,

That he may preserve you by night and by day.

The next book of this class was The Child's In

structor, Philadelphia, 1808. A peculiar typographical feature is the use of the long s in some parts of the book, and the short s in others. Most printers had discarded the former altogether by this time. In Chapter I are the alphabet, some columns of three and four letter words, and a number of short sentences, of which the first is

A bird that can sing, and will
not sing, must be made to sing.

Chapter II starts thus:

1. Now George, you know all the letters. Now you must learn to spell and read.

A good boy will sit and mind his books.

2. Knife, fork, spoon, plate, dish, cup, bowl, mug, jug, pot, pan, tub, chair, ta-ble, bed, box, fire, wood, shov-el, tongs, bel-lows.

3. What is your name? My name is George. How old are you? Four years old. Do you go to school? Yes, sir. Can you spell? Yes, sir, a little.

4. Bread, but-ter, cheese, meat, pud-ding, pye, cake, beef, pork, veal, soup, salt, pep-per, su-gar, ho-ney, jel-ly,

car-rot.

This alternation of spelling and reading paragraphs is soon abandoned, and the spelling words are confined to a paragraph at the end of each lesson. Perhaps the most noticeable thing in the lessons is the constant reiteration of the idea that it is profitable both spiritually and materially to be good.

All dutiful children who do as they're bid,

Shall be lov'd, and applauded, and never be chid;

And their friends, and their fame, and their wealth fhall increase,

Till they're crown'd with the bleffings of plenty and peace.

Frank is a good boy; he loves his school, and learns to read. He can spell hard words and is head of the class. Frank shall have a new hat, and new shoes, and go to the fair.

Good boys and girls go to church.

Did you go to