1847 copyrighted text. Text strives for simplicity and attractiveness. Covers the alphabet, syllables in simple words, simple sentences, familiar words for spelling, and reading lessons with spelling exercises. Detailed engravings and rhyming verse appear throughout. Topics include sports, animals, and stories. The Schultz Archive copy is roughly fifty pages from the book, but is, perhaps, incomplete.
1844 printing of the 1844 copyrighted text. The title page says the book is designed as a sequel to Progressive Exercises in English Composition. As with its predecessor, this text seeks to address two primary obstacles for student writers: obtaining ideas and expressing ideas. The author's approach to obtaining ideas is based on what he terms the principle of association. The exercises herein are not presented as a progressive course, but rather are meant to be selected by teachers as they deem useful. The material varies from sample sentences for punctuation practice, to models of the various kinds of compositions, to long lists of subjects for different kinds of compositions. There are seventy-five lessons in all. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text.
1844 printing of 1844 copyrighted text. The author has a Master of Arts degree and is principal of Black River L. and R. Institute. As indicated by the title, Boyd's compilation is a comprehensive examination of English composition as well as rhetoric, criticism, linguistic history and English literature. Each of the aforementioned sections is covered in great detail; for example, there are sections on spelling, composition style, kinds of composition, the origins of the English language and excerpts from American and British literature. Boyd's introduction indicates that his vast teaching experience has proven to him that there is not a comparable text that is so varied and comprehensive available to the typical English teacher and that such a text was necessary to avoid compiling numerous books for a single class. Some of works included in the compilation: Reid's Rudiments of English Composition, Connel's Catechism of Composition, Beattie's rhetoric, Blair's rhetoric, Montgomery's lectures on poetry and literature, Lacon, Dr. Spring's lectures, Dr. Cheever's lectures. Exercises are included throughout. The Schultz Archive includes the text in its entirety with only pages 242-43 missing. Otherwise, the text is in very good condition.