1899 printing of the 1899 copyrighted text. Herrick is credited as Assistant Professor of English in the University of Chicago. Damon is credited as Instructor in English in the University of Chicago. Preface argues students should first be encouraged to write freely and taught habits of thought and invention before subjecting them to criticism. Part one is meant for a first year course with this approach in mind. Parts two thru four are intended for a second year course to systematically drill the students in the principles of rhetoric. Part five may be included in the second year or later. The chapters in part one, preliminary work: composition--oral and written, what to write about, development of subjects, dividing subjects into paragraphs, building sentences, a review of punctuation, how to increase vocabulary, letters. Part two, usage: good use defined, standards of good use, barbarisms, improprieties, idiom and translation, grammar--good use in the sentence. Part three, diction: wordiness, right choice of words. Part four, rhetorical laws of the sentence and paragraph: clearness in sentences--unity, clearness in sentences--coherence, force in sentences, single paragraphs. Part five, whole composition: structure, summaries, original composition--literary laws, descriptive and narrative writing, expository and argumentative writing. The authors include a section of examples of "bad English" to teach correct usage, although they acknowledge this is controversial and suggest it may be omitted. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text.