Copyrighted 1877. The author is credited as Professor in the University of Lewisburg. Preface states the book is not an introduction but rather is for advanced class, and it provides a systematic presentation of the laws of discourse. Contrasts itself with one-sided textbooks by Whately, Blair, and Theremin. Author's rhetoric takes logic, aesthetics, and ethics and establishes them in the mind of another. Author regards invention as subject/discipline specific; thus, it cannot be reduced to rule. Disposition/arrangement are also topic specific or form specific or genre specific. Focuses on the laws of mind, the laws of idea, and the law of mental economy (from Spencer). Introduction compares language with other modes of expressions. Laws of mind deals with both the intellect and the feelings, as well as experience and affiliation. The laws of idea deal with objects, notions, time, character, and the modes of discourse. Laws of form deal with plain language, word choice, figurative language, and economy of the feelings. The Schultz Archive copy includes the preface, TOC and pages 74 – 139 of the text.
New edition copyrighted 1884 of the 1878 copyrighted text. The author is credited with a Doctor of Laws of English, as the President of the University of Lewisburg, and as author of The Science of Rhetoric. A compendium of rules for guidance in the art of writing. The prefaces argues that learners should first be assisted in finding a subject of thought, and then be shown how to accumlate, arrange, and express the ideas connected with the theme. Chapter one, Invention, contains sections on choice of subject, accumulation of materials, and arrangement of materials. Chapter two, Style, contains sections on diction (purity propriety, precision), sentences (concord, clearness, unity, energy, harmony), paragraphs, figures, and variation of expression. Chapter three, Punctuation and Capitals, covers grammatical points, rhetorical points, printer's marks, capital letters, and the correction of proofs. Chapter four, Criticism, covers taste and pleasure of taste. Chapter five, Special Forms of Composition, covers descriptions, narratives, letters, orations, and poems. The exercises includes sections for the first three chapters. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text.
1870 printing of the 1869 copyrighted text. The author is credited as Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Brooklyn, NY and has a Doctor of Laws in English (LL. D.). The prefaces says the work has three parts. The first part covers sentence structure with familiar examples and makes references to Bullions's grammar. The second part gives selections for analysis and parsing. The third part gives practical methods in composition (as opposed to "tiresome exercises" or the laws of rhetoric). The Schultz Archive's copy only contains part III: Composition, which contains: framing sentences, copying, dictations exercises, reproduction, impromptu composition, paraphrase, variety of expression, criticism, the essay, letter writing, style, choice of words (perspicuity, purity, propriety, and precision), structure of sentences, and figurative language.
1870 printing of the 1870 copyrighted text, a revised edition of the Common School Grammar, and Introductory to the Practical Grammar.The author is credited as Peter Bullions, Doctor of Divinity, and the author of the Series of English, Latin, and Greek Grammars, and Latin and Greek Readers. Bullions's School Grammar is designed to have a high level of practicality for the students who use the text. In the preface, the author identifies the primary audience for this text to be young students who do not have time to devote to more detailed grammar handbooks. The text is organized into orthography, etymology, syntax, and prosody (prosody is very brief). Emphasis is put on comprehension and application. Within each lesson, explanations are followed with illustrations, then observations, questions, and exercises in application. The teacher is instructed to supplement the text as necessary with any information that s/he does not find in this book. The Schultz Archive includes a mostly complete text with a number of issues. The scans are mostly legible, but there are a number of pages that are repeated, missing, out of order or upside down.