1823 printing, 1918(?) copyright. A practical, elementary volume which conducts the pupil from principle to practice. Preface argues for the mental advantages of learning composition and emphasizes clearness, precision, energy, perspicuous and forcible expression, methodical arrangement, accuracy in thought and expression, and correctness. Part I (orthography, punctuation, and style) includes rules and definition briefly stated. Part II (analysis and criticism) focuses on seeing the application of rules in the writing of others. Part III moves from simple exercises in a variety of expression to unassisted composing of a whole piece. An appendix includes practical instructions on the formation and correction of style. Murray and Blair are credited as influences. The Schultz Archive copy is roughly the complete text.
1826 printing of the fourth edition. Introduction dated 1818. The author is credited with a Doctor of Laws of English degree. A rhetoric encouraging simplicity over deceitful ornamentation, the taming of youthful feeling, and the improvement of taste. It has seven sections. The first treats the origin an structure of language and its relation to the operation of the mental faculties. The second treats the principles of general grammar, as classified by philosophical grammarians, focusing on purity. The third part focuses on sentence structure, and the qualities of unity and strength, referencing Campbell and Blair. The fourth part is on rhetorical figures and uses illustrative examples. The fifth section is on taste, referencing Blair, Lord Kames, and Alison. The sixth part is on characters of style, such as diffuse, concise, dry, plain, neat, elegant, affected, vehement, etc., as well genres such as historical writing, memoirs, philosophical, dialogue, "epistolatory." The seventh section is on poetry. The rules of the text number over 600. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text, although some of the copied pages are a little difficult to read.