The New England Primer
| The New England Primer | |
|---|---|
 Published by Benjamin Franklin | |
| Author | Benjamin Harris[1] |
| Year Published | 1690 |
| Language | English |
The New England Primer, also known as the little Bible of New England, was an early textbook for use in the American Colonies.[2]
The Primer was first published prior to 1690.[3] It was used as a primary textbook among other texts, such as Dilworth's Spelling Book, the Psalter, and the Testament.[4]
Background
The New England Primer played a most important part in the early history of the education of the Americans. Notices referring to the Primer in America go back as far as 1691, when an advertisement appeared in the pages of Newman’s Boston Almanac. This announcement of Benjamin Harris in Boston speaks of a second impression but not a single copy of this early New England Primer seems to be extant. The first book owned by every American of those days seems not to have been preserved with great care, which indicates that these books, once printed, were heavily used.[2]
Livermore, a keen and eager collector, was unable to find a copy printed earlier than 1775. Ford with other discovered material in his hands could go back to the copy in the New York Public Library, dated 1727, which remains the earliest New England Primer known to be extant. Between the years 1680 and 1830 about six and one-half million Primers were printed, of which about 1,500 are still in existence.[5]
Contents
Washington Irving alludes to the entry for the letter L in his classic tale "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow": "like the lion bold, which whilom so magnanimously the lamb did hold"[6]
References
- ↑ William McGuffey: Mentor to American Industry
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The New-England Primer, Encyclopedia Britannica
- ↑ The New England Primer
- ↑ (1834) Sketches of the History of New-Hampshire, from Its Settlement in 1623, to 1833: Comprising Notices of the Memorable Events and Interesting Incidents of a Period of Two Hundred and Ten Years.
- ↑ (1834) The New England Primer Printed in America Prior to 1830: A Bibliographical Checklist, 9–15.
- ↑ The legend of Sleepy Hollow: (From the "Sketch book."), See footnote
External links
- The New England Primer, 1777 edition
- The New-England Primer: A History of Its Origin and Development; with a Reprint of the Unique Copy of the Earliest Known Edition and Many Facsimile Illustrations and Reproductions, 1897
- Origins of The New England Primer
- The New England Primer, PDF, Liberty University
