The Republican., 1935-02-14

There is a surprising amount Of ma
terial in this little book, 612 by 4
inches, with 1872 pages First is the
alphabet, then are tables of the sim
plest words followed by reading les
sons of the same words. The tables of
words increase in difficulty up to eight
syllables and the reading lessons cor
respond. These lessons are extremely
religious and moral in tone. The first
simple sentence states: mo man may
put off the law of God" A number
Of proverbs are quoted from the Bible.
Many admonitions like the following
are used: "Liberality should have such
a mixture of Prudence as not to eX-
ceed the Ability of the Giver; and be
rightly suited to the Circumstances of
the Receiver"
Part III of this versatile book is
"a Practical English Grammar" and
is arranged by question and answer.
For example: "Q-What Is Grammar?
A.-Grammar is the science of letters,
or the art Of writing and speaking
properly and syntactically." Following
the grammar are sentences in prose
and in verse, all of a religious nature,
and a number of select fables; and
finally, "a short introduction to geog-
raphy" in twelve pages. There is
plenty Of subject-matter for a pupil to
use for several years.
Pixies arithmetic and that by Daboll
were in common use at the time Lin,
coin was studying. Herndon states
that Lincoln used Pixies; casual ref
erence has been found to his use of
DabollS. Neither book seems to have
been used to copy the examples that
the boy wrote in his famous copybook
Apparently the Lincoln family did not
own an arithmetic, and he had to copy
what he wanted to keep for reference.
Dennis Hanks, the cousin who sup.
piled so much information about Lin,
coins early years, said he bought the
paper for him to make the cOpybook,
leaves of which are to be found in
many collections of Lincolniana. The
leaves, dated 1924, are headed "Mul-
tiplication" and simple Interest" An
other is on compound multiplication
and compound division, still another
on compound interest and long divi-
sion. On more than one page of this
book is a verse of doggerel:
Abraham Lincoln his hand ana pen.
Ha xyiII ho pnnI huf q oil IrunvyS
One Of the most famous books that
Lincoln had is Weems Life of Wash
ington" 1t is thought that he may
have had a copy in Kentucky before
the family moved to Indiana, when he
was seven years old at all events, IN
a speech in New Jersey in 1861 Lin
coin said he got hold of it in the ear
liest days of his reading.
This is the book that tells the fa
nous story about the cherry tree.
There is a strong moral tone running
throughout, but there was much to kin
die the imagination of a boy, such as
the account of the capture of Trenton.
Tradition says that Aesop's Fables
belonged to Lincoln in Kentucky. At
any rate, we are sure he had it in
his early years and probably could re-
peat most of it word for word. The
copy in this collection is with Instruc-
tive Applications and Print before
each Fable" In the frOntiSpiece the
scribe is seen surrounded by all tie
animals he has written about, and e
little cuts above each fable show MI. ch
Imagination.
Lincoln's first law book he found in
Indiana. David Turnham, for whom
he worked, was prosperous farmer
and a justice of the peace, and so
had a copy of the Revised Laws Of
Indiana" published at Corydon, Ind, in
1924 AS Turnham needed the book
often for reference, he could not lend
it, and Lincoln had to visit his house
to read it. This he did, spending his
time, when Turnham needed the book,
in reading Scott's lessons and "Sinbad
the Sailor" which he also found In the
Turnham home.