The New England Primer
After the horn-book, the children of the incipient United States were furnished with primers, among the most noted of which was “The New England Primer for the more easy attaining the reading of English, to which is added the Assembly of Divines and Mr. Cotton’s Catechisms.” This primer had in it the alphabet, syllables of two letters, and many a pious distich, such as—
Young Timothy
Learn’d sin to fly.
Whales in the sea
God’s voice obey.
In Adam’s fall
We sinned all.
Vashti for pride
Was set aside.
These puritanic verses were accompanied with illustrations fully as bad as the rhymes, which were occasionally stretched to a triplet, as—
Young Obadias,
David, Josias,
All were pious.