Treatise on Education in Two Volumes, A Manuscript.
A Treatise on Education in Two Volumes [manuscript title]. [America, late 18th Century]. 2 vols, 8vo, contemporary red sheep (or possibly deer skin or goat), green leather labels, covers with gilt roll-tooled borders, spines with five gilt-tooled urns, gilt flowers and decorative devices, gilt lettering. [vii] 1-134; [iv] 135-244. Written in a skillfully neat, almost calligraphic, hand in brown ink on the rectos only, paginated throughout, each page with a red hand-ruled border. Each volume has a manuscript title page, and table of contents; the first volume has a three-page preface and a six-page introduction. There is no evidence of authorship, though the writer makes clear references to men as the other sex, and there are two drawings of an outline of a woman’s head, placed in the manner of a signature, at the end of the first table of contents and at the conclusion of the text in volume two. ¶ A fine, interesting manuscript on education for young ladies, undated and without direct indication of place of origin, but clearly written at the end of the 18th century, in a very handsome binding of that period which has distinctly American features, and in the text are numerous references to the New World - all of which argues for an American origin even if it were not established by the bookplate that the manuscript had been in the US by the middle of the 19th century. Precise dating of the manuscript is slightly complicated, but there is strong evidence pointing to circa 1785-1795: the latest of the recommended books to read is William Alexander’s The History of Women (1779), and in the chapter on geography Capt. Cook’s famous discoveries are noted. ¶ The text emphasizes a traditional approach to instruction and recommendations of "those languages, arts, and sciences necessary to a Lady of Liberal Education." Subjects include history, languages, book-keeping, letter writing ("the chief part of composition necessary to a Lady"), dancing, geography, natural history, philosophy, poetry, French, etc., with lists of books after some sections. The first words of the Introduction refer to the new continent: "The vast difference, we perceive between the most polished Nations of Europe, and the untutored Indians of America, is chiefly owing to Culture and Education" (p. 1); "To the invention of the Mariners Compass, and to Columbus, we owe the discovery of the vast Continent of America containing in its bosom immense treasures of Gold and Silver, abounding with every Vegetable and Animal production" (pp. 1-2); "Had Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar; Zingis Khan, or Tamerlane been educated in the wilds of America they might perhaps, by their cunning and stratagem, have been distinguished among the monkies" (pp. 6-7). There are other references which make the American interest quite plain, such as in the section recommending history: "The history of America deserves more attention than either that of Assia [sic] or Africa ..." (p. 232). ¶ Provenance: Allan L. Wyllie was a member of a well-established Virginia family. The website for Danville's historic buildings shows that he lived in Danville during the years 1855-77. Campbell County is fifty miles north of Danville, and it is possible that the family originally came from there, or that Allan Wyllie had property in both places. Binding a little darkened in spots, but in fine condition.
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