In his explanatory note to parents and teachers, publisher Benjamin Steill states that his primer 'lays claim both to novelty, and to an improvement on all works of a similar class ...' (p.iii) The novelty and improvement is in the use of lower case letters, as opposed to capitals. He believes that the child is disadvantaged if taught initially with capitals as these are not used in words, except as initial letters. He continues:

'By teaching the smaller letters before any reference is made to capitals, some progress will be gained towards the formation of words; when capitals make their appearance, the teacher can inform the pupil that the change of shape is adopted for the purpose of marking the beginning of a sentence ... Thus the labour of the child will be greatly reduced, and the apparent contradictions avoided.' (p. iv)

The clear layout and the illustrations make this an attractive book. As the child's ability progressed, numbers and simple exercises introduced, for instance, to find the sheep, and make the correct tally, with the number eight. Steill published several spelling and grammar books for children, among his other works for adults.

This copy was given to Miss C Simpson with her aunt's love in June 1845.

Simpson, Catherine

Carpenter, Humphrey. The Oxford companion to children's literature, Oxford [Oxfordshire]; New York: Oxford University Press, 1984

Muir, Percy H. English children's books, 1600 to 1900, London: Batsford, [1954]

Whalley, Joyce Irene. Cobwebs to catch flies: illustrated books for the nursery and schoolroom, 1700-1900, London: Elek, 1974

Picturing childhood: the evolution of the illustrated children's book

University of Delaware Library: World of the child. Primers