Spencer & Rice's System of Ladies' Epistolary and Ornamental Penmanship, 1848 edition, introductory card, page 1
INTRODUCTORY CARD.
The object at which the authors of the following copies have aimed in their production is to assist the teacher, in school—the young lady or
school miss at her table or desk—to a hand-writing systematized and particularly adapted to Ladies Epistolary and Ornamental writing.
In connection with the copies, they spread before the eye a few explanations and short rules to aid the mind in assuming a proper directorship over
the simple movements employed in forming, combining, and arranging the whole imagery of this useful Art; and in such a way as to secure the
great objects in writing: viz; legibility and beauty of construction, ease and rapidity of execution, which give such indescribable grace to the letters,
line, or page, executed by the well-taught hand of the school-girl, or the lady of good taste.
The natural chirography of a young lady reflects the image and character of her mind with almost as much exactness as the glass the image of
her face.
To write a more delicate hand than men, is in perfect accordance with the chaste conceptions of female mind and sanctioned generally, as in accordance
with good taste, by the practice of the most accomplished in the practical and ornamental branches of education.
This difference in the natural chirography is not generally provided for and the modest young girl is often found trying to imitate a rude and
coarse copy, by which she obtains, in many points, a chirography entirely unnatural and adapted to the bold, masculine character.
The Authors confidently believe, that in practising after the following copies, a certain remedy for the above error in instruction, will be found;
and that in them as is all that is necessary to aid the female in forming just conceptions of what constitute the essentials of an elegant chirography.
In their rules and explanations they are necessarily limited to those most important, as effecting the general features of the system; nor is it
perhaps amiss, that in detail, somewhat should be made to depend on the natural and active ingenuity of the learner.
The copies have not been so produced as to enable the learner to form them most easily. Utility has been the leading object. A set of copies
made up of easy combination, such as Commissioner, Bennington, Ammunition, etc. would be more easily written by the learner, and with those who
are not judges, pass for elegant penmanship; but experience proves, that a labor devoted entirely to such combinations, will not produce the skillful
writer by fitting her in season for those difficult and less graceful combinations that are as likely to happen as any in the written use of words.
We sincerely hope the learner will carefully study the printed directions, the Rules of application—using her best endeavors to understand the
structure of, as well as to imitate the copies before her. Use loose letter paper for writing in preference to blank books, the sheet on which you are
writing being loosened from the quire, and used with at least three other sheets beneath it.
Your friends,
P. R. SPENCER,
V. M. RICE.
Author
- Platt Rogers Spencer
- Victor Moreau Rice
- Book Title
-
- Spencer & Rice's System of Ladies' Epistolary and Ornamental Penmanship
-
- Publisher
-
- Date published
- 1848
- Size
- x cm x xcm; 3.5 in x x in
- Penmanship Style
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- Collection
- Columbia University, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Plimpton Collection
- File name
- 18xx-001-001-001
- Links related to Platt Rogers Spencer / P R Spencer
- Links related to Victor Moreau Rice / V M Rice
- Victor Moreau Rice, Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography, 1888, [1]
- Victor Moreau Rice, Wikipedia[2]
- Victor Moreau Rice, gravesite[3]
- Special report on the present state of education in the United States and other countries, and on compulsory instruction, 1867, Victor Moreau Rice [4]
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