A Philosophical and Practical Grammar of the English Language

New-Haven: Printed by Oliver Steel and Co. For Brisban and Brannan, 1807. Very Good. New-Haven: Printed by Oliver Steele & Co. For Brisban & Brannan, 1807. First Edition. 12mo (17.5cm.); contemporary flame calf, black gilt-lettered spine label, all edges speckled blue; 250pp. (A-W6 [blank]). Light scuffing to leather extremities, endpapers toned, contemporary ownership signature repeated on front free endpaper and flyleaf, else a Very Good copy overall.

"What, another Grammar of the English Language!" So opens Webster's Preface to this short introduction to his own take on the grammar of the American English language. The author, however, argues in favor of his work, stating that "A Grammar, to deserve the title, must contain a true explanation of the several species of words, a correct classification of them, and a development of the real principles of combination in the structure of sentences. If such a work has hitherto appeared, it has not come to my knowledge" (p. [3]).

[SKEEL 433].