584 Nations lately become Literary. 



have proved highly useful in the diffusion of sci- 

 ence/ 



In 1783 Mr. Noah Webster, of Connecticut, 

 published the first part of his Grammatical Insti- 

 tute of the English Language? This was soon fol- 

 lowed by two other parts of the same work; by 

 Dissertations on the English Language, and by seve- 

 ral other publications from the same pen. The in- 

 fluence of this gentleman in promoting a taste for 

 philological inquiries and good writing among his 

 countrymen; the general introduction of his In- 

 stitute into the schools of America; and the exten- 

 sive utility of his learned labours, are well known, 

 and are worthy of particular notice in tracing the 

 literary history of our country. 



The establishment of the Federal Government, 

 in 1789, may be considered as the last grand epocha 

 in the progress of knowledge in America. From 

 this period public tranquillity and confidence began 

 to rest on a foundation more solid than before ; 

 wealth flowed in on every side; the extension of 

 our intercourse with Europe, the great seat of ci- 

 vilization, refinement and literature, rendered us 

 every day more familiar with trans-atlantic produc- 

 tions and improvements; and a sense of national 

 dignity and independence becoming gradually 

 more strong and general, all conspired to furnish 



y The author takes pleasure in acknowledging, in this place, his obli- 

 gations to his friend, the Rev. Dr. Eliot, of Boston, for a large por- 

 tion of the information he is able to give respecting the literature of 

 Massachusetts. From a mind so well stored on the subject of American 

 antiquities, he might have drawn much more ample materials, had appli- 

 cation been made early enough to admit of a leisurely attention to the ob- 

 ject. 



z This work was begun the autumn of 1782, and published in the 

 spring of 1783, at Hartford. The success which has attended it, not- 

 withstanding so many other Spelling Books and Grammars have solicited, 

 public favour since it appeared, at once does honour to the Author, and 

 shows, that education is by no means neglected in America. At the be- 

 ginning of the year 1801, more, than one million and an half of copies of 

 this work had been sold, 



