Literature Textbooks, 1776-1900
Compiled from catalogues of the Nietz Collection at the University of Pittsburgh and the collection of Early American Textbooks at the National Library of Education in Washington, D.C.
Click on a book title to see the preface and table of contents from that book.
Abernethy, Julian Willis. American literature. New York: Charles E. Merrill Co., c1902.
Arnold, Thomas, M. A. A Manual of English Literature historical and critical: with an appendix on English metres. Boston: Ginn, Heath, & Co., 1882.
Backus, Truman J., A. M. Shaw’s New History of English Literature. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1878.
Backus, Truman J. Shaw’s New History of English Literature. Rev. ed. New York and Chicago: Sheldon and Co., 1884.
Backus, Truman J., LL.D. The Outlines of Literature, English and American, based upon Shaw’s Manual of English Literature. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1897.
Backus, Truman J., LL.D. and Helen Dawes Brown. The Great English Writers from Chaucer to George Eliot, with selections illustrating their works; a text-book of English literature for the use of schools. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1889.
Baird, James S. S. The Classical Manual. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1868.
Baldwin, James. Choice English lyrics. Boston: Silver, Burdett & Company, 1894.
Bates, Katharine Lee. American literature. New York; London: The Macmillan Company, 1898, c1897.
Beers, Henry Augustin. An outline sketch of American literature. New York: Chautauqua Press, 1887.
Beers, Henry Augustin. Initial studies in American letters. Meadville, Pa.: Flood and Vincent, 1895.
Beers, Henry Augustin. A century of American literature, 1776-1876. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1878.
Beers, Henry Augustin. An outline sketch of English literature. New York: Chautauqua Press, 1886
Berens, E. M. The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. New York: Effingham Maynard & Co., n.d.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgment of Lectures on rhetoric; improved by the addition of appropriate marginal questions, numbered to correspond with references in the body of the page, by Nathaniel Greene. Boston: True and Greene, 1824, c1823.
Blair, Hugh. Lectures on rhetoric and belles lettres; with a memoir of the author's life; to which are added copious questions and an analysis of each lecture by Abraham Mills. Philadelphia: Troutman & Hayes, 1853, c1833.
Blair, Hugh. Lectures on rhetoric. New York: W.E. Dean, printer and publisher: Collins, Keese & Co., 1839.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgment of lectures on rhetoric. Carlisle: From the press of A. Loudon, (Whitehall), 1808.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgment of lectures on rhetorick; greatly improved by the addition to each page of appropriate questions by J. L. Blake. Concord, [N.H.]: Hill and Moore, 1822.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgment of lectures on rhetoric; for the use of schools. Brattleborough: Holbrook and Fessenden, 1824.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgment of lectures on rhetoric; revised and corrected, to which added questions adapted to the above work: for the use of schools and academies an experienced teacher of youth. Exeter, [N.H.]: [s.n.], 1821.
Blair, Hugh. Lectures on rhetoric and belles letters. Philadelphia: Printed and sold by Robert Aitken, at Pope's head in Market street, 1784.
Blair, Hugh. Lectures on rhetoric and belles letters; with a memoir of the author's life ; to which are added copious questions and an analysis of each lecture, by Abraham Mills. Philadelphia: James Kay, Jun. & Brother; Pittsburgh: C. H. Kay, 1844, c1833.
Blair, Hugh. An abridgement of lectures on rhetoric. New Brunswick: L. Deare, 1813.
Blair, Hugh. Lectures on rhetoric and belles lettres. Selections. Haverhill [Mass.]: Published by P. N. Green and Thomas Carey; Salem [Mass.]: Henry Whipple, 1817 (Haverhill: P.N. Green).
Botta, Anne C. Lynch (Anne Charlotte Lynch). Handbook of universal literature : from the best and latest authorities. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1863, c1860.
Bronson, Walter Cochrane. A short history of American literature: designed primarily for use in schools and colleges. Boston: D.C. Heath & co., 1900.
Bronson, Walter Cochrane. A short history of American literature designed primarily for use in schools and colleges. Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1908, c1900.
Brooke, Rev. Stopford, M. A. John Richard Green, M. A., ed. English Literature. New York: American Book Company, 1895.
Brooke, Stopford Augustus. English literature. New ed., rev. and corr. / with an appendix on American literature by J. Harris Patton. New York: American Book Company, 1895, c1894.
Brooke, Stopford Augustus. English literature. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1879.
Brooke, Stopford Augustus. English literature. New York; London: Macmillan, 1899, c1896.
Brooke, Stopford Augustus. English literature; with Students' readings and questions by Harriet L. Mason. New York; London: Macmillan, 1898.
Brooke, Stopford Augustus. English literature, new edition, revised and corrected / with chapters on the Victorian age, by Charles F. Johnson. New York: American Book Company, 1900.
Browne, R. W. A History of Roman Classical Literature. Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea, 1857.
Brubacher, A. R., Ph. D. and Corothy E. Snyder, B. A., Pd. B. High School English Book One. New York: Charles E. Merrill Co., 1910.
Brubacher, A. R., Ph. D. and Corothy E. Snyder, B. A., Pd. B. High School English Book Two. New York: Charles E. Merrill Co., 1912.
Carpenter, George Rice and William Tenney Brewster. Modern English Prose. New York; London: Macmillan,1906, c1904.
Christian Brothers. English literature: a manual for academies, high schools and colleges. New York: P. O'Shea c1895.
Cleveland, A. B. Studies in Poetry and Prose. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Bayly and Burns, 1837.
Cleveland, Charles Dexter. English literature of the nineteenth century: on the plan of the author's "Compendium of English literature" and supplementary to it: designed for colleges and advanced classes in schools, as well as for private reading. Philadelphia: E.C.& J. Biddle, 1859.
Cleveland, Charles. A Compendium of English Literature, chronologically arranged, from Sir John Mandeville to William Cowper, consisting of biographical sketches of the authors, selections from their works, with notes, explanatory, illustrative, and directing to the best editions and to various criticisms. Designed as a text-book for the highest classes in schools and for junior classes in colleges, as well as for private reading. Philadelphia: E. C. & J. Biddle, 1849. copyright 1848.
Collier, William Francis. A history of English literature: in a series of biographical sketches. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1877.
Coppée, Henry. English literature considered as an interpreter of English history: designed as a manual of instruction. Philadelphia: E. Claxton & Company, 1881, c1872.
Crawshaw, William H. (William Henry). The making of English literature. Boston: D. C. Heath, 1909, c1907.
Davenport, R. A. (Robert Alfred). New elegant extracts: a unique selection, moral, instructive and entertaining, from the most eminent prose and epistolary writers. Chiswick: Printed by C. and C. Whittingham, 1827.
Dunlop, John Colin, 1785-1842. History of Roman literature: from its earliest period to the Augustan age; in two volumes. Philadelphia: E. Littell; New York: G. & C. Carvill, 1827-1828.
Elson, William H. (William Harris) and Christine M. Keck. Junior high school literature: book two. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, c1920.
Fisher, Mary. A general survey of American literature. Chicago: A.C. McClurg and Company, 1899.
Frost, John. The Class Book of American Literature: consisting principally of selections in the departments of history, biography, prose fiction, travels, the drama, popular eloquence, and poetry; from the best writers of our country. Designed to be used as a reading book in American schools. Boston: J. H. A. Frost, 1826.
Gilman, Arthur. First steps in English literature. New York: Hurd and Houghton; Cambridge: H.O. Houghton and Company, 1870.
Gilman, Arthur. First steps in English literature. Rev. ed. New York: American Book Company, c1889.
Gosse, Edmund. A short history of modern English literature. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1898, c1897.
Gosse,
Edmund. Modern English literature. New York: D. Appleton and Company,
1898, c1897.
Greenlaw, Edwin Almiron, William H. Elson, Christine M. Keck, and Dudley Miles. Literature and life; illustrated by Milo Winter. Chicago: Scott, Foresman, and Company, c1924-1933.
Halleck, Reuben Post. History of English literature. New York: American Book Company, c1900.
Halleck, Reuben Post. New English literature. New York: American Book Company, c1913.
Halleck, Reuben Post. History of American literature. New York: American Book Company, c1911.
Hart, John S. Class Book of Poetry. Philadelphia: Butler & Williams, 1845.
Hart, John S[eely]., LL.D.. Class Book of Prose: consisting of selections from distinguished English and American authors, from Chaucer to the present day, the whole arranged in chronological order, with biographical and critical remarks. Philadelphia: E. H. Butler & Co., 1858. original copyright 1845.
Hart, John S., LL.D. A Manual of American Literature: A Text-Book for Schools and Colleges. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1875.
Hart, John S., LL.D. A Manual of English Literature: A Text-Book for Schools and Colleges. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1872.
Hawthorne, Julian and Leonard Lemmon. American literature: an elementary text-book for use in high schools and academies. Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1891.
Hitchcock, Alfred M. (Alfred Marshall). Rhetoric and the study of literature. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1913.
Hudson, Henry N. Classical English Reader. Selections from Standard Authors. Boston: Ginn and Heath, 1880.
Hunt, Theodore W. (Theodore Whitefield). Representative English prose and prose writers. New York: A.C. Armstrong and Son, 1887.
Irish, Frank V. American and British Authors: A Text-Book on Literature for High Schools, Academies, Seminaries, Normal Schools, and Colleges. Also a guide and help in the private study of the best authors and their writings. Chicago: Frank V. Irish, 1896.
Jenkins, Rev. O.L., A.M. and Helen Dawes Brown. The Student’s Handbook of British and American Literature, containing Sketches Biographical and Critical of The Most Distinguished English Authors, From the Earliest Times to the Present Day, With Selections from their Writings, And Questions adapted to the use of Schools. Baltimore: John Murphy & Co., 1876.
Jenkins, O. L. (Oliver Louis). Student's handbook of English literature: with selections from the writings of the most distinguished authors. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, c1912.
Jenkins, O. L. (Oliver Louis). The student's handbook of British and American literature: containing sketches biographical and critical of the most distinguished English authors: from the earliest times to the present day: with selections from their writings, and questions adapted to the use of schools. Baltimore: John Murphy & Co.; New York: Catholic Publication Society, 1876.
Jenkins, O. L. (Oliver Louis), edited by G.E. Viger. The student's handbook of British and American literature: with selections from the writings of the most distinguished authors. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, c1903.
Johnson, Charles Frederick. Outline history of English and American literature. New York; Cincinnati; Chicago: American Book Co., c1900.
Johnson, Rossiter. A Key to Polite Literature. London: J. Walker [etc.], 1802.
Kellogg, Brainerd. A Text-Book on English Literature,
With Copious Extracts from the Leading Authors, English and American, With
Full Instructions as to the Method in which there are to be Studied, Adapted
for use in Colleges, High Schools, and Academies. New York: Clark
& Maynard, 1882.
Lawton, William Cranston. A study of American literature. New York: Globe School Book Company, 1907.
Long, William J. (William Joseph). English literature, its history and its significance for the life of the English-speaking world: a text-book for schools. Boston: Ginn and Company, c1919.
Long, William J. (William Joseph). English literature, its history and its significance for the life of the English-speaking world: a text-book for schools. Boston: Ginn and Company, c1937.
Long, William J. (William Joseph). English literature: its history and its significance for the life of the English-speaking world: a text-book for schools. Boston: Ginn and Company, c1909.
Long, William J. (William Joseph). Outlines of English literature: with readings. Boston: Ginn and Company, c1925.
Long, William Joseph. American literature: a study of the men and the books that in the earlier and later times reflect the American spirit. Boston: Ginn and Company, c1913.
Mabie, Hamilton Wright. Backgrounds of literature. New York: The Outlook Company, 1903.
Mair, G. H. (George Herbert). English literature: modern. London: Williams and Norgate, c1911.
Manly, John Matthews, 1865-1940. English prose and poetry (1137-1892). Boston; London: Ginn and Company, c1916.
McClelland, George William and Albert C. Baugh. Century types of English literature: chronologically arranged. New York: The Century Co., 1925.
McWilliam, R. Longmans' handbook of English literature: from A.D. 673 to the present time. New York; London: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1894.
Miller, Edwin L. (Edwin Lillie). Explorations in literature. Chicago: J.B. Lippincott Company, c1937.
Minto, William. A manual of English prose literature : biographical and critical, designed mainly to show characteristics of style. Boston: Ginn, 1895.
Moody, William Vaughn and Robert Morss Lovett. A history of English literature. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, c1918.
Morley, Henry. A first sketch of English literature. Londo: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, [between 1873 and 1876?]
Morley, Henry. A manual of English literature; thoroughly revised, with an entire re-arrangement of matter, and with numerous retrenchments and additions, by Moses Coit Tyler. New York: Sheldon and Company, c1879.
Murray, Gilbert. A history of ancient Greek literature. London: William Heinemann, c1897.
Murray, John O’Kane, M. A., M. D. Lessons in English Literature. With a short dictionary of British, Irish, and American authors. Baltimore: John Murphy & Co., 1884.
Newcomer, Alphonso Gerald, Alice E. Andrews, Howard Judson Hall. Twelve centuries of English poetry and prose. Chicago: Scott, Foresman & Company, c1928.
Newcomer, Alphonso Gerald. American literature. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1901.
Newcomer, Alphonso Gerald. English literature. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1905.
Noble, Charles. Studies in American Literature: A Text-Book For Academies and High Schools. New York: Macmillan, 1898.
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret). The Victorian age of English literature. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, c1892.
Pace, Roy Bennett. Readings in American literature. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, c1915.
Pace, Roy Bennett. American literature. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, c1915.
Painter, F. V. N. (Franklin Verzelius Newton). Introduction to American literature: including illustrative selections, with notes. Boston: Leach, Shewell & Sanborn, c1897.
Painter, F. V. N. (Franklin Verzelius Newton). A history of English literature. Boston: Sibley & Ducker, c1899.
Painter, F. V. N. (Franklin Verzelius Newton). Introduction to English literature, including a number of classic works: with notes. Boston: Leach, Shewell & Sanborn c1894.
Pancoast, Henry Spackman. An introduction to American literature. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1900, c1898.
Pancoast, Henry S. An Introduction to English Literature. Third edition. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1894.
Pattee, Fred Lewis. A history of American literature: with a view to the fundamental principles underlying its development: text-book for schools and colleges. Boston: Silver, Burdett & Company, 1897, c1896.
Payne, Leonidas Warren Mark A. Neville, and Natalie E. Chapman. Enjoying literature. New York: Rand, McNally & Company, cl941.
Perry, Thomas Sergeant. English literature in the eighteenth century. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1883.
Plimpton, George A. q (George Arthur). The education of Chaucer: illustrated from the schoolbooks in use in his time. London: New York: Oxford University Press, 1935.
Quackenbos, John Duncan. Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical; accompanied with engravings and colored maps. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1882, c1878.
Quackenbos, G[eorge] P[ayn]. The Reader’s Cabinet. Baltimore: John Kingston, 1809.
Raub, Albert N., Ph. D. Studies in English and American Literature, from Chaucer to the Present Time; with Standard Selections from Representative Writers for Critical Study and Analysis, Designed for Use in High Schools, Academies, Seminaries, Normal Schools, and by Private Students. Philadelphia: Raub & Co., 1891.
Raub, Albert Newton. Studies in English and American literature: from Chaucer to the present time, with standard selections from representative writers for critical study and analysis: designed for use in high schools, academies, seminaries, normal schools, and by private students. Philadelphia: Raub & Co., 1893, c1882.
Reed, Henry. Lectures on English literature, from Chaucer to Tennyson. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1866, c1855.
Richardson, Abby Sage. Familiar talks on English literature: a manual embracing the great epochs of English literature from the English conquest of Britain, 449, to the death of Walter Scott, 1832. Chicago: Janson, McClurg & Company, 1881.
Richardson, Charles F. A primer of American literature. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1891, c1883.
Richardson, Charles F. A primer of American literature. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1884, c1883.
Ripley, George, ed. Specimens of Foreign Standard Literature. Boston: Hillard, Gray, and Co., 1841.
Ripley, George, ed. Selections From the Youth’s Companion for Supplementary Reading. Boston: Perry Mason & Co., 1895.
Royse, N. K. A manual of English literature: designed for the use of advanced grades. Philadelphia: Cowperthwait & Co., 1882, c1881.
Royse, N. K. A manual of American literature: designed for the use of schools of advanced grades. Philadelphia: Cowperthwait and Company, c1872.
Saintsbury, George. A history of nineteenth century literature (1780-1895). New York; London: Macmillan and Co., 1896.
Schweikert, H. C., Rewey Belle Inglis, and John Gehlmann, eds. Adventures in American literatureillustrated by R.M. Brinkerhoff. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1934, c1930.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). New history of English literature. New York: Sheldon & Company, 1881, c1875.
Shaw, Thomas B., M. A. William Smith, LL.D., ed. A Complete Manual of English Literature. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1867.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). New history of English and American literature. New York: Sheldon and Company, 1885, c1884.
Shaw, Thomas B., B.A. Outlines of English Literature with A Sketch of American Literature, by Henry T. Tuckerman. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1866.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). Outlines of English literature. Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea, 1857, c1852.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). A history of English literature; edited, with notes and illustrated by William Smith. London: John Murray, 1892.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). New history of English literature. New York: Sheldon and Company, c1884.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). A complete manual of English literature; edited with notes and illustrations, by William Smith; with a sketch of American literature, by Henry T. Tuckerman. New York: Sheldon & Co., c1867.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). Choice specimens of English literature: selected from the chief English writers, and arranged chronologically by Thomas B. Shaw and William Smith; adapted to the use of American students by Benjamin N. Martin. New York: Sheldon and Company, c1869.
Shaw, Thomas B. (Thomas Budd). A smaller history of English and American literature: for the use of schools, edited by William Smith, and Henry T. Tuckerman. New York: Sheldon and Company, 1870.
Sheldon, William. History of the Heathen Gods. Worcester, [Mass.]: Isiah Thomas, Jr., 1809.
Simonds, William Edward. A student's history of English literature. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, c1902.
Smyth, Albert H. (Albert Henry). American literature. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1895, c1894.
Smyth, Albert Henry. American literature. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, c1889.
Spalding, William. The history of English literature: with an outline of the origin and growth of the English language: illustrated by extracts: for the use of schools and of private students. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1883, c1853.
Swineford, Harriet B. Literature for beginners : containing biographies of the most prominent authors, British and American, with extracts from their writings : also gems of thought, birthdays of authors, pseudonyms, contemporaneous writers, etc. Philadelphia: Raub & Co., 1891, c1883.
Swinton, William and George R. Cathcart. Seven American classics: supplementary to fifth reader. New York: Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor and Company, c1880.
Swinton, William. Studies in English literature: being typical selections of British and American authorship, from Shakespeare to the present time together with definitions, notes, analyses, and glossary as an aid to systematic literary study: for use in high and normal schools, academies, seminaries, & c.; with portraits. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1882, c1880.
Swinton, William. Studies in English Literature, being typical selections of British and American authorship, from Shakespeare to the present time, together with definitions, notes, analyses, and glossary as an aid to systematic literary study, for use in high and normal schools, academies, seminaries, &c. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1881.
Tappan, Eva March. A short history of America's literature: with selections from colonial and revolutionary writers. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company c1907.
Tarr, Augustus DeKalb. The American Reader of Prose and Poetry. Philadelphia: Marcus Bast, 1857.
Trent, William Peterfield. A brief history of American literature. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1909, c1904.
Trimble, Esther J. A short course in literature, English and American: for the use of schools and academies. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1885, c1883.
Underwood, Francis H., A. M. A Hand-Book of English Literature intended for the use of high schools, as well as a companion guide for private students, and for general readers. Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1873.
Underwood, Francis Henry. A hand-book of English literature: intended for the use of high schools, as well as a companion and guide for private students, and for general reader; British authors. Boston: Lee and Shepard; New York: Charles T. Dillingham, 1883, c1871.
Underwood, Francis Henry. A hand-book of English literature: intended for the use of high schools, as well as a companion and guide for private students, and for general readers. Boston: Lee & Shepard; New York: Lee, Shepard & Dillingham, 1871-1873.
Upham, Alfred Horatio. The typical forms of English literature: an introduction to the historical and critical study of English literature for college classes. New York: Oxford University Press, 1917.
Woods, George Benjamin, Homer A. Watt, and George K. Anderson. The literature of England: an anthology and a history. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, c1936.
The Parent's cabinet of amusement and instruction. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1838.
The Wheat-sheaf: a suggestive reader, containing germs of pure and noble thoughts for the youthful mind. Philadelphia: Willis P. Hazard, c1856.