The New England Psalter: or Psalms of David: with The Proverbs of Solomon, and Christ's Sermon on the Mount, Being an Introduction for the Training Up Children in the Reading of the Holy Scriptures.

160 pp. 6 x 3 7/8. "The New England Psalter was an early reading textbook for children which was first published in the late 17th century. It was preceded by the hornbook and the primer as early reading texts and by a variety of psalters which were used in religious services. It is significant that during this period of time the laws of England forbade the printing of Bibles outside of Britain. It was considered legal to print the Psalms in America. Once children had completed the lessons in the New England Psalter they proceeded to the Bible, the catechism and the spelling book." - Monaghan, J. 2005. 'Learning to read and write in colonial America.'