One plate, An easy copy for round hand, was written out by
Benjamin Franklin for the engraver. Various hands are
represented: Round, Italian, Secretary, and Print Hand.
The handwriting treatise occupies less than one tenth of
the book, but it is the first attempt at an American copy-
book. The round hand was introduced into England
about 1700 from France, and for a long time it was used
for business, while the Italian hand (slightly narrower
and lighter) was intended for ladies. Round hand is the
style still used by copper engravers today for wedding
invitations and formal documents.

ILLUSTRATED AA

Contains four woodcut pages of Gothic running hand
and round hand. Saur continued this instruction until the
last Kalender in 1778.

In his will, Abiah Holbrook ( 1718-1769), wrote of this
manuscript, ". . . which I did only for my amusement,
though seven years in compleating them. . . ." At least
six styles are finely executed, and it is evident that Eng-
lish writing masters had considerable influence upon
Holbrook ( Nash, Harvard Library Bull., VII).

MD

This is considered the earliest American manual of hand-
writing. Jenkins used round hand and suggested that the
alphabet was composed of six chief elements. He in-
tended to complete the work in seven books but only
three were issued, 1791-1817. Other editions were issued
(see no. 25).