A manuscript sum-book in my possession is marked, "Sarah Keeler her Book, May ye 1st, A.D. 1773, Ridgbury." There are multiplication examples of fifteen figures multiplied by fifteen, and long division examples of a dividend of quintillions, chiefly in sevens and nines, divided by a mixed divisor of billions in eights and fives--a thing to make poor Sarah turn in her grave. There are Reductions Ascending and Reductions Descending and Reductions both Ascending and Descending at the same time, as complicated as the computations of the revolutions of the celestial spheres. There are miserable catch-examples about people's ages and others about collections of excises, with "Proofs," and still others about I know not what, for there are within their borders mysterious abbreviations and signs, like some black magic. Sainted Sarah Keeler! a melancholy sympathy settles on me as I regard this book and all the extended sums you knew, and think of the paths of pleasantness of the present pupils of kindergartens; and wonder what kind of a mathematical song or game or allegory could be invented to disguise these very "plain figures." Sometimes a zealous teacher would write out tables of measures and a few blind rules for his scholars. This amateur arithmetic would be copied and recopied until it was punctuated with mistakes. [Illustration: Cocker's ARITHMETICK: BEING A plain and familiar Method, [f.]uitable to the meane[f.]t Capacity, for the full under[f.]tanding of that incomparable Art, as it is now taught by the able[f.]t School-Ma[f.]ters in City and Country. Composed By _Edward Cocker_, late Practitioner in the Arts of Writing, Arithmetick, and Engraving. Being that [f.]o long [f.]ince promi[f.]ed to the World. PERUSED and PUBLISHED By _John Hawkins_, Writing-Ma[f.]ter near _St. George's_ Church in _Southwark_, by the Author's correct Copy, and commended to the World by many eminent Mathematicians and Writing-Ma[f.]ters in and near _London_. _This Impre[f.][f]ion is corrected and amended, with many Additions throughout the whole._ Licen[f.]ed, Sept. 3. 1677. Roger L'E[f.]trange. LONDON, Printed by _R. Holt_, for _T. Pa[f.][f.]inger_, and [f.]old by _John Back_, at the black Boy on _London-Bridge_, 1688.] [Illustration: No. 1 First Picture Alphabet. No. 2. Second Picture Alphabet. No. 3. Third Picture Alphabet. No. 4. Lessons in One Syllable. No. 5. Lessons in Numbers. No. 6. Words in Common Use. One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 The Clock has two hands; a long one and a short one. The short hand is the hour hand, and the long one is the minute hand. The short or hour hand moves very slowly, and the long or minute hand goes all round the Clock face while the hour hand goes from one figure to the next one.