1789 Penmanship Notebook, Abijah Crane, Boston, MA.

Wow! I’ve bought and sold a number of 19th century penmanship and maths notebooks, including a couple British ones from the early 1800s, but never one from the 18th century, let alone an American one, and this one feels quite historically significant. This and another I am listed separately were kept by an Alijah Crane (Jr.) of Boston— this one begun on November 23, 1789 maintained during the period when the Bill of Rights was ratified and last of the 13 original colonies, Rhode Island, officially joined the “United States”. On the cover is a Spencerian drawing of an eagle (the national bird of the United States since 1782) with branch in its mouth.  Inside, many of the phrases filling the pages of this notebook feel both extremely significant relative to the moment in American history at which they were written, and quite poignant now. In addition to penmanship practice repeating phases such as "On present time depends our fate and "Drunkards and sits often tipple their pots" (my pers