What literary "tastes" did colonial Americans possess (especially in Boston)?
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Anonymous
said...
In America, and more specifically in Boston, tastes in literature were nothing but practical. Like most other trends in America, colonies chose to refrain from the rituals and ordeals of the English, and in this same way, literature was only read if it was about what actually mattered. In the hearts of America at this time, what mattered most was their belief and following of God. Boston's emphasis on "religious" literature was apparent across New England. At Harvard, two thirds of their books were devoted to theology and religion. "One of the best" private libraries in America, owned by Cotton Mather, shows evidence of an emphasis on religion as well. Challenging, mind-bending, unorthodox books never showed up in America, although they were becoming popular in England at the time. Boorstin states that America was missing books of imagination.
In America the literary taste was mainly for everyday use and not for the sake of reading a good book. America had specific tastes for things that would be direct and needed information in whatever subject was called upon. Boston's literary tast was specifically towards religion and school studdies. Boorstin gives the break down of all the books a Boston bookseller recieved and half went to religious books then the rest was split between school books, romance, history, and travel. THough there were great liberaries there was often fires which destroyed them which I find to be hilarious. Cotton Mather comes into the book again as a great contensure of books, but to the contrary were not on science and medicine but rather theological matters and religion. America's literary taste was all imported or mostly imported because thats where the center of commerce and publishing was but America did develop a unique literary taste.
New England literature, for the most part, was limited to Religious texts. They called it “practical” literature, since it was indeed useful to their theological enforcements, but it certainly wasn’t practical for the overall spread of knowledge. There was an unfortunate narrow-mindedness against the use of books for the spread of anything else. Books that did not teach Religion were seen as temptations of the devil and mere imitations of holiness meant to misguide one’s soul from the right path. The use of books to spread Religion stifled the spread of any other types of information in the New England area. The Theologians of Boston, such as Cotton Mather, were so fixated on using books as a vector of Religion that they began to force Religious books upon children from the moment they could read. However, as America became more secular throughout the 18th century, this Religious stranglehold began to release from New England. Public libraries began to appear where one could borrow, for a small price, books of all different subjects. One could read of history and science. There were even non-informational books intended purely for entertainment. However, the secularization never truly became complete and Religion continued to influence New England life well into the 19th century.
Especially in Boston, bookselling became a thriving business and gave the neighboring colonies a chance to spread their literature. The most popular book genre that brought in the greatest income to the book market was religious. Although not as popular, colonial bookstores continually restocked books of romance, belles-lettres, schoolbooks, navigation, history and travel, and medicine. However, amazingly, religion took over and until the late 18th century, non-theological books and Shakespeare were nowhere to be found.
Boston’s literary market was mainly filled with religious texts. However, romance, navigation, history, travel, and medicine also flourished in Boston’s book shops. The amount of literature that Boston had was no where comparable to that in London. This was because Harvard did not have the same level of variety in their library as Oxford. Harvard also had a strong religious aspect still, and so, carried many volumes of religious texts.
1. Literary tastes in books, especially in Boston, possessed by colonial Americans were practical. “Devout and useful,” as defined by Mather, the full stock of the literate mind. Religious books, romance and belles-lettres, schoolbooks, history and travel, navigation, and books on medicine were all received by Usher in 1682. “This must have represented a London bookseller’s estimate of New England tastes” (pg 298). Boston’s tastes leaned more towards religious and school, as shown by Usher’s order. Cotton Mather had the most impressive private library and was said to have a heavily religious collection. There were no books for amusement.
In the colonies, specifically New England, the main objective was to steer away from anything the English did. This included the literature. In New England what was read was not out of pleasure but out of what was the most important to the colonies. Thus the more common books read were religious books because god was the most important belief in the colonies. This was later expressed by Cotton Mather who said that "unorthodox" books never showed up in American libraries or in the universities. For example Harvard did not carry anything that was not religious where Oxford carried books on medicine and the sciences.
Colonists liked practical literature. They simply did not have time to read a long novel. The main book in most households in New England was the bible. There was a heavy emphasis on religion. If you had time to read, you would be reading the bible. In Boston especially, religious books became the most popular and the most profitable. As the 18th century drew to its end, religious books became less popular. Nevertheless, in the Colonial era religion was practical so the main books were religious books.
America's literary tastes were for things that mattered. Especially in Boston, only important books were bought and sold, such as religious literature, along with romance, navigation, history, and schoolbooks. The unorthodox books that were making Englishmen think and question parts of life rarely, if ever, made it into America.
It might seem strange that a country with such a high literacy rate for the time never produced its own major piece of literature, but this can be explained in part by the distinctly American approach to literature and how the idea of a “major work of literature” was a very European concept. Literature in the colonies was used in a practical way and as a way to communicate quite simple ideas. Journalists to report on what was going on in the colonies and Do-it-yourself authors dominated American writing, as opposed to European essayists and litterateurs dedicated on writing great works; American writings were aimed at the general public instead of at a small aristocracy. Knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, and therefore the “Greats” which were so popular as reading material for the aristocracy in Europe, was not common in the colonies because the emphasis was on mastering the English language and other languages seemed superfluous. By not understanding the major works of the past, it could have been harder to create a new major work for the colonists. Transportation was also a factor in this, seeing as hauling books cross-country was much more difficult than simply storing them in the hull for the trip across the ocean, and so literary works often did not make it all the way inland to inspire Americans there. The fact that the colonies lacked a clear cultural center influenced this as well, because it was usually in these centers, such as in London and Paris, that an advanced literary atmosphere developed.
American literary tastes, especially those in Puritan Boston, reflected the American idea that everything should be practical; colonists wanted their books to serve a purpose. Therefore, books in the colonies came mostly from two categories: religious books and schoolbooks, which shows what was important to the people of Boston at this time. The Puritan objective for teaching people to read was to help them understand the Scriptures and in turn to understand what their path to Paradise was. There was no need for silly or imaginative works. Over time, however, this religious literary focus decreased as Boston and the Puritan community became more American and mixed with the other colonies, and books of different types started to be imported into the colonies.
Colonial America’s sense of practicality again flowed over into their literary taste. Puritan Boston controlled the majority of literature which flowed into the colonies, and used that power to continue to emphasize religiosity. Cotton Mather and his partners ensured that only “wholesome” and “devout and useful Books” were read by colonists. Books were viewed by Bostonians to be a path to orthodoxy, and only on a secondary basis to be a means to find other knowledge. For example, of 800 books ordered in 1683, the majority were religious or scholastic books, with about an eighth comprising of navigation, law, or romance/belles-letters. Additionally, nearly two thirds of the works in Harvard College were either theological or religious. Rarely did one find modern or romantic literature in libraries. The New England Primer also emphasized the dogmatic frame of mind of the colonists, as children learned to read from books at an early age which taught only religious texts.
American literary tastes were again, like most things in their life, strongly practical. Religious books dominated the number of imported books. In 1692, a bookseller imported about equal numbers of schoolbooks and religious books, with a smattering of navigation, law, and belles-lettres. Earlier that year, books were sent, not specifically oredered by the bookseller and he received a load where half were religious, a fifth schoolbooks,and some navigation, history and travel, and medicine. This showed not only how the London supplier incorrectly assumed the tastes of the colonies, it probably shows what was most popular in London at the time, which differed from the tastes of the colonies. After the Revolution, religious books became a little less common, but all through the 18th century, as new forms of literature were becoming prevalent, religious books still remained dominant.
America's literary taste was for practical uses only. The colonists didn't indulge in any reading other than the kind of literature that they could benefeit from. In England, a person would read a book that a superior had enjoyed just to brown nose them. The most common books in the Americas were religious books. Most people were actually only literate thanks to the Church. They had to be able to read the Bible in order to be close to God. Etc etc
The Colonists tried to focus on literatre that meant something. Non- fiction historical books that focused on the facts. They tried to contradict the english at every possible oppurtunity. Also, a lot of emphasis was placed on religious readings. Many people read the bible, because they saw it as the ultimate religious factual reading. Other literature based on religion sprad accros new england rapidly. Many famous university libraries carried more religious texts than other books. And theology became a big part of universities as well. America's books, according to boorstin, lacked a little pizzaz. No imaginative books appeared in America's libraries.
Americans in the colonial period, especially those in Boston, were most interested in books of religious or educational nature. There was a great variety of books offered by sellers such as romance, navigation, and law. But nothing sold as well as religious books in particular, with school books a close runner up. This was according to accounts of booksellers from London, who didn’t expect to sell much of the religious or educational books.
1. The two main “tastes” that Boston and the rest of colonial America shared were “devout and useful Books.” The market of Boston imported large quantities of religious and didactic books in comparison to the few number of navigation, romance, school, history, and travel genres. This focus can be attributed to the fact that the early schools like Harvard and the community were set up with Puritan ideals that literacy was meant to aid the orthodoxy first and foremost. In order to see the world without the help of a priest could only be accomplished if you could read. Religion was infused into all parts of the community including language, and it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that libraries that offered more history, science, travel, law and fiction appeared.
1. A consistent theme through Boorstin’s book was on the importance of practicality and applicability of anything for the colonists. This remained true for literature. American taste for books included many religious books on doctrine, beliefs, and theology. At Harvard specifically, two thirds of the books in this grand library were religious. Apart from religious books, the colonists took an interest in books focusing on history, medicine, and navigation. These were practical for the colonists. They needed most of these books. School books were also in the “tastes” of the colonists. What the colonists lacked eas fiction and any sort of fun or creative literature.
American literary taste was based heavily on 'practicality', at the time synonoymous with 'religion'. If a book was not meant to spread or promote religion, it was intended as a temptation of the devil and should be avoided, displaying a certain narrow-mindedness of the settlers concerning literature and what it should convey. Cotton Mather and contemporaries in Boston even sought to make sure books in circulation in Boston were "wholesome". A cache of books sent to a Boston bookseller in 1682 held about 400 religious texts, about 140 romances, 140 schoolbooks, 45 history and travel tomes, 60 navigational books and 12 on medicine. However, inventory the next year had the bookseller order, of 800 books, nearly equally half religious, half schoolbooks, with "few of any other character". This shows the absolute staunchness of American resistance against any sort of literature meant for enjoyment or entertainment. Even the largest library in New England, belonging to Cotton Mathers, was undoubtedly religiously weighed.
The theme, although already mentioned by my two classmates this year, of literature sought after by colonial Americans is that of practicality. However, I challenge Mandy’s assumption of practicality and religion being “synonymous.” The two were, I will admit, similar, to the colonials; however this does not mean they were synonymous, which to me implies a higher level of connection. Though they were scarce, Boorstin mentioned books about law written in the colonies, or used in the colonies in chapter 32. These are not religious books, however, they are what I would call “practical,” for I am of the persuasion that all citizens of any given country should be cognizant of their laws , else, by malicious intent or by unintentional mistake, they might break them. However, I will admit that many of the books deemed ‘practical’ at the time, were in fact religious works. And as a final comment, Mandy, can you provide any backing at all for the otherwise unfounded allegation of Cotton Maher’s library being predominantly religious?
American tastes in literature, especially living on the frontiers of the empire and faced with daily struggles for survival, was almost entirely practical. Manuals, handbooks, etc. This explains why The Webster's Dictionary was so popular.
Colonial Americans favored books that were practical, or, as Mather put it, “devout and useful.” They had little use for novels or belles-lettres, instead, many books were either religious or concerned with topics like navigation or law -- books that would help them in the general advancement of society, rather than just books read for pleasure.
What literary "tastes" did colonial Americans possess (especially in Boston)? Boston at the time was Puritan, and therefore the books were always educational, religious, or both. They were all practical, as befitting a Puritan colony. The books were required to be “wholesome” and were very traditional orthodox religious readings. Over time, the books became less religious, with other forms of literature gaining popularity after the Revolution.
Bostons' literaray tastes were varied. It was said in an invoice from John Usher that 1/2 were religious, 1/5 were romance, and 1/5 were school books. There were also many books about navigation and law.
What literary "tastes" did colonial Americans possess (especially in Boston)? Most of there books were on survival and religious. The other were some school books and entertainment.
The people of colonial America, especially Boston, were mostly interested in reading religious books. There was also a demand for instruction manuals, and school books were common as well. Mira Schlosberg
28 comments:
In America, and more specifically in Boston, tastes in literature were nothing but practical. Like most other trends in America, colonies chose to refrain from the rituals and ordeals of the English, and in this same way, literature was only read if it was about what actually mattered. In the hearts of America at this time, what mattered most was their belief and following of God. Boston's emphasis on "religious" literature was apparent across New England. At Harvard, two thirds of their books were devoted to theology and religion. "One of the best" private libraries in America, owned by Cotton Mather, shows evidence of an emphasis on religion as well. Challenging, mind-bending, unorthodox books never showed up in America, although they were becoming popular in England at the time. Boorstin states that America was missing books of imagination.
In America the literary taste was mainly for everyday use and not for the sake of reading a good book. America had specific tastes for things that would be direct and needed information in whatever subject was called upon. Boston's literary tast was specifically towards religion and school studdies. Boorstin gives the break down of all the books a Boston bookseller recieved and half went to religious books then the rest was split between school books, romance, history, and travel. THough there were great liberaries there was often fires which destroyed them which I find to be hilarious. Cotton Mather comes into the book again as a great contensure of books, but to the contrary were not on science and medicine but rather theological matters and religion. America's literary taste was all imported or mostly imported because thats where the center of commerce and publishing was but America did develop a unique literary taste.
New England literature, for the most part, was limited to Religious texts. They called it “practical” literature, since it was indeed useful to their theological enforcements, but it certainly wasn’t practical for the overall spread of knowledge. There was an unfortunate narrow-mindedness against the use of books for the spread of anything else. Books that did not teach Religion were seen as temptations of the devil and mere imitations of holiness meant to misguide one’s soul from the right path. The use of books to spread Religion stifled the spread of any other types of information in the New England area. The Theologians of Boston, such as Cotton Mather, were so fixated on using books as a vector of Religion that they began to force Religious books upon children from the moment they could read. However, as America became more secular throughout the 18th century, this Religious stranglehold began to release from New England. Public libraries began to appear where one could borrow, for a small price, books of all different subjects. One could read of history and science. There were even non-informational books intended purely for entertainment. However, the secularization never truly became complete and Religion continued to influence New England life well into the 19th century.
Especially in Boston, bookselling became a thriving business and gave the neighboring colonies a chance to spread their literature. The most popular book genre that brought in the greatest income to the book market was religious. Although not as popular, colonial bookstores continually restocked books of romance, belles-lettres, schoolbooks, navigation, history and travel, and medicine. However, amazingly, religion took over and until the late 18th century, non-theological books and Shakespeare were nowhere to be found.
Boston’s literary market was mainly filled with religious texts. However, romance, navigation, history, travel, and medicine also flourished in Boston’s book shops. The amount of literature that Boston had was no where comparable to that in London. This was because Harvard did not have the same level of variety in their library as Oxford. Harvard also had a strong religious aspect still, and so, carried many volumes of religious texts.
1. Literary tastes in books, especially in Boston, possessed by colonial Americans were practical. “Devout and useful,” as defined by Mather, the full stock of the literate mind. Religious books, romance and belles-lettres, schoolbooks, history and travel, navigation, and books on medicine were all received by Usher in 1682. “This must have represented a London bookseller’s estimate of New England tastes” (pg 298). Boston’s tastes leaned more towards religious and school, as shown by Usher’s order. Cotton Mather had the most impressive private library and was said to have a heavily religious collection. There were no books for amusement.
In the colonies, specifically New England, the main objective was to steer away from anything the English did. This included the literature. In New England what was read was not out of pleasure but out of what was the most important to the colonies. Thus the more common books read were religious books because god was the most important belief in the colonies. This was later expressed by Cotton Mather who said that "unorthodox" books never showed up in American libraries or in the universities. For example Harvard did not carry anything that was not religious where Oxford carried books on medicine and the sciences.
Colonists liked practical literature. They simply did not have time to read a long novel. The main book in most households in New England was the bible. There was a heavy emphasis on religion. If you had time to read, you would be reading the bible. In Boston especially, religious books became the most popular and the most profitable. As the 18th century drew to its end, religious books became less popular. Nevertheless, in the Colonial era religion was practical so the main books were religious books.
America's literary tastes were for things that mattered. Especially in Boston, only important books were bought and sold, such as religious literature, along with romance, navigation, history, and schoolbooks. The unorthodox books that were making Englishmen think and question parts of life rarely, if ever, made it into America.
~Chris Sogge~
It might seem strange that a country with such a high literacy rate for the time never produced its own major piece of literature, but this can be explained in part by the distinctly American approach to literature and how the idea of a “major work of literature” was a very European concept. Literature in the colonies was used in a practical way and as a way to communicate quite simple ideas. Journalists to report on what was going on in the colonies and Do-it-yourself authors dominated American writing, as opposed to European essayists and litterateurs dedicated on writing great works; American writings were aimed at the general public instead of at a small aristocracy. Knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, and therefore the “Greats” which were so popular as reading material for the aristocracy in Europe, was not common in the colonies because the emphasis was on mastering the English language and other languages seemed superfluous. By not understanding the major works of the past, it could have been harder to create a new major work for the colonists. Transportation was also a factor in this, seeing as hauling books cross-country was much more difficult than simply storing them in the hull for the trip across the ocean, and so literary works often did not make it all the way inland to inspire Americans there. The fact that the colonies lacked a clear cultural center influenced this as well, because it was usually in these centers, such as in London and Paris, that an advanced literary atmosphere developed.
American literary tastes, especially those in Puritan Boston, reflected the American idea that everything should be practical; colonists wanted their books to serve a purpose. Therefore, books in the colonies came mostly from two categories: religious books and schoolbooks, which shows what was important to the people of Boston at this time. The Puritan objective for teaching people to read was to help them understand the Scriptures and in turn to understand what their path to Paradise was. There was no need for silly or imaginative works. Over time, however, this religious literary focus decreased as Boston and the Puritan community became more American and mixed with the other colonies, and books of different types started to be imported into the colonies.
Whoops, the first post I made is actually just a repeat of my post for Chapter 44, so completely ignore it.
Colonial America’s sense of practicality again flowed over into their literary taste. Puritan Boston controlled the majority of literature which flowed into the colonies, and used that power to continue to emphasize religiosity. Cotton Mather and his partners ensured that only “wholesome” and “devout and useful Books” were read by colonists. Books were viewed by Bostonians to be a path to orthodoxy, and only on a secondary basis to be a means to find other knowledge. For example, of 800 books ordered in 1683, the majority were religious or scholastic books, with about an eighth comprising of navigation, law, or romance/belles-letters. Additionally, nearly two thirds of the works in Harvard College were either theological or religious. Rarely did one find modern or romantic literature in libraries. The New England Primer also emphasized the dogmatic frame of mind of the colonists, as children learned to read from books at an early age which taught only religious texts.
American literary tastes were again, like most things in their life, strongly practical. Religious books dominated the number of imported books. In 1692, a bookseller imported about equal numbers of schoolbooks and religious books, with a smattering of navigation, law, and belles-lettres. Earlier that year, books were sent, not specifically oredered by the bookseller and he received a load where half were religious, a fifth schoolbooks,and some navigation, history and travel, and medicine. This showed not only how the London supplier incorrectly assumed the tastes of the colonies, it probably shows what was most popular in London at the time, which differed from the tastes of the colonies. After the Revolution, religious books became a little less common, but all through the 18th century, as new forms of literature were becoming prevalent, religious books still remained dominant.
America's literary taste was for practical uses only. The colonists didn't indulge in any reading other than the kind of literature that they could benefeit from. In England, a person would read a book that a superior had enjoyed just to brown nose them. The most common books in the Americas were religious books. Most people were actually only literate thanks to the Church. They had to be able to read the Bible in order to be close to God. Etc etc
The Colonists tried to focus on literatre that meant something. Non- fiction historical books that focused on the facts. They tried to contradict the english at every possible oppurtunity. Also, a lot of emphasis was placed on religious readings. Many people read the bible, because they saw it as the ultimate religious factual reading. Other literature based on religion sprad accros new england rapidly. Many famous university libraries carried more religious texts than other books. And theology became a big part of universities as well. America's books, according to boorstin, lacked a little pizzaz. No imaginative books appeared in America's libraries.
The tastes of the Early Americans tended to stray away from "pleasure" reading and focussed more on issue of religion and practicality.
Americans in the colonial period, especially those in Boston, were most interested in books of religious or educational nature. There was a great variety of books offered by sellers such as romance, navigation, and law. But nothing sold as well as religious books in particular, with school books a close runner up. This was according to accounts of booksellers from London, who didn’t expect to sell much of the religious or educational books.
1. The two main “tastes” that Boston and the rest of colonial America shared were “devout and useful Books.” The market of Boston imported large quantities of religious and didactic books in comparison to the few number of navigation, romance, school, history, and travel genres. This focus can be attributed to the fact that the early schools like Harvard and the community were set up with Puritan ideals that literacy was meant to aid the orthodoxy first and foremost. In order to see the world without the help of a priest could only be accomplished if you could read. Religion was infused into all parts of the community including language, and it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that libraries that offered more history, science, travel, law and fiction appeared.
Chapter 45
1. A consistent theme through Boorstin’s book was on the importance of practicality and applicability of anything for the colonists. This remained true for literature. American taste for books included many religious books on doctrine, beliefs, and theology. At Harvard specifically, two thirds of the books in this grand library were religious. Apart from religious books, the colonists took an interest in books focusing on history, medicine, and navigation. These were practical for the colonists. They needed most of these books. School books were also in the “tastes” of the colonists. What the colonists lacked eas fiction and any sort of fun or creative literature.
Taylor Oster 2009
American literary taste was based heavily on 'practicality', at the time synonoymous with 'religion'. If a book was not meant to spread or promote religion, it was intended as a temptation of the devil and should be avoided, displaying a certain narrow-mindedness of the settlers concerning literature and what it should convey. Cotton Mather and contemporaries in Boston even sought to make sure books in circulation in Boston were "wholesome". A cache of books sent to a Boston bookseller in 1682 held about 400 religious texts, about 140 romances, 140 schoolbooks, 45 history and travel tomes, 60 navigational books and 12 on medicine. However, inventory the next year had the bookseller order, of 800 books, nearly equally half religious, half schoolbooks, with "few of any other character". This shows the absolute staunchness of American resistance against any sort of literature meant for enjoyment or entertainment. Even the largest library in New England, belonging to Cotton Mathers, was undoubtedly religiously weighed.
The theme, although already mentioned by my two classmates this year, of literature sought after by colonial Americans is that of practicality. However, I challenge Mandy’s assumption of practicality and religion being “synonymous.” The two were, I will admit, similar, to the colonials; however this does not mean they were synonymous, which to me implies a higher level of connection. Though they were scarce, Boorstin mentioned books about law written in the colonies, or used in the colonies in chapter 32. These are not religious books, however, they are what I would call “practical,” for I am of the persuasion that all citizens of any given country should be cognizant of their laws , else, by malicious intent or by unintentional mistake, they might break them. However, I will admit that many of the books deemed ‘practical’ at the time, were in fact religious works. And as a final comment, Mandy, can you provide any backing at all for the otherwise unfounded allegation of Cotton Maher’s library being predominantly religious?
American tastes in literature, especially living on the frontiers of the empire and faced with daily struggles for survival, was almost entirely practical. Manuals, handbooks, etc. This explains why The Webster's Dictionary was so popular.
Colonial Americans favored books that were practical, or, as Mather put it, “devout and useful.” They had little use for novels or belles-lettres, instead, many books were either religious or concerned with topics like navigation or law -- books that would help them in the general advancement of society, rather than just books read for pleasure.
What literary "tastes" did colonial Americans possess (especially in Boston)?
Boston at the time was Puritan, and therefore the books were always educational, religious, or both. They were all practical, as befitting a Puritan colony. The books were required to be “wholesome” and were very traditional orthodox religious readings. Over time, the books became less religious, with other forms of literature gaining popularity after the Revolution.
Bostons' literaray tastes were varied. It was said in an invoice from John Usher that 1/2 were religious, 1/5 were romance, and 1/5 were school books. There were also many books about navigation and law.
What literary "tastes" did colonial Americans possess (especially in Boston)?
Most of there books were on survival and religious. The other were some school books and entertainment.
The people of colonial America, especially Boston, were mostly interested in reading religious books. There was also a demand for instruction manuals, and school books were common as well.
Mira Schlosberg
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