Andrew Law’s "Rudiments of Music: or a Short and Easy Treatise on the Rules of Psalmody" was published around 1790. The book instructed the reader on all the basics of singing, including notes, tones, time, etc. After the lessons the book provided the meter for several hymns. The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town. Literacy was expected of many New Englanders, as Puritan doctrine required everyone to read the Bible.
The Rudiments of Music
- Description
- Andrew Law’s Rudiments of Music: or a Short and Easy Treatise on the Rules of Psalmody was published around 1790. The book instructed the reader on all the basics of singing, including notes, tones, time, etc. After the lessons the book provided the meter for several hymns.
- The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town. Literacy was expected of many New Englanders, as Puritan doctrine required everyone to read the Bible. The abundance of multiple Bibles, psalms, hymnodies, sermons, and morality tales reflects the Copp’s religious beliefs. Other highlights of the library include the works of Shakespeare, almanacs, historical and political texts, and travel narratives.
- The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- author
- Law, Andrew
- Credit Line
- Gift of John Brenton Copp
- Physical Description
- paper (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 3/8 in x 8 1/2 in x 4 7/8 in; .9525 cm x 21.59 cm x 12.3825 cm
- Object Name
- book
