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. This and another I am listed separately were kept by an Alijah Crane (Jr.) of Boston— this one begun on July 24, 1788—the same year the U.S. Constitution gained enough state votes for ratification, with the bill of rights ratified the following year. Pretty amazing!
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 a significant moment it was!-- and quite poignant now: Liberty gives life its highest value. No one is certain of future events. On present time depends our fate. Union is the basis of independence. Zeal without knowledge is blind. Confine your passions. Fear in the campanion of guilt. Shame and disgrace attend vice....
Some research reveals that Abijah Crane Jr. (August 24, 1777-Mar. 1, 1854) was the son of Abijah Crane 1741-1817), who served a revolutionary soldier of MA and was a member of the Boston Tea Party. He was a house wright and had a carpentry shop with John Crane, his half-brother. Abijah Jr. married twice and had two children, including Horatio (October 26, 1803 / February 20, 1894) who himself kept two notebooks I’ll also be listing.
9” x 7 3/16”, 14 pages (folio) filled front and back, plus front and back cover. Good condition, sting binding that has held together, laid paper. It appears that a few pages near the middle were torn out at some point, with a couple of small tears to pages on either side, as pictured. Overall very clean, clear and completely readable.
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