The New England Primer

thumb|My Book and heart Must never part. The New England Primer was the first reading primer designed for the American colonies. It became the most successful educational textbook published in 17th-century colonial United States and it became the foundation of most schooling before the 1790s. Quotes 1727 edition Boston: Printed by S. Kneeland & T. Green In Adam's fall We sinnèd all. My book and heart Shall never part. Peter denies His Lord and cries. Xerxes the great did die, And so must you and I. Zacheus he Did climb the tree His Lord to see. 1777 edition Boston: Printed by Edward Draper My Book and heart Must never part. Young Obadias, David, Josias, — All were pious. Peter denyed His Lord, and cryed. Young Timothy Learnt sin to fly. Xerxes did die, And so must I. Zaccheus he Did climb the tree Our Lord to see. Our days begin with trouble here,    Our life is but a span, And cruel death is always near,    So frail a thing is man. Now I lay me down to take my sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. His wife, with nine small children and one at the breast, following him to the stake. Martyrdom of John Rogers: burned at Smithfield, 14 February 1554 External links Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919), pp. 872–3 Category:Literary works Category:Anonymous works