The Easy Instructor Or A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. Part II. William Smith. c1798.

This copy is possibly incomplete (64 pp.) and definitely incorporates at least two intrusive fragments from other songbooks. The engraved title page is printed on the same laid paper as pp. [1]-64. Between the t.p. and page 1 are two leaves of wove paper bearing an obliterated name inscribed on 1r with engraved "Lessons in the Eight Notes" on 1v. 2r bears a typeset index of tunes that does correspond to the actual contents of the book and indicates no page number higher than 64. 2v bears an advertisement to the reader, dated at Hopewell near Trenton, 1803. Pages 1-3 are an engraved explanatory preface. Pp. 4-64 are engraved music.

The first intrusive fragment is numbered pp. 65-72 and bears engraved shape note music in a smaller format than the forgoing. It contains one piece, "Judgement Anthem", which is not mentioned in the index. Nor does it appear in the single engraved Little and Smith Easy Instructor in the Sibley collection.

The second intrusive fragment is numbered pp. 67-70, but with the conjugate leaf folded in reverse so as to read 69/70, 67/68. This fragment is in round notation but with some notes altered in manuscript to shape notes. The songs indicated are: Contemplation, Extollation, Amanda, and Christian Soldier. T.H.