JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
Emma Willard (1819-1870) has been described as an "apostle" of female higher education in the U.S. She wrote some interesting texts on American history, concentrating in the telling of the story by chronology, and using some interesting visual aids to focus the readers' attention in a condensed manner. She created several memory palaces in her imagery, making it easier and perhaps more elegant for her readers to be able to more easily record the progression of history.
The "dark tunnel of creation" here is the background of the events of history housed by an ionic temple--in the original (from the Library of Congress) the word "Creation" is really quite small, and then surrounded by a considerable well of darkness, the millennia slipping by without index or notice, until they don't.
And the full image (images via the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/item/2005694445/):
(Mrs. Emma Willard's Chronographer of ancient history, published in Troy, New York, printed by lithography via Sarony of NYC.
Emma Willard also produced this beautiful chronological print, meant to be displayed no doubt on a schoolroom wall:
Tree of chronology [Source: via DavidRumsey.com maps: http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~240521~5512286:Willard-s-Chronographer-of-American?utm_source=hootsuite]
Notes:
Some other works by Ms. Willard include:
- Willard, Emma: History of the United States, or Republic of America: exhibited in connexion with its chronology and progressive geography by means of a series of maps. Designed for schools and private libraries by Emma Willard, published by White, Gallaher & White, 1829.
[Text source: https://books.google.com/books?id=JFVXAAAAYAAJ&dq=A+series+of+maps+to+Willard%27s+History+of+the+United+States,+or,+Republic+of+America.+Designed+for+schools+and+private+libraries.&source=gbs_navlinks_s]
- Willard, Emma. Abridgement of the history of the United States, or, Republic of America...
[Text source: :https://books.google.com/books?id=lAtLAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false]
- Maps that accompany the text (A series of maps to Willard's History of the United States, or, Republic of America. Designed for schools and private libraries. New York, White, Gallaher, & White, 1828):
[Source: http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/view/all/who/Willard%252C%2BEmma/where/United%2BStates/when/1829?cic=RUMSEY~8~1&sort=Pub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&os=0&pgs=50]
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