Lindley Murray
Encyclopedia
Lindley Murray grammarian, was born in a house near his father's mill, just north of Harper Tavern in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
, 18 miles northeast of Harrisburg
. He was the eldest son of Robert Murray, the Quaker merchant
, and Mary Lindley Murray, whose home was on a hill in Manhattan
on what today is Park Avenue
and 36th Street. This was the center of an area known to this day as Murray Hill
.
Lindley Murray practised as a lawyer
in New York, but after the American Revolution he left for England
. He settled in York
, where a large Quaker community existed. It has been suggested that Murray fled America because of loyalist
sympathies, and that political circumstances prevented him from returning to his native country. Recent research has illustrated that this was not the case, but that his illness kept him captive. In England, Lindley began writing school textbook
s. He wrote eleven of them, beginning in 1795, and became the best-selling author in the world of the first half of the nineteenth century. Murray's textbooks were widely printed in Britain (particularly his English Grammar), but they had their greatest success in the new United States
, partly because no international copyright agreement existed and the books could be reprinted without royalties being paid. Some sixteen million copies of Murray's books were sold in America and another four million in Britain. His most popular work was his English Reader, full of selections from the liberal-minded writers of the Scottish Enlightenment, most notably the Rev. Hugh Blair
. Abraham Lincoln
praised the English Reader as "the best schoolbook ever put in the hands of an American youth". The English Reader utterly dominated the American market for readers for over a generation from 1815 into the 1840s. It was replaced mainly by the McGuffey Readers
, a series of reading texts, which began to appear in 1836.
For the last sixteen years of his life, Murray's physical condition, likely the result of PPS (Post-Polio Syndrome), confined him to his house in Holdgate, near York. Charles Monaghan's (1998) biography of Lindley Murray, "The Murrays of Murray Hill", long considered a standard work, has been recently succeeded by Fens-de Zeeuw's (2011) authoritative work on Murray's life and language use, in which several earlier misconceptions are set straight.
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
, 18 miles northeast of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. He was the eldest son of Robert Murray, the Quaker merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, and Mary Lindley Murray, whose home was on a hill in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on what today is Park Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
and 36th Street. This was the center of an area known to this day as Murray Hill
Murray Hill, Manhattan
Murray Hill is a Midtown Manhattan neighborhood in New York City, USA. Around 1987 many real estate promoters of the neighborhood and newer residents described the boundaries as within East 34th Street, East 42nd Street, Madison Avenue, and the East River; in 1999, Frank P...
.
Lindley Murray practised as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in New York, but after the American Revolution he left for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He settled in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, where a large Quaker community existed. It has been suggested that Murray fled America because of loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
sympathies, and that political circumstances prevented him from returning to his native country. Recent research has illustrated that this was not the case, but that his illness kept him captive. In England, Lindley began writing school textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s. He wrote eleven of them, beginning in 1795, and became the best-selling author in the world of the first half of the nineteenth century. Murray's textbooks were widely printed in Britain (particularly his English Grammar), but they had their greatest success in the new United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, partly because no international copyright agreement existed and the books could be reprinted without royalties being paid. Some sixteen million copies of Murray's books were sold in America and another four million in Britain. His most popular work was his English Reader, full of selections from the liberal-minded writers of the Scottish Enlightenment, most notably the Rev. Hugh Blair
Hugh Blair
Hugh Blair FRSE was a Scottish minister of religion, author and rhetorician, considered one of the first great theorists of written discourse....
. Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
praised the English Reader as "the best schoolbook ever put in the hands of an American youth". The English Reader utterly dominated the American market for readers for over a generation from 1815 into the 1840s. It was replaced mainly by the McGuffey Readers
McGuffey Readers
McGuffey Readers were a series of graded primers that were widely used as textbooks in American schools from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, and are still used today in some private schools and in homeschooling....
, a series of reading texts, which began to appear in 1836.
For the last sixteen years of his life, Murray's physical condition, likely the result of PPS (Post-Polio Syndrome), confined him to his house in Holdgate, near York. Charles Monaghan's (1998) biography of Lindley Murray, "The Murrays of Murray Hill", long considered a standard work, has been recently succeeded by Fens-de Zeeuw's (2011) authoritative work on Murray's life and language use, in which several earlier misconceptions are set straight.
Works
- Extracts from the Writings of Divers Eminent Authors, of Different Religious Denominations; and at Various Periods of Time, Representing the Evils and Perncious Effects of Stage Plays, and Other Vain Amusements. 1787
- The Power of Religion on the Mind In Retirement, Sickness, and at Death; Exemplified in the Testimonies and Experience of Men Distinguished by Their Greatness, Learning, or Virtue. 1787
- English Grammar Adapted to the Different Classes of Learners. With an Appendix, Containing Rules and Observations, for Assisting the More Advanced Students to Write with Perspicuity and Accuracy. By Lindley Murray. 1795
- English Exercises: Adapted to the Grammar Lately Published by L. Murray: Consisting of Exemplifications of the Parts of Speech, Instances of False Orthography, Violations of the Rules of Syntax, Defects in Punctuation, and Violations of the Rules Respecting Perspicuity and Accuracy: Designed for the Benefit of Private Learners, As Well As for the Use of Schools. 1797
- The Beauties of Prose and Verse Selected from the Most Eminent Authors. 1798
- The English Reader: or, Pieces in Prose and Poetry, Selected from the Best Writers Designed to Assist Young Persons to Read with Propriety and Effect; to Improve Their Language and Sentiments; and to Inculcate Some of the Most Important Principles of Piety and Virtue. : With a Few Preliminary Observations on the Principles of Good Reading. 1799
- Sequel to The English Reader Or, Elegant Selections in Prose and Poetry. Designed to Improve the Highest Class of Learners in Reading; ... By Lindley Murray. 1800
External links
- Murray's English Reader various formats available at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...