Acknowledgements
I am grateful to those who enabled the research for this book. They include The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council at the University of Saskatchewan and the staff of Special Collections and Archives at the Bowdoin College Library, which has granted permission to publish excerpts from those documents. Primary materials of obituaries, Nathanial Hawthorne letters, the Hawthorne and Cilley wager, Longfellowâs graduation oration, and exhibition and commencement parts come from the Special Collections and Archives at the Bowdoin College Library. Both quarterly exhibition and commencement parts are catalogued, and most manuscripts from the 1820s and 1830s parts are available there. Literary Society records as kept by the Recording Secretary reveal the topics of fortnightly forensic disputations; some secretaries recorded the debate decisions as voted by members. Internet access to the Archives is available at:
I offer special appreciation to Dr. Robert Sullivan, who graciously offered time, knowledge, and guidanceâall liberally peppered with humor-filled consolationâas I learned the editorial craft so necessary for this scholarly book.
I also express gratitude to Dr. John Pollack, the Curator for Research Services at the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania. He was especially helpful in procuring and discussing with me University of Pennsylvaniaâs rare copy of the 7th (American) 1839 edition of A Practical System of Rhetoric.
I thank the Taylor & Francis Group LLC Books, Mary Ann Muller, Arthur Walzer, Lynee Lewis Gaillet, and Erin Singer for their gratis permission to reuse and adapt in part and in whole my previously published articles from Advances in the History of Rhetoric and Scottish Rhetoric and Its Influences: âNathaniel Hawthorneâs Travel Sketches and Samuel P. Newmanâs A Practical System of Rhetoric: A Case of American Belletristic Theory on Praxisâ; âSamuel P. Newmanâs A Practical System of Rhetoric: The Evolution of a Methodâ; âCradle of Public Discourse: Commencement Orations and Literary Society Debates at Bowdoin College (1820â1845)â; and âSamuel P. Newmanâs âA Practical System of Rhetoricâ: An American Cousin of Scottish Rhetoric.â
Various individuals assisted me at different points of my research, including Dr. Arthur Walzer, Dr. Stephen Carr, Dr. Leah Cassorla, Dr. Charlotte Robidoux, Dr. Robbin Warner, Dr. Larissa Buchholz, Mark Peters, MA, Ari Sigal, MLS and Ezekiel Weis. Without the help of my physiatrist Frederick T. Sutter, MD, Benedictine spiritual advisors, yoga master Nancy Clough, and other health care professionals, I could not have powered through the task. Special thanks to Susan Pahl, MSW, MEd, who read through two editions of A Practical System of Rhetoric, line by line, while I found revision changes in a different editionâthat was an act of true friendship! Finally, to my husband Paul who read both Newmanâs and my writing and held my handâthank you!