The Royal Picture Alphabet

The Royal Picture Alphabet gives letters such as Aa, Bb and Cc a word with its meaning: Ablution, The Act of Cleansing; Barter, Exchange; and Catastrophe, a Final Event. A poetical preface addressed to preceptors says that with learning may laughter be found, and that descriptions and pictures combined are here made attractive and clear. The verse for Ablution says the little sweep has washed his face, but not as we advise, for black as soot he has made the soap and rubbed it in his eyes.

The entry headed Ichabod at the Jam says that enough is good, excess is bad, yet Ichabod will with the jam his stomach cram, until they disagree. The entry for Obstinacy says the obstinacy of the pig is nature, but boys and girls who have a mind should never stubborn be. A prose entry on Rivalry says that to compete for good is famous, such as little boys rivalling one another in a race up the Ladder of Learning, and that the boy who wins the leg of mutton will be the hero of the fair.