A historical record of the introduction of English literary study into the curricula of American colleges and universities from the early 18th century to the mid 19th century. At the outset of the 18th century, college language study in America concentrated on classical rhetoric. By the end of the century, due to educational innovations from Scotland, courses in rhetoric in American schools expanded to include oratory, disputation, English grammatical lessons, and the reading of English literary selections. This study of English and American literature was born in the study of moral philosophy.