William Strunk, Jr., a professor of English literature at Cornell University, penned "The Elements of Style" in 1918 as a guide for his students in the proper use of grammar and composition. The book served as an invaluable resource for writers for decades and was revised in 1959 by author E.B. White. (The resulting manuscript, with White's revisions, would become an even bigger sensation, selling over ten million copies.)

Presented here is the original manuscript Strunk published in 1918, the book that would go on to provide inspiration, counsel and guidance for generations of writers. Strunk's simple, clear and occasionally humorous writing samples and grammatical rules have proved to be an invaluable tool for authors for over a hundred years.