This piece is a short, lyrical composition from the early American publishing tradition. Its distinctive quality lies in the straightforward diatonic harmony intended for domestic instruction.
The challenge lies in shaping the simple phrases to avoid a mechanical, note-by-note delivery.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Beside the Sea is rated Henle level 2 of 9 — beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 2–3. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 2.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 2 — meaning you can already play level 1–2 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Beside the Sea lasts about 2 minutes.
Beside the Sea is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Prelude in C major by Johann Sebastian Bach, "Ave Maria" K. 554 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ave Verum for Piano by Tui St. George Tucker — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.