)KT HAM) )GJ THUS, MITCHELL. ALE:\ PJWNTBB. SHORT-HAND Phonography for the Million. A HSW SYSTBB, OF BY THOS. MITCHELL. LANSINQBURGH, N. Y. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Northern District, of the State of New York. LANSINGBURGH, N. Y. ALEXANDER KIBKFATBICK, PRINTER 1858, IN this utilitarian age, it becomes co Indispensible, in order to reach the * popular mind so as to receive its ap- oc probation and patronage, that a due i consideration should be paid to those questions, which are everywhere 5? proposed, in regard to new things and n theories offered to the public, and by 1 which their merits are tested, name- ly; what are they good for? are they ! of moral, intellectual, or pecuniary H advantage? We are also aware that things purely theoretic, however beautiful, or even truthful they may 448374 4 A NEW SYSTEM be, claim but little attention, and re- ceive less compensation for the labor bestowed upon them. We are, nevertheless, satisfied that while the system of Phonographic short-hand writing which we here offer to the public, is beautifully the- oretic, scientific and philosophical ; it is none the less practical and fully adapted to answer affirmatively the above questions by assuring all those who acquire a practical knowledge of its principles, a remunerative com- pensation, at least equal to the great majority of human callings and avo- cations. A practical knowledge of our ten principles of abbreviation which con- stitute the system, fully qualifies whoever possesses it to write as rap- OF PHONOGRAPHY. 5 pidly and legible as is required for all purposes of verbatim reporting. And it is also true that children who are old enough to attend Public Schools, can as easily become pro- ficients in writing and reading it as they can at any other branch of learn- ing there taught. Teachers of com- mon schools may acquire a sufficient theoretical knowledge of its princi- ples in three evening lessons, to en- able them to introduce it into their schools, and to teach it intelligibly to the youth under their care ; or they may with a little more difficul- ty, by the aid of our class book, be- come thus qualified entirely without a living teacher ; and if they are not willing to do this at so trifling an expense who will say such axe A NEW SYSTEM per persons to have committed to them the mental training of the rising generation? If this system should be now in- troduced into our Common Schools, the children who now compose them would be able when they arrive at that age which introduces them into the business scenes of life, to write their own, and the thoughts of others at the rate of two hundred and fifty words per minute, while ordinary public speakers only utter about one hundred and sixty; we say they would be r able to do this as easily as to solve ordinary mathematical prob- lems, or to reduce to practice any other department of a common school education. It must be confessed, that although OF PHONOGRAPHY. 7 short-hand Phonography has been before the public about eighteen years, it has made but little advance- ment, and has almost utterly failed to produce on the general mind an impression of its usefulness ; in- deed, it is looked upon with about as much incomprehensiveness as was the art of telegraphing when its an- nouncement first startled the world, and comparatively speaking, but few have as yet availed themselves of its advantages. This, however, is not to be attributed to any inherent defect in the art itself, but rather to that intricate complication into which the various authors of the phonetic and stenographic art have left it in- volved. They have incorporated in these various systems of Short-hand 8 A NEW so many niceties, that their acqtuk sition is rendered extremely difficult even in theory and in practice much m'ore so. It is true that many of these attachments may be omitted by the advanced phonographer, but nevertheless, their introduction ren- ders the art cumbersome and imprac- tical, at least to ordinary minds, that is, in rapid writing. It is from this cause that we find so many individ- uals who have taken the ordinary number of lessons in Short-Hand wri- ting and afterwards entirely aban- doned its practice. They have proceeded just far enough to have become convinced that unless they devoted their whole time to its prac- tice, they could never become even ordinary proficients in its execution. OF PHONOGRAPHY. 9 But in addition to these imprac- ticable superfluities, which to a great- er or less extent attach to all sys* terns of phonography and stenogra- phy, there are two principles they all contain which must forever pre- vent them from becoming a regular branch of popular education. These are, the independent characters for vowel signs and for the numerous oth- er sounds of our language ; such, for instance as long and short vowels, diphthongs, and triphthongs, etc., in- including those formed by the con- nection of y and w with vowels, adding in all about fifty characters to the alphabet independent of the consonants, for which each has its peculiar character. The necessi- ty for these signs is entirely super- 10 A NEW SYSTEM ceded, with the exception of three which will appear in the lessons, by our system of the incorporation of vowels with the consonants. We are aware that vowels, to a great extent, may he omitted, and yet the sound of the word be preserv- ed in a manner sufficiently clear to be understood simply by writing the consonants ; such, for instance, as the noun people, which would be perfectly understood by writing p-p-1. But to omit vowels altogeth- er, is equivalent to having written unintelligibly, even to the writer himself after a few hours interval. If these vowel signs, especially those which have their sound in words, are written, although com- posed of simple dots and dashes, it OF PHONOGRAPHY. 11 is in our opinion, utterly impossible for the hand of man to keep pace with even a very moderate speaker. But on our principle of incorpora- ting the vowels which are essential to the proper sound of words, with the consonants they contain, the time consumed will be so trifling, that the most rapid speaker may be followed with ease, writing every word he utters in its full sound, and perfectly intelligible, not only to himself, but equally to all others who Jiave learned the system. The other fundamental difficulty to which we have referred, is that of the analysis of words, which is indis- pensable to the phonetic art ; yet in Mr. Pitman's system of analysis, there is involved so much nicety of 12 A NEW SYSTEM discrimination in sounds, that it can be mastered but by few, while our principle of analysis consists in the simplest form of elementary syllab- ication ; such for instance as ba, be, bi, bo, bu and ab, eb, ib, ob, ub, etc. The facility which a practical knowledge of this art tends to en- hance, a ready and extensive use of our own language, presents no incon- siderable motive to its attainment; There is, perhaps, no department of literary acquisition so highly prized and universally appreciated, as a fluent use of words philologi- cally expressed. The saying, "it is not so much what, but how it is said," is at the present day emphatically true, and although the principle may be de- OF PHONOGRAPHY. 13 fective, it does nevertheless suggest the standard by which all public efforts, whether written or extem- pore, are measured, and to ignore its existence, no matter how true and exalted the ideas, or from what- ever source they may emanate, by being clothed in very ordinary and undignified language, nevertheless they die like the speaker's voice oil the ear, or are only remembered with a kind of pitiful contempt. On the contrary, an individual may be poor, and even illy clad, and yet if he is heard to use good lan- guage in common conversation, he not only attracts the attention of all who hear him, but instinctively wins their esteem. Individuals may acquire an ex- 14 A NEWI SYSTEM tensive knowledge of science and art, and even become what is tech- nically called literary men in fact, they may become theoretic linguists in the dead languages, and yet ex- hibit in common conversation, and in all attempts at extempore speak- ing, a very limited and imperfect use of their own native language. How few persons, comparatively speaking, are fluent conversational- ists able from the impulse of the mo- ment to command that selection and arrangement of words, in which to present their ideas with that beauty and eloquence necessary to give them effectiveness. " HQW forcible are right words," was a very ancient saying. It is here, we apprehend, is found OF PHONOGRAPHY. 15 the necessity for written, instead of extemporaneous speaking: If, therefore, Phonography is cal- culated to remedy this deplorable evil of the times, its value can be but very inadequately appreciated. That such is its obvious tendency, must be evident from the fact that it enables its practitioners to write so much in so short a period of time, as well as by its pronouncing divi- sion of words, familiarizing the mind with them, that they are retained and easily reduced to practice. But it has been truly said of the phonographic art, that it is unsur- passed for mental discipline, even by the study of mathematics. The conceutrative powers of the mind 16 A NEW SYSTEM are developed by the habit of dis- missing from it all other matters, but simply the words which flow from the living speaker, to a degree unequalled by any other intellectual pursuit, and hence is acquired the power of close reasoning. There are also moral effects which its associations necessarily produce on the minds of those who reduce its principles to practice. They mingle not with the ignorant and vicious, but with the intellectual and refined, hence according to the changeless law of equalization, their moral as well as intellectual nature must be- come refined and elevated. But further than this the short- hand Phonographer may reasonably expect a pecuniary compensation for OF PHONOGRAPHY. 17 his labors, equaled by but few call- ings among men. In confirmation of this, we may refer to the fact that there are young men now receiving from one to two hundred dollars per month for their services, who, if they were without a practical know- ledge of this great art, would not, perhaps, be able to demand more than twenty-five dollars per month. The advantages it affords in this respect, come more especially to that class of young men whose circum- stances in life have been unfavor- able to enable them to arrive at that degree of intellectual eminence for which their organization adequate- ly qualifies them. As it combines so much of art with science and philosophy, it is the very element 18 A NEW SYSTEM for the mind of the mechanic-arti- zan, calling into action his inventive genius and imitative powers of form, structure, and accurate mea- surement of lines, circles and an- gles. Let those, therefore, who have been thus deprived, but master this great art, and the star of hope will again shed its benignant rays on their pathway, and of whom it may no more be said : "But knowledge, to their eyes, her ample page, Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll ; Chill penury repressed their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the soul." EXPLANATIONS. The reason why we add the term Kyriologic to that of Phonography, as descriptive of our system of short-hand writing, is because it OF PHONOGRAPHY. 19 contains signs representing in their alphabetical order of syllabication all the consonant and vowel sounds in the English language. The sig- nification of the term kyriologic being to represent objects by con- ventional signs, in their elementary sounds, hence the original Greek alphabet was called Kyriologic, be- cause it consisted of sixteen letters, which represented so many pure elementary sounds. The term Phonography is derived from two Greek words phone and graph em, the first of which signifies sound or voice, and the other to write the voice, hence the name Kyriological Phonography. We have used the term Phonograph to describe a simple consonant, or a 20 A NEW SYSTEM consonant and vowel, when uttered by a single syllable. In the forma- tion of the curved signs, it will be observed, we have divided the circle into twelve parts. By thus extend- ing its division from eight, and in- cluding six line signs, we have obtained a sufficient number of al- phabetical characters to represent all the sounds contained in the English language, with the excep- tion of three, which are occasionally met with, and for which three dis- tinct characters are provided. We are aware that it may be supposed at first sight that signs differing in structure no more than these do, are in danger of being confounded with each other, but this liability is obviated by the introduction of what OP PHONOGRAPHY. 21 we denominate "accommodation signs" to be used in certain cases as substitutes. Indeed, our system is not so much exposed in this respect as any other extant. This is evi- dent from the fact that all others write their consonants in pairs, occupying the same position, and differing only by one of them being heavier than the other. In order to show the comparative safety of our system in this respect, let us introduce a comparison : Mr. Pitman's system writes the conson- ants T and D thus | J , while we write them thus | / ; it writes F and V thusv^, while we write them thus \ -S ; the v always com- menced from below and struck upwards, which fact alone would 22 A NEW SYSTEM distinguish it from C made thus, y which stands on more of a perpen-r dicular angle, as well as being always struck downwards. It is true that we employ the light and heavy signs, but we only so use them to denote the connection of vowels with the consonants, and also to designate what vowels are so connected, and though there is equal danger of confounding the one with the other, by the one not being made heavy enough, or too heavy, yet in our system this danger only consists in regard to the vowels, while in that of all other systems it consists in the liability of confound- ing different consonants. It is also proper here to remark that our alphabet contains only OF PHONOGRAPHY. twenty-five characters, and which, by the incorporation of the vowels into them, as we shall see, are capa- ble of representing all the sounds in our language. In comparison with this, Mr. Pitman's system contains an alphabet of sixty-eight distinct characters. It is true, we do not make dissimilar signs to indicate the long and short vowels as applicable to all words. The reason for this is found in the fact that we write all the vowels and consonants which essentially effect the proper sound of words, in the regular -order in which they occur, and, therefore, rendering such characters as unne- cessary as they would be in common long-hand writing. But provision is made in our Eighth principle of ab- 24 A NEW SYSTEM breviation, by the use of the inde- pendent vowel signs, to write all words in their proper sounds, in which the accent falls on the first letter, or syllable, and which,instead of consuming time to write, renders such words susceptible of being more rapidly written, as well as'of adding to them a feature of identity by which they are more easily read. OF PHONOGRAPHY. 25 First Principle of Abbreviation. PHONETIC ALPHABET. m 1 n - d / r > b \ i r P x t V J N I k _ g s- ch ^ V -S sh^ h s- wh /^ W ~^. qu w S ) x X th ( y U 26 A NEW SYSTEM This consists in the formation of the Phonetic alphabet, comprising simply straight lines and curves, each of which requiring but a sin- gle stroke of the pen. Now, if we contrast the compli- cated formation of the characters composing our common long-hand writing, and count the number of distinct motions of the hand requi- site to make them, with these sim- ple lines and curves, we will see that a great amount of unnecessary time is thus consumed. To illus- trate : It requires five distinct motions of the pen to form the letter h, and as many for that of y, and for z ; in fact, the formation of our long-hand alphabetical charac- ters requires, on an average, about OF PHONOGRAPHY. 21' four distinct motions of the pen, while the phonetic characters de- mand but one for each ; thus we have a saving of four hundred per cent., or four times the amount of labor accomplished by short-hand in the same time, than by that of common long-hand writing. And it should also be remembered that a rapid long-hand writer can pen words one-sixth as fast as they are uttered by an ordinary speaker. The alphabetical characters should be written as light and even as possi- ble where there are no vowels connected with them, the curve lines be made full as curving and rather more so than they are in the book, at least new beginners should do so, in order that the writing may 28 A NEW SYSTEM be easier to read, and also when a vowel is incorporated with a conso- nant, that part of the latter should be written as light as possible, in which the vowel does not occur. Second Principle of Abbreviation. This principle consists in the incorporation of the vowels with the consonants. By making any consonant heavy at the last end formed, it includes the vowel A, and likewise, by ma- king it heavy at the first end form- ed, it includes the vowel E; by making it comparatively heavy all the length includes the vowel I ; by making it very heavy, it in* eludes the vowel ; by making it heavy in the middle it includes the vowel U ; and by making it with a OF PHONOGRAPHY. 29 dot at either end it includes that of Y. The following example il- lustrates this principle : Full Length Signs, t ta te ti to tu ty I I ! I i I 1 th tha the thi tho thu thy (i ( ( ( ( ( Half Length Signs, at et it ot ut i r i i < ath eth ith oth uth I f ( -I ' ' < In this example it will be per- ceived that the consonants T and TH, with the vowels incorporated into them, arc made full and half length. This difference in length denotes whether the vowels incor- porated into them precede or sue- 30 A NEW SYSTEM ceed them in the words written. The principle being that if a vowel is sounded with a consonant, and follows it in the word, the consonant is made full length, but if it precedes it in the word, the consonant is then only made half length. This simple principle, therefore, and which ap- plies to all the consonants, denotes, with undeviating certainty, the position of all vowels in words, and by thus forming the consonants, it as precisely indicates what the vow- els are. Care should be taken not to make the short consonants any long- er than half the length of those of full size. In writing the half length signs for it and ith, they need only be written light, as their length de- motes that a vowel precedes them, OF PHONOGRAPHY. 31 and as that vowel cannot be a, for then it would be made heavy at the last end, and it cannot be e, for then it would be made heavy at the first end, neither can it be o, for then it would be made all the way heavy, nor u, for then it would be made heavy in the middle, it must, there- fore, be the vowel i. We have used the terms first and last ends to de- signate the commencement and termination of consonants, instead of upper and lower end. The rea- son for this is that some of the con- sonants are horizontal and others are struck upwards ; this is true of h, p and v, which always commence on the line and are struck upwards ; /, also, may be struck either up or down that is, when there is no 32 A NEW SYSTEM vowel connected with it, but when there is, it is always struck down- wards. The principle, therefore, is, that to incorporate the vowel a with any consonant, the last end of it must be made heavy, and the first end of it must be made heavy, in order to include the vowel e, with- out regard to their various positions. Let us introduce a few compari- sons, in order to show the superiority of our system, by thus incorporating the vowels with the consonants, as well as its rapidity with common long-hand. Mr. Pitman writes the phonograph th, thus ( , requiring one movement of the pen, while, with the same stroke, we include in it any of the vowels. To illustrate, take the word Though. This word, OF PHONOGRAPHY. 33 in long-hand, requires twenty-four motions of the hand, while Mr. Pitman writes it with three, thus (-, the dash for the vowel 0, but we write it with one, thus ( He writes the word Take thus ?| , in four motions of the pen, while we write it in two, | , and syllabilize it ta-k. We write the word them thus f , requiring but two motions of the pen, but which to write in long hand requires sixteen, and the mo- tions requisite to the formation of these characters may be made as rapidly as those used in long-hand, after the alphabet of the one be- comes as familiar as the other. In this principle alone there is a saving of at least four hundred per cent, in time, between the writing of long 34 A NEW SYSTEM and short-hand, and about one hun- dred between our system and Mr. Pitman's. Third Principle of Abbreviation. This principle consists in alpha- betical and un-alphabetical charac- ters to be used as prefixes and affixes, suffixes or terminations, words employed interchangeably. The place for prefixes to occupy is about one-eighth of an inch above the line, and the perpendicular pre- fixes should never come down any nearer the line of writing than this, and the terminations, as well as the prefixes, must be made as near to the phonographs which they precede or follow, as possible, so as not to touch them, with the exception of those, which will hereafter be ex- plained, in order that they may not be confounded with other phono- OF PHONOGRAPHY. 35 graphs. Any number of these which successively occur in words may be used each of which must fol- low, or precede the parts of the words for which they stand; prefixes pre- cede the signs in the column and those representing the terminations succeed the signs: Prefixes. he'! me )' lo/' ro/ tra/ fa/ ver \ con | com nconr- reconx recom \ enter dis/ trans crcum eery county inter *- sub ) grat v_ 16 A NEW SYSTEM oppX organ- over-' under add/ cen sen/ pre x pruX priX proX miss Affixes or prefixes, tary | tre | ter - ber \ der/ pie/ 7 ble\ caiy mon ~, bro \ lect/^ formo Terminations. i ate ence \ ing * ance j tion I ious / ment OF PHONOGRAPHY. 37 f ology | tory | tude .evolve [ ties \ ability (\ ism Vgence ^ted ,/ded ) ist na "~^ tive arctic la f t ity Signs for the sounds, of oo, ang, ung, and ong, illustrated: 1 The dash for oo to be made without taking off the pen. s ) ang. A heavy dot on the con- vex side of Phonographs, s ) ung. A heavy dot on the concave side. s -) oug is a dash. It should be borne in mind that the convex side of curves corres- ponds with the left hand and upper sides of the straight line phono- graphs, and the concave side of curves with that of the right hand and under side of the same. It 448374 38 A NEW SYSTEM should also be observed that the dot and dash prefixes which represent different ones by being placed on different sides of other phonographs, should be located near the com- mencement of such phonographs, and when they represent termina- tions, they should be placed near the ends. We form the sound of au as in the word taught, by substi- tuting the consonant w for the vow- el u, and incorporating the vowel a into it, thus, Illustration : t vt. To obtain the sound of oi in toil, we substitute the consonant y for i and incorporate into it the vowel o, thus, t y 1. The dipthong ow, as in the word plow, is made simply by making the w half length heavy, thus, pis, and that of ah in the word cat, thus, c ^-t. Fourth Principle of Abbreviation, OF PHONOGRAPHY. 3|)' This principle consists in the sub- stitution of what we term "Accom- modation Phonographs," to be used in the place of long-sign phonographs when there are no vowels necessari- ly incorporated with them, so as to essentially affect the proper pro- nunciation of the words to be writ- ten, but those accommodation signs which include vowels themselves, may also be written in this form, instead of using the long signs. It should, however, be remarked that there are words in writing which it is easier to use the long signs, even when there are no vowels to be in- corporated with them; this the learner will soon discover as he advances in the practice of the art. We may also here remark that a word should not only be written the easiest way, but it should be always 40 A NEW SYSTEM written the same way, by which means we keep in harmony with the law of habit. Some of the advantages in using the accommodation phonographs for the long signs are : First, they are easier made. Secondly, they occu- py less space. Thirdly, they are more legible. The first of these signs are g and n, both of which we here attach to the consonant v, as they occur in the word given. The sub- stitute g is formed by a small circle on the convex side of the curved phonographs and on the left-hand side of the perpendicular line signs, and also on the upper-side of the inclined and horizontal straight-line phonographs. Illustration : Take the word given divided thus, g-v-n, The n is the hook. Having OF PHONOGRAPHY. 41 been thus particular in describing the sides of the phonographs to which the n and g are attached, we will hereafter simply designate that side of the phonographs to which the other accommodation signs are attached, the g side, and also the h circle, which occupies the oppo- site side of the same, the h side of such phonographs. The next of these signs we intro- duce is the h and m. In regard to the aspirate h, we would remark that there is no necessity in our sys- tem to so designate it, inasmuch as it is written and sounded with vow- els in common with other conso- nants, and as it is our object to simplify as far as possible the great art of phonography, we are unwill- ing to introduce a single nicety which is not absolutely essential to 42 A NEW SYSTEM a perfect system of short-hand wri r - ting. The short signs for h and m, a circle and a hook, are the same as gand n, only occupying the opposite side of the long signs to which they are attached. As an example take the word helm divided thus h-l-m. The illustration si / The accommodation signs for s and y are formed by a small dash and a dot connected with other consonants. As an example take the word, sly divided thus s-l-y : the illustration is > This form of the s includes the vowel o, by making it heavy. As an example take the word soda, divided so-da ; the illustration is 7 I* 1 like manner, the short sign n includes the vowel o by making it double size. As an example take the word note, divided no-t ; the il- OF PHONOGRAPHY. 4 a lustration is o likewise, the short m includes the o. As an example take the word mode divided thus mo-d ; the illustration is ^ . The short sign for v is a loop placed on the g side of the phonographs. In this illustration we will also connect the re hook, which is also made on the same side of other long signs, with the g and n differing from the latter by being made double its length. As an example take the word receive, divided thus re-c-v; the illustration is n The next of these characters is the pa and er, which are formed by a little curl at the former end or the beginning and the latter at the end of words. Take as an exam- ple the word paper, divided pa p-er ; the illustration is ^^ The next of these we intro^ duce is the 44 A NEW SYSTEM we loop and h, hook; these are both formed on the h side of the other phonographs. As an example take the word weakly, divided thus we-k-ly , or le; the illustration is ^ _, The short sign for la is a curl formed on the h side of other phono- graphs, at least commenced on that side. As an example take the word late, divided la-t ; the illustration is <*- This curl also represents the syllable ra when it is formed on the opposite side of the phonographs. Take as an example the word rate, divided thus ra-t ; the illustration is -Q These two curls, when made at the ends of words, represent rd and rt. An example of the first is in the word guard, divided thus g-rd ; the illustration is Vp , commencing on the h side. An example of the OF PHONOGRAPHY. 45 rt is in the word tart, divided thus t-rt ; the illustration is X- The other signs which are not made without taking of the pen, some of which are attached to the succeeding or pre- ceding phonographs, we have associated with the prefixes and suffixes. The accommodation signs for x and z, and their connection with the vowels a and o, are thus illustrated : X, in the word exit ; example j , the line drawn across the it, is x or ex, if the x precedes the consonant, it is made near the first part and if it follows near the last end, by making the x hea- vy it includes the vowel o. For ex- ample, the word oxen -- . By ma- king the last part of it heavy it includes the vowel a. Example, in the word tax divided t ax J. . The 46 A NEW SYSTEM accommodation z is a curve crossing the other phonographs in the same way. Example, in the word zealous, divided thus z-l-us /* Fifth Principle of Abbreviation. This principle is applicable to all words, but to be used more especial- ly in long words, it is accomplished by writing the two first phonographs in the word, the latter crossing the former. As an example, take the sentence "Pie was technically right; the illustration is /*"" ' 4- "^ Here are all the words con- tained in the sentence wrote in full, with the exception of technically for which we have written the phono- graphs t, and ek, the latter acroes the last part of the former for the whole word. This principle is particularly useful hi reporting. OF PHONOGRAPHY. 47 SIXTH PRINCIPLE OF ABBREVIATION. This principle consists in abbre- viating words the first part of which are represented by prefixes. This is accomplished by writing the pre- fix and the succeeding phonograph in the word, instead of writing the whole of the word. When this is done, the prefix must be made close to the phonograph, but not so as to touch it, and which is always to be written about one -fourth of an inch above the line. As an example take the word pretend divided thus pre- tend ; the illustration is s* \ Here we have written the four . first letters of the word, which are Miili- cient by the connection to suggest the meaning of the word. Often by writing the prefix alone in its pro- per place above the line, the word for which it stands may easily bo determined by the connection; the 48 A NEW SYSTEM principle, however, is that a suffi- cient number of the following con- sonants in a word succeeding the prefix should be written so that the word for which they stand may be readily understood. If the whole of a word be written, including the prefix, then the phonograph suc- ceeding the prefix must touch the prefix. As an example take the word proceed, divided thus pro-c-d; the illustration is ^ . If a word is all written by / the use of prefixes and suffixes, then none of them must come down to the line of writing. As an example take the word transgress, divided trans-gress ; the illustration is IV^. But if a word is not repre sented in full by prefixes and terminations, then the principle is that the first phonograph following any number of them in such word must touch the OP PHONOGRAPHY. 49 line of writing ; if it is one struck up- wards, it must be commenced on the line of writing, and if down- wards, end on the line, and if it is a horizontal character, it must lay on the line. SEVENTH PRINCIPLE OF ABBREVIATION. This principle consists of unal- phabetical word signs composed of dots, dashes, circles, curves and angles. These characters, not being con- nected with the alphabet, will be more difficult to commit to memo- ry, although so few in comparison with the other word signs, yet by becoming familiar with and using them instead of writing out the words for which they stand in full, greatly simplifies and facilitates the writing. These are as follows : A KEW SYSTEM ' one, can now such % must * much v open v state * some ' could L here come . done * would , should L. most L least ' shall i first , last before x between N because " fact ifail n find 1 a or an ' whether but i and s within o alone ,any , without O put " cause - work call 1 were, was i little aware brin g out " from what m word w above ^ upon v about V place A also shour A unto A until speak OF PHONOGRAPHY. 51 EIGHTH PRINCIPLE of ABBREVIATION. This consists in abbreviating those words which commence with an accented vowel, and is applica- ble only to such words. This is accomplished by the use of the vow- el signs, to be used as prefixes, and as such located in their relation to the consonants following in the word. The following is an example of each of these as they occur in the sound of the several words: o<_ ak; ac-^way; e-^ve; i _>ce; u?th. VOWEL SIGNS. a e i o u C :> J C ^ The distinctive positions of the vowel signs are to be preserved without regard to the consonants to which they are attached.. 52 A NEW SYSTEM NINTH PRINCIPLE OF ABBREVIATION. This consists in alphabetical signs for full words. These phonographs are to be written under the line of writing the perpendicular charac- ters, commencing on the line and struck downwards, and the inclined or horizontal ones laying about one- eighth of an inch under the line, with a proper distance preserved between them, so that in reading it will be seen at a glance that they have no connection with the phono- graphs of other words. These signs, although numbering over three hundred, yet from the fact that with a few exceptions they are alphabetical in their formation, they are easily remembered. The word signs represent all the forms which the word takes for which they stand. For instance, the word sign OF PHONOGRAPHY. 53 for accomplish also represents ac- complished, accomplishing, accom- plishment, etc.; . the grammatical construction of the sentences in which they occur designates what form of the word is thus represent- ed. These remarks also apply to unalphabetical woi Here we have about n hundred words represented by one and two movements of the hand, and by ex- amining the li-i answer ~> away ^ avail J account V, affection j accomplish ( atheist / accord / appear another j acquaint N able, ability v absent 4 attend ^ achieve j advantage ^ administer ^ among v. again OF PHONOGRAPHY. 57 S against .*** compose 1 attribute / consider *\ arrange ', conscience "I anything "> auxiliary ) i condition B \ bid ' j continue \ believe \ bad j 1 confess \ body \ confide \ better \ bible \ beauty \__ business \ J cultivate ^ compute v con^re^ate ^- o o Xo began conquer ^ behind \ consume X^ benefit center Xj become j console J J certain .S converse celebrate '\ conjunction J calculate .A commune J civil connect / consequence } constitute ,*-" comprehend -*, common \ combine b ^ compare \ 58 A NEW STSTEM o" circumstance / difficult except OF PHONOGRAPHY. 59 Fvfili ^ full V feel \^ father, further V. for ^ forgive V ( physical \^ familiar ^ finger v^ finish o form dJ-^ give x^ gather V_ gentle *\ great V good o general S gospel \^ govern \^ generate ^- have heaven /* hand /* how human however henceforth history hitherto - into ignorant instruct institute increase immediate indeed individual indulge inherit independent invite investigate intelligent indispensable image improve important interest impossible 60 A NEW SYSTEM ~\ ineffectual x impress J XJust X judge X Jesus X join K kind kingdom _., knowledge / letter /" labor / lesson S language people s? perhaps / pledge / pride / * purpose /"principle x* peculiar x? please ^"privilege O^-' quick \j question vy quantity v,/ qualify Rarest \right > ruin ^ reason *\ round \responsible \ result \ resolve \ rather \ render N^ regard N^ remember \regular ^^ remark ^religion J) receive \reveal ^/represent G^ recover \ rebel A return > rejoice \ reward ^ ) spirit ) said ) select ) sign ) society ) subject ) system I suggest "J study t sentiment ] strong "] stand 1 satisfy N # search y J? truth l settle 1 stood X suppose O short teach j sympathy y scripture ) singular J susceptible j take '62 A NEW SYSTEM J together \ toward |_ testify | tyrant J tend (, temperance ( there [ that ( thorough ( think (thus I themselves [ thyself J thousand ( therefore "jj n your ^usual under v- ugly i utter ) useless union ^ unholy ^ unkind J vice */ very ^ v alue voice -' vegetate ^ vindicate A vision "\y -^ with *\ where "\ walk -^ world ^ which ^whoever ^ wherever^ whatever Y II jet [J year (J youth U yield ] witness J wisdom Z (1 zeal TENTH PRINCIPLE OF ABBREVIATION, this coa sists of signs for sentences: / as it is I as it is not }. as it is said J as much as \> as good as