<^0 A Six Lessons on Shorthand 7 8 P.B. TepiDleton THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES 7 - : ^M ».-: ^ PREFACE. The writer of these pages believing that there was much room for improvement in the mode of treating the art of Short-Hand, has ventured to present to the public this treatise, hoping that in some respects it may be found worthy of the attention of those wlio desire to attain proficiency in this useful art. To urge anything here by way of encomium on the advantages of Stenography would be out of place, it being supposed that all who attempt to acquire this art are fully impressed with its importance and utility as a branch of education. The few observations which remain to be j^ made by way of preface, shall therefore be confined to the claims ^ which the author would set up in favour of this little manual, with *'' a remark or two in reference to itinerant teachers. First, the author would observe that his book is written by a PRACTICAL MAN — one who has had many years experience iu Short-Hand writing, both for his own private purposes, and for the benefit of the public, in connexion with the newspaper press iu some of the largest towns in this country, where, as a matter of course, the most able in the profession only are engaged. The value of this first claim, tlien, consists iu the fact that most, if not all, of the popular treatises on this subject now extant, have been written by men who have had little or no practical ac- quaintance with Short-Hand, and who could not therefore be rea- sonably expected to lay down the theory of an art, which they could |Z not practise, with the same degree of regularity and precision as one who for some years has followed it as his daily employment. Such, indeed, we find to be the case ; for even the best of these treatises are but heterogenous masses of materials, without method or arrangement, in which historical notices of the art, with other iiterarj" curiosities, are mixed up indiscriminately with the rules which constitute its theory ; and thus the pupil, who, perhaps, has little time to spare in matters of that sort, and less inclination to be perplexed, i-i tormented with the trouble of sifting that which i!< necessary from that which is curious, and of forming a system of U r> rrangement for himself, which, from his ignorance of the art, if from no other cause, must be exceedingly imperfect. To mention the names of books of this description would be but a waste of time and paper : take the best extant, as an example — " Harding's Universal System " — and the truth of the observations already made will need no futher demonstration. Another, and perhaps the worst and most contemptible of these pro- ductions is entitled " M'Dougall's Improved System of Short-Hand." This production would not on any account have been mentioned here, were it not for the circumstance of its having been put forth in Manchester. It is only necessary to say that it is a complete plagiarism from Harding's — or in other words, " a literary theft," without the shadow of a claim to recommend it, and put together by a man who, there is every reason to believe, could not write twenty lines of Short Hand after an ordinary speaker if he were to receive in consideration thereof as many thousand pounds. It is much to be regretted that too many of the books on this subject have been written by persons of this character. The result is sufficiently obvious in the disgust with which persons turn from the pursuit of Short-Hand, after attempting to acquire it from such worthless instructors. In the second place, the author trusts that his arrangement of the lessons will be found to be not only very clear and simple, but also different from, and much more natural than the arrangements generally adopted. It is customary first to give a few rules as to the mode of spelling, and then to direct the learner to the Short- Hand alphabet. This is a most absurd method of procedure, inas- much as the strangeness of the characters, added to the difficulty of abbreviated orthography, ushers the learner into a labyrinth from which he can scarcely by any means escape, unless he gives up the acquisition of the art as a hopeless task. lu this little treatise, the learner is gradually led on from the simplest to the most difficult mode of abbrenation, before any Short-Hand characters are in- troduced to his notice, excepting a few arbitraries. He is taught to do all that the best system of Stenography requires to be done, in the common hand which he has been accustomed to write all his lifetime, and has then nothing to do but to learn and adopt an al- phabet more simple in its character. TEACHERS OF SHORT HAND. The student of Short-Hand who is in possession of a well ar- r-anged treatise on the subject, seldom needs a teacher unless he is too idle to think for himself. In all branches of education a good teacher is useful occasionally ; but it unfortunatelv happens th:'.t most, if not all of those itinerating teachers of Short-Hand who profess to do so much in so little time, are a set of barefaced im- postors who live upon the credulity of the public, and who are as ignorant of the practice of what they profess to teach, as any black inhabitant of Africa who never saw a book. The advertisemenls which they publish are generally so worded as to induce the unwary to suppose that by taking three, four, or six lessons " of an hour each," they will be enabled to write " as fast as a person can speak."' The lessons are tried — the fee, of course, being paid is ADVANCE. Those who have been thus cheated out of their money, and befooled into the bargain, can best tell at what price they afterwards value these insti-uctions. As a caution against the deceptions practised by these unblushing empirics, the author will mention one or two instances of attempted imposture which have come under his own observation. Between three and four years ago a person named Buck, who had been for some time in Manchester professing to teach writing, mental calculations, short-hand, &c., found his way to Middleton, a little town about midwoy between Manchester and Rochdale, where he issued flaming bills announcing the wonders he was about to perform in the way of communicating knowledge. The author of this treatise happening to be passing through the town, in company with a friend, who is also a good Stenograjiher, was induced, by way of curiosity, to call upon this professor for the purpose of seeing what his capabilities were in reference to Short-Hand. The worthy teacher, after showing his alphabet, and reiterating his assurances that if we took his four or six lessons, we should be very competent Short-Hand writers, exhibited a specimen of what one of his pupils had done with the aid of his instructions. This specimen, which wa-s written upon the first side of a common sheet of writing paper, (which side, by the way, was not half filled, the writing, too, being in a very large character) — this specimen we were assured, con- tained the whole of a sermon which had occupied three quarters of an hour in its delivery. Having expressed our astonishment that so much matter could be (iomprised within so limited a space, the professor, in order to convince our stubborn understandings, began to read it. The task, however, was not quite so easy as was expected ; and after having gone over, in the most bungling fashion, four or five lines, which w;is about one-third of the whole specimen. an(5 occupied something like a minute and a half in the reading, the gentleman, with the greatest possible composure, laid down his spe- cimen, and proceeded to expatiate on the extraordinary things that might be achieved by Stenography. "We assured him that we had often heard what wonderful feats Short-Hand writers could accom- plish, but that nothing that we had either heard or seen was at all to be compared with the superiority of his system, which seem- ingly could enable a pupil to take down a sermon occupying three- quarters of an hour in its delivery, the whole of which he might afterwards read in five minutes ! The gentleman had not another word to say ; and we left him to enjoy his feelings on the discovery that his attempted imposition was detected. This is but one of a thousand instances of the kind that might be related. The fact was, that the whole of the specimen, had it been written out and printed, would not have filled half of one of the pages of this book. It is needless, however, to multiply instances of this sort of imposition. Were it requisite, another might be related which has occurred this very day in the presence of the author, by a person who in a large advertisement professes to teach Short-Hand in three lessons. Beyond the preface of this treatise, everything which does not immediately relate to the acquisition of Stenography has been care- fully excluded, chiefly on the ground that the learner might not have his attention occupied with matters which are foreign to the object he has in view. For historical information respecting this art — which by the way is but of little worth — there are abundant other sources. The author has to acknowledge himself indebted to Mr. Taylor's system for the alphabet, which, in his opinion, is the best that has been adopted, and produces the neatest and most lineal writing. He will only add, that whatever may be the merits or the demerits of this little publication, he submits it with confidence to the candour of an enlightened public, hoping that such of his bre- thren of the press as may honour it with a notice in their periodi- cals, will not be sparing in their criticisms. Manchester, August \st, 1840. SIX LESSONS ON SHORT HAND. Expedition being the object of Short-Hand, the first principle of this art is to express all words by the least number of letters that can be made to stand for them. The first thing, therefore, to which the learner must direct his attention is the mode of spelling which Short-Hand writers adopt for this purpose. Should the learner try to write a sentence or two after a speaker, in the com- mon long-hand, he will soon find that by the time he has written one or two words the speaker will be perhaps twenty or thirty words before him ; and by the time he has finished the first sentence in writing, the speaker will probably have given utterance to more than a dozen. This will at once furnish a convincing proof, if any were wanting, of the necessity of an extensive system of abbreviation. Short-Hand furnishes this system of abbrenation in a twofold man- ner — first by the adoption of an entirely different mode of spelling from that which is employed for the ordinary purposes of writing, and, secondly, by the substitution of signs for the alphabet, which are much more simple, and consequently much more readily written than the signs used in our common alphabet. Thus the letter s in this system of Short-Hand is made by a simple horizontal stroke in this manner — ; the letter t by a perpendicular stroke, as | , and all the other letters are represented by strokes almost equally as simple. By comparing these two modes of making letters the learner will find that while he makes one common s, he may make three of the same letter in Short-Hand — — -^. The same ob8er\-ation will apply to the letter t | , and all the other letters of the Short-Hand alphabet. Having thus briefiy, and, it is hoped, plainly pointed out the two great principles of abbreviation, which form what we may call the very essence of Short-Hand, they will be treated of separately, and the rules which belong to each of these modes of abbreviation will be laid down as concisely as possible, hoping that the learner will bear in mind what has already been said respecting them. LESSON I. MODE OF SPELLING. It has already been stated that Short-Hand consists of two modes of abbreviation, one being a different way of spelling worda from that which is in ordinary use, the other the adoption of more simple characters to represent the letters of the alphabet. The mode of spelling may be divided into two very simple lessons of which this shall be the first. Two or three very short, and very simple rules wiU be quite sufficient to lead the learner to the greatest perfection in the per- formance of this part of his task. Rule 1st. — The first general rule, then, is to spell all words aa they are pronounced, leaving out most of the vowels.* To those who have never attempted to do this it will perhaps appear a very difficult task ; on trial, however, nothing will be found to be more easy. Thus, desk, pen, table, cloth, chair, window, glass, must be written dsk, pn, tbl,klth, chr, wndo, gls. Rule 2nd. — When two consonants of the same name come together without a vowel between them, (as tt in potter, mm in command), one of these consonants must be omitted, asptr (potter) kmnd (command). Should a vowel come between two consonants of the same name, as between ss in sister, or mm in remembtr, then both of the consonants must be written as sstr, rmmbr. Rule 3rd. — To prevent confusion, and also to limit the number of letters, some of the letters of the alphabet which have more than one power, are made to stand for others ; thus g has two powers — a hard one as in goose — a soft one as in general. To secure the true pronounciation of the word, therefore, while we should write gs for goose, we must write jnri for general, because in the latter word the g has a soft power, or, as some would call it, a " soft sound." The letter c has two powers, one hard, like k, as in the words command, copper, the other soft like s, as in the words incense, pretence &c. Instead, therefore, of using the letter c at all, the • To those who know uothing of grammar it may be necessary to state that the letters of the alphabet are divided into vowels and consonants. The vowels are a, e, i. o, u ; the other letters, b, d, f, g, h, j, k, 1, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z, are cousouanta. learner must always use either k or s, as tmnd (command) kpr (copper) nsns (incense) prtns (pretence). Z has the power of s, and is rapidly giving place in very many words to that letter. S is therefore always written for it, as in the word tyraniae, which in Short-Hand would be written trns. C, g, and s, are the only letters which have two sounds ; this rule, therefore, will be of very easy application. "When the letters "ph" come together and sound like the letter f, that letter must be written instead of ph ; as frnsy for phrenzy, prgrf for paragraph. This, of course, comes under the general rule of spelling words as they are pronounced, and would be observed by the learner without specific directions. These three simple rules contain all that is necessarj- for spelling words of one syllable ; and the best thing the learnsr can do in order to perfect himself in this first lesson will be to write frequently the following short exercises until he can copy them in the abbrevi- ated manner with as much rapidity as he would write them in the usual way. To facilitate his progress, the first four of these exercises are given in the contracted form. To save time and trouble the learner may as well introduce into his practice of this lesson the list of " arbiti-aries," which he will find in plate No. 1. Arbitraries are marks which represent words without any relation to the alphabet. A moderate nunibar of them are exceedingly useful, especially if they are well selected. Such words as "and the," "of the," "in the," and many others are of very fi-equent occurrence. It is better therefore to hare simple marks which will represent them, than to have on every occasion to spell them. Nothing can be simpler than to make a mark like an apostrophe thus, ' for the conjunction "and:" another mark like a comma , for the article "the," or the two together, thus, ', for "and the." Again, two dots placed horizontally, thus . . may represent "of the;" when placed with an inclination, thus,.' they may stand for "in the." Other marks, equally simple, are used as arbitraries In practising this first lesson it would be well for the student to keep this list before him. He has already been informed that it will be found in Plate No. 1. EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE. Observation. — In t/ie specimena of contraction the learner will now and then meet with an aslerinlc, which is made thus (*). When he meets with this character he nutsl understund that the 10 word for which it is placed may he represented by one of the arbitrary marks, a list of which he will keep before him when he is practising. They would have been introduced into these speci- mens of contraction, but jmnters have no types to represent such viurks. EXERCISE I. There were two men who went to a wood to cut down trees Each of them had a saw and an axe. They cut down two birch trees, three elms and five oaks. It was hard work ; but the men were strong, and their tools were sharp, and they did the whole in less than a day. Next day each of them brought a horse and a cart, and took the trees home with them, and put them in a yard, where they will be kept till they are fit for use. EXERCISE r. CONTRACTED. Thr wr 2 men w wnt t . wd t kt dn trs- Ecli f thm ad . sw ' n ax. • kt dn 2 brch tfs, 3 1ms, ' 5 oks. T ws rd vrrk; bt ^ mn wr strng, ' thr tls wr shrp, ' • dd , wl n Is thn . da. Next da ech f thm brt . hrs ' . krt ' tk the trs ome w thm ' pt thm n . yrd wr * wl b kpt tl • r ft fr use. EXERCISE II. When we are on the road or in the street we should take care that no harm comes to us. If we do not take heed, a horse, or a cart, or chaise, or coach may knock us down, and if it does not kill us, may at the least bruise us, or break a limb. Boys and girls are apt to think so much of their play as not to mind the risk which they run ; but this is wrong, and we are not wise if we do not keep out of the way of what would hurt us, and are so rash as not to run off till the horse or chaise is close upon us. KXERCISE II. CONTRACTED. Wn w r n , rd r .• strt w shd tk kr tht n rm kms t ». F w d nt tk hd . hrs r . krt r shs, r kch ma nk s dn, ' f t ds nt kl s, ma t t Ist brs s r brk . Im. Bs ' grls r pt t thnk s mch f thr pla s nt t mnd , rsk wh * rn; bt ths 8 mg ' w r nt ws f w d nt kp * , vra f wt wd rt s, ' r s rsh s at t tn ff tl , hrs r shs s kls pn s. 11 EXERCISE III. John threw a stone down the street. He did not mean to do harm ; but just as the stone went out of his hand an old man came in the way, and it struck his head and made it bleed, and the wound gave him great pain. John ran oif as fast as he could ; and it may be that he does not know how much harm he has done. But if he knows this, and is a good boy, it will vex him, and make him grieve to think that he has hurt the old man, and he will look on it as a sin to have been so void of thought as to do so rash a thing. All boys should learn from this not to throw stones where there is the least risk of harm to old or young. EXERCISE III. CONTRACTED. John thrw . stn dn , strt. H dd nt mn t d rm; bt jst s , stn wnt • s nd n Id mn km .• wa ' t strk s ed ' md t bid, ', wnd gv m grt pn. John rn f s fst s h kd ; ' t ma b tht h ds nt no ow mch rm h s dn. Bt f h nos ths, ' s . gd boy t wl vx m ' mk m grv t thnk tht h s hrt , Id mn, ' h wl Ik n t s . sn t hv bn s vd f tht s t d s rsh . thng. L bs shd Im frm ths nt t thro stns wr thr s , 1st rsk f rm t Id r yng. EXERCISE IV. It was God that made me at first ; it is he that still keeps me in life ; it is from him that all the good things come which are in my lot, and it was he who sent Christ to save me. I wish that I could love him and fear him, and do his will, and pray to him as I ought. It is a great sin to break the Lord's day, or to take his name in vain, or to play with those who walk in the paths of sin. He hates all such things, and in his wrath will come upon those who do them. I pray that I may not think bad thoughts, nor speak bad words, nor do bad deeds. EXERCISE IV. CONTRACTED. T ws G tht md m t frst; |- h tht stl kps m n If I - frm m tht 1 , gd thgs km wh r n mi It ' t ws he who snt krst t bv m. ' wrsh tht ' kd Iv m ' fr m. ' d 8 wl, ' pra t m v I ote. I - . grt sn t brk , Lrd's da r t tk s nm 12 n vn, r t pla wth ths who wk . • pths f sn. H ats 1 sell tlings ' n hs rth wl km pn tks who d thtn. ' pra that ' ma nt thnk bd thts, nr spk bd wrds, nr d bd dds. EXERCISE V. Come, let us praise God for he is very great ; let us bless him for he is very good. He made all things — the sun to rule the day, the moon to shine by night. He made the great whale that swims in the sea, and the little worm that crawls on the ground. The little birds sing praises to God when they warble sweetly in the green shade. I will praise him with my voice, for I may praise him though I am but a child. A few years ago I was a little infant, and I could not speak at all, and I did not know the great name of God, for my reason was not come to me ; but now I can speak and I will praise him. I can think of all his favours, and my heart shall love him. Let him call me and I will come to him ; let him command nnd I will obey. When I am older I will praise him better, and I will never forget God as long as my life remains in me. EXERCISE VI. The Robin is a well known bird. Its forehead, throat, and breast are of a deep orange or reddish colour; the head, the hind part of the neck, the back, and the tail are of an ash colour, tinged with green ; the colour of the wings is somewhat darker, and the edges inclined to yellow. The bill, legs and feet are of a dusky hoe. It builds its nest sometimes in the crevice of a mossy bank, and at other times in the thickest coverts. It lays four or five eggs of a dirty white colour, streaked with red ; its young are very tender and are rarely brought up except by the parent bird. Its song is very soft and sweet, and is of the greater value that we enjoy it during almost the whole of winter, when the other songsters of the grove are either silent or out of tune. It turns very tame in winter ; and when the weather grows severe it is not afraid to enter the abodes of man, and to bop into the kitchen or parlour in quest of food, and to become almost an inmate of tlie house. It is chiefly on this account that every body instead of hurting the Robin or dri\'ing it away, looks on it with pleasure, and gives it a hearty welcome, and treats it with the greatest kindness. Each of these exercises will be found written in Short-Hand characters, at the end of the hook, on the third and fourth plates. They are given as specimens of Short-Hand, which the learner may compare with his own writing when he has learned the Short-Hand alphabet and the method of joining Short-hand letters. He must not however meddle with them until he has studied and practised well the second lesson to which we will now proceed. 13 LESSO.N II. MODE OF SPELLING CONTINUED. Having perfected himself in the first lesson the learner will now proceed to try the second, which he will recollect still relates to the mode of spelling. The rules given in the first lesson, with the list of arbitraries are quite sufficient for the spelling of all words of one syllable, and for very many of two, and even of three syllables ; but there is still something necessary for the contraction of many words of two, three, and four or more syllables. Most words of this class are compounded, or made up of different parts, and may be divided into the prejij:, the root, and the terininatiou. Thus the word " pre- concep-tion" will furnish an example. This word, though it is used as a common English word, is of Latin origin, and is made of two Latin words, the preposition "/)r«e," and the noun " coiiceptio" which means " a taking or putting of things together.'' ^^ Conceptio" is itself a compound word without the '■'• prae^^' and is formed of the Latin preposition " oft«," which means with, or together, and of the Latin verb " capio " I take, and thus from " con " and " capio" is formed the Latin noun " conceptio" and hence is derived our English word " conception." The learner must not be alarmed at this little dissertation on the composition of words. A little care and attention will soon make him master of this branch of his study, even though he has never studied the Latin language. Indeed the author of this little treatise is acquainted with many excellent reporters who know no more about Latin than one of the untutored aborigines of our native country when it was first in- vaded by Julius Caesar. Besides there are several little treatisets on this subject, (among the number, Oswald's, or Wood's " Ety- mological Manual ") which will be of real service to the learner, not only in the acquisition of Short-Hand, but in the still higher and more important acquisition of a sound knowledge of the for- mation of his own language. But we must return to the subject of our lesson. We have said and shown that words of two or more syllables are compounded. Words of two syllables are sometimes divided into tht prefix* and the root, as in the word " con-tain," " con " being • The prefix ia generally that part of a word which comes first as " con " in "con-tain." '\hK roat i.*i\n: iiiiudle uortion of the word as "ten'" in "con- ten-tiou." Tie termituitiun ia ihi- last division of the word as " tion " in "con-ten-liou.' This however is not always the case. See above. 14 the prefix, and " tain" the root, — and sometimes into the root and the termhuition^ as in the word " ten-ant" "ten " being the root, and " ant " the termination. Both of these words are derived from the same Latin word (the verb Teneo, I hold). Words of three or more syllables frequently have all these three divisions, as con- cep-tion, re-demp-tion, com-mis-sion, &c. The learner will bear in mind that all that has been said in this second lesson is prepara- tory to the instruction contained in the following paragraph. The mode of spelling having been divided into two parts, the second of which we are now treating of, it must be observed that to shorten the spelling of long words we adopt contractions for the prefixes and terminations. Thus, for the word " con-eep-tion " we write " k-sp-s," " k " standing for the prefix " con,'' " sp " for the root " cep," and " s " for the termination " tion." This may have an awkward appearance when written in long-hand characters; but when it is put in short-hand characters its appearance is neat and uniform From this it will at once be percieved that "k " frequently stands for the prefix, " con," and " s " for the termination," tion " or " sion." Thus again, " con-ver-sion " will be written" k-vr-s," and so with all the other prefixes and terminations. To facilitate the progress of the learner the following table of the prefixes and terminations which each letter represents is given : — LBTTEB9. PREFIXES. TERUINATIONS. ALPHABETICAL WOHDB. b abs- obs- ob- -ble -bly be, by d de- des- — dom — ened — ed do f -ful of, if g —age go, good, God h hypo- — hood have, he k con- com- accom- —acle — icle —kind can 1 —less all. Lord, will in mis- ma^i- — raent — mental — ly me, my n ititer- uuder- — ance —ant — ness an, in, hanu, no P par- pre- pro- pub- upon, up r re- recora- repre- — ary — cry are, our, or a satis- signi- circuin-J sub- super- C — sion — tion his, is, as, us. t trans- —ate — ity — tude that, to, into w with- — with with, which, who X extra- esampie, except y -ify you sb —shall — tial —ship shall, should ih though 15 Tbe learner will now proceed to practise his lessons in the mode of spelling, observing what ha^ been said on the subject of prefixes and terminations, and also putting the arbitraries into use. For this purpose a short speech is appended. On the last column of the foregoing table will be observed a lirt of words, under the head of " Alphabetical "Words," that is to say, " words represented by a single letter of the alphabet." Thus the letter b may stand for " be"or " by ;" f for " of" or " if;" g for *' go, good," &c. A little practice will soon obviate any seeming confusion which this may create ; and, in Short-Hand, this matter will be rendered more easy than it can be in Long-Hand, from the pecuUar nature of the characters. A great advantage will be de- rived in point of expedition, by making each letter of the alphabet represent one or more words ; and practice soon renders them familiar in reading notes. It may be as well at this stage of our progress to observe to the learner that when he is able to put his knowledge thus far into suc- cessful practice, he possesses all the elements of Stenography, (another name for Short-Hand,) which were possessed and practised by many of the most successful reporters, some eight or ten years ago. Indeed there are yet three or four gentlemen in Manchester, who, at that time, figured as newspaper reporters, without any greater amount of Short-Hand knowledge ; and whose reports, so far as the substance of speeches was concerned, were, no doubt, generally pretty accurate. Time, however, and an increasing demand for knowledge, have shown that something more was requisite ; and hence, in ad- dition to the mode of abbreviation taught in these two lessons on spelling, were invented Short-Hand Characters. To those students who do not wish the trouble of learning a Short-Hand Alphabet, all that is requisite for attaining a considerable degree of proficiency in taking notes has already been given ; and the author hopes he does not flatter himself, when he says that it has perhaps been given in a better arranged, and more intelligible form than in any pre- ceding treatise. The following speech is re-written in the contracted form, to give the learner everj' opportunity of successfully applying his knowledge of the mode of spelling. This once perfectly acquired, one of the greatest difficulties in the acquisition of Short-Hand will be over- come. In cases of difficulty in deciphering notes, " Nye's Short-Hand Dictionarj-," published by Sinipkia and Marshall, will be very useful. 16 EXERCISE 711. C. MARIUS TO THE ROMANS, ON THEIR HESITATING TO AP- POINT HIM GENERAL IN THE EXPEDITION AGAINST JUGCRTHA, MERELY ON ACCOUNT OF HIS EXTRACTION. It is but too common, my countrymen, to observe a material difference between the behaviour of those who stand candidates for places of power and trust, before and after their obtaining them. They solicit them in one manner, and execute them in another. They set out with a great appearance of activity, humilit)-, and moderation, and they quickly fall into slhth, pride, and avarice. It is, undoubtedly, no easy matter to discharge, to the general satisfaction, the duty of a supreme commander in troublesome times. I am, I hope, duly sensible of the importance of the office I propose to take upon me, for the service of my country. To carry on, with effect, an expensive war, and yet be frugal of the public money ; to oblige those to serve, whom it may be delicate to ofifend ; to con- duct, at the same time, a complicated variety of operations ; to concert measures at home answerable to the state of things abroad; and to gain every valuable end, in spite of opposition from the envious, the factious, and the disaffected ; to do all this, my countrj'men, is more difficult, than is generally thought. And, besides the disadvantages which are common to me with all others in eminent stations, my case is, in this respect, peculiarly hard ; that whereas a commander of Patrician rank, if he is guilty of a neglect, or breach of duty, has his great connexions, the antiquity of his family, the important services of his ancestors, and the mul- titudes he has by power engaged in his interest, to screen him from condign punishment, my whole safety depends upon myself, which renders it the more indispensibly necessary for me to take care, that my conduct be clear and unexceptionable. Besides, I am well aware, my countrymen, that the eye of the public is upon me ; and that, though the impartial, who prefer the real advantages of the commonwealth to all other considerations, favour my pretensions, the Patricians want nothing so much, as an occasion against me. It is, therefore, my fixed resolution, to use my best endeavours that you be not disappointed in me, and that their indirect designs against me be defeated. I have, from my youth, been familiar with toils and with dangers. I was faithful to your interests, my country- men, when I served you for no reward, but that of honour. It is not my design to betray you now that you have conferred upon me a place of profit. You have committed to my conduct the war against Jugurtha. The Patricians are offended at this. But where would be the wisdom of giving such a commnnd to one of their honourable body, a person of illustrious birth, of ancient family, of innumerable statues, but — of no experience? What ervi'ie would his long line of dead ancestors, or his multitude of motionless statues do his country in the day of battle ? What could such a general 17 do, but, in his trepidation and inexperience, have recourse to some inferior commander, for direction in difliculties, to which he vs-as not- himself equal :' Thus, your Patrician general would, in fact, have a general over him ; so that the acting commander would still he a Plebeian. So true is this, ray countrymen, that I have myself , known those, who have been chosen consuls, begin then to read the history of their own country, of which, till that time, they were totally ignorant ; that is, they first obtained the employment, and then bethought themselves of the qualifications necessary for the proper discharge of it. I submit to your judgment, Romans, on which side the advantage lies, when a comparison is made between Patrician haughtiness, and Plebeian experience. The very actions wiich they have only read, I have partly seen and partly ^nyself achieved. What they know by reading, I know by action. They are pleased to slight my m'ean birth ; I despise their mean charac- ters. Want of birtli and fortune is the objection against me ; want of personal worth against them. But are not all men of the same species ? What can make a difference between one man and another, but the endowments of the mind ? For my part, I shall always look upon the bravest man as the noblest man. Suppose it were inquired of the fathers of such Patricians as Albinus and Bestia, whether, if they bad their choice, they would desire sons of their character, or of mine ; what would they answer, but that they should wish the worthiest to be their sons ? If the Patricians have reason to despise me, let them likewise despise their ancestors, whose nobility was the fruit of their virtue. Do they envy the honours bestowed upon me ? Let them en\'j- likewise my labours, ray abstinence, and the dangers I have undergone for my country, by which I have acquired them. But those worthless men lead such a life of inactivity, as if they despised any honours you can bestow ; whilst they aspire to honours, as if they had deserved them by the most industrious virtue. They arrogate the rewards of activity for their having enjoyed the pleasures of luxury. Yet none can be more lavish thah they are, in praise of their ancestors'; and they imagine they honour themselves by celebrating their fore- lathers, whereas they do the very contrary ; for, as much as their ancestors were distinguished for their virtues, so much are they disgraced by their vices. The glory of ancestors casts a light, in- deed, upon their posterity, but it only serves to show what the descendants are. It alike exhibits to public view their degeneracy and their worth. I own. I cannot boast of the deeds of my fore- !f r-i ; but I hope I may answer the cavils of the Patricians, l)y. iin,' up in defence of what I have myself done. Ol'serve, now, my countrymen, the injustice of the Patricians. They arrogate to them.selves honours on account of the exi)loits done by their, fore- fathers, whilst they will not allow me the due praise for performing the very name sort of actions in 'my own perstin. He has no sta- tHCi», they en,-, of his family. He can trace no venerable line of anccKtnrs. — What then ! • Is it mutter of more praise to disgrafc '•ni-'s illuKtrious ancestors than to beconi ■ illustrious by his own B 18 Sood behaviour ;' What if I can show no statues of my family ? I can show'the standards, the armour, and the trappings, which I have myself taken from the vanquished ; I can show the scars of those wounds, which I have received by facing tlie enemies of my country. These are my statues. These are" the honours I boast of ; not left me by inheritance, as theirs ; but earned by toil, by abstinence, by valour, amidst clouds of dust, and seas of blood, scenes of action, where those etfeminate Patricians, who endeavour, by indirect means, to depreciate me in your esteem, have never dared to show their faces. Sallust. EXERCISE SEVENTH CONTRACTED. j— bt too kmn m kntrmn t bsrv . mtrl dfr-n * , bhvr f ths w stnd knddts fr piss f pwr ' trst bfr ' ftr thr btn-g thm. * slst thra n wn mnr ' exkt thm n nthr. * st out w . grt appr-n f ktv-y ml-y ' mdr-s ' * kkly fl t slth prd ' vrs. \— udtdly n esy mtr t d-chrg t , gnrl s-fk-s , dty f . sprm kmndr n trblsm tms. ' m • ope duly sns-b mprt-n .. ofs ' p-ps t tk p m fr , srvs f m kntry. T kry n w efkt n xpnsv wr ' jt b frgl . . pblk mny t big ths t srv wffi t m b 'dlkt t fnd t k-dkt t , sm tm . k-plktd vr-y f opr-s t k-srt msrs t ome nsr-b t , stt f thugs brd ' t gn * vl-b nd n spt f ps-s frm , nvious , fkious ', d-fktd t d 1 ths m kntrmn s mr dfklt thn s gnrly tht. ' bsds , d-dvntgs wh r kmn t m w 1 thrs n mn-n st-s m ks s n ths rspkt pklrly hrd : t wrs . kmndr f Ptrshn rnk f h s glty f . nglkt r brch f dty hs s grt k-k-s , ntk-ty f s fmly , mprt-n srvss f s nsstrs ', mlt-ts h as b pwr nggd n s ntrst t skrn m frm k-dn punsh-m, m wl sfty dpnds p mslf, w rndrs t , mr ndspns-b nssry fr m t tk kr t m k-dkt b klr nxp-b, Bsds, ' m wl wt m kutrmn t , eye .. pblk s p m ; ' t tho' , mpr-sh w p-fr , rl dvntgs .. kmnwlth t 1 thr k-sdr-§ fvr m p-tn-s , Ptrshns wnt s mch s n ok-s gnst m. I — thrfr m fxd rsl-s t use m bst ndvrs t u b nt d-pntd n m. ' t thr ndrkt dsns gnst m m b dftd. ' h frm m yth bn fmlr w tls ' w dngrs. ' ws fth-f t yr ntrst m kntrm wn i srvd y fr n rw'rd bt t f onr. i nt m dsn t bti'a u nw tub 19 k-frd p m . p]s f p-ft U h kmtd t m k-dkt , wr gust Jugurth. , Ptr.shns r fndd t ths. Bt wr wd b , ws-d f gv-g scb . kmnd t wn f thr onr-b bdy, , prsn f Istrious brth, f nsh-n fmly, f nmr-b stts, bt f n xpr-n ? Wt srvs wd . s Ing In f dd nsstrs, or s mlt-t f ms-l stts d s kntry .• d f btl P Wt kd scb • gnrl d bt n s trpd-s ' nxpr-n h r-krs t sm nfrr kmndr fr drk-s n dfklts t wh he ws nt mslf = ? Tbs yr Ptrsn gnrl wd n fkt b . gnrl ovr m so t , kt-g kmndr wd stl b . Plbn. So tru s ths m kntrm t ' h myslf nn ths w h bn cbsn k-sls bgn thn t rd , hstry f thr wn kntry f w tl t tm • wr ttly gnr-n i. e, • frst btnd , mpl-m, ' thn btht thmslvs .. klfk-s nss-y fr , p-pr d-chg f t.- ' s-mt t yr gdg-m Romans n w sd , dyntg lies wn . k-prsn s md * Ptrsn ht-n, ' Plbn xpr-n. , vry ak-s w • h nly rd ' h prtly sn ' prtly mslf chvd. Wt • n b rd-g ' n b ak-s. 7 • r plsd t sit m mn brth: ' dsps thr mn • Wnt f brth ' frtn s , bjk-s gnst m; wnt f prsnl wrth gnst tbra. Bt r nt 1 ma .. sm spsies ? Wt k mk . dfr-n * wn ran ' nthr bt , ndw-m .. mnd .f» fr m prt ' sh alws Ik p , brvst mn s , nblst mn. Sps t wr nqrd .. fthrs f sch Ptrsns s Albinus ' Bestia, wthr f • hd thr chs • wd dsr sns f thr * r f mn ? Wt wd • nsr bt t • shd wsh , wrthst t b thr sns.!' If ^ Ptrsns h rsn t dsps m It thm Ikws dsps thr nsstrs ws nbl-y ws , frt f thr vrtu. D • nvy , onrs bstwd p m .? Lt thm nvy Ikws m Ibra m b-tn-a ', dngrs • ! h ndrgn fr m kntry b w • h aqrd thm. Bt ths WTth-l mn Id sch . If f nktssy s f • dspsd any onrs u k bstw wist * spr t onrs s f • ad dsrv-d thm b , mst ndstrious vrtu., • arg-t , rwrds f ktv-y fr thr hv-g njd , plsrs f Ixry. Yt nn k b mr Ivsh tbn • r, in prs f thr nsstrs ; ' • mgn • onr thmslvs b slbrt-g thr frfthrs wras • d , vry • fr 8 nich s thr nsstrs wr d-tngshd fr thr vrtus, s mch r • d-grsd b thr vcs. , glry f nsstrs ksts . It ndd p thr pstr-y bt t nly srvs t shw wt , dsnd-n r. It aik xbts t pblk vw thr dgnrsy ' thr wrth. I wn ' knt bst .. dds f ni frfthrs: lit ' s 20 hp ' m nsr , kvls .. Ptrsns b stnd-g p n dfns f wt ! h nislf dii. li-srv nw in kutrm , njsts Ptr,sns. * rg-t t thmslvs onrs ii lent .. xplts dn b thr iVftbrs, wl.st * i nt alw m , du prs fr p-frm-g , vry sm sit f ak-s n in wn prsn. " H as n stts," * kri " f s fmly ; h k tvs n vnr-b In f nsstrs." — Wt then? — I mtr f inr prs t d-grs wns Istiious nsstrs thn t bkm Istrious b s wn g bhvr ? Wt f ' k shw n stts f ra fml ? ' k shw , stndrds , rnir ', trp-gs, w ' h mslf tkn frm , vnqshd ; ' k shw , skrs f ths wnds w ' h red b fs-g , nmies f m kntry. Ths r m stts; ths i- , onrs I bst f; nt Ift in b nrt-n as thrs ; bt rnd b tl b b-tn-n b vh' indst kids f dst ' ss f bid sns f ak-s wr ths fmn-t Ptrsns w ndvr b ndrkt mns t dprs-t m in yr stin h nvr drd t shw thr fss. LESSON THIRD. THE ALPHABET. The mode of spelling, together with the application of the prefixes and terminations, having been perfectly acquired, the next step to be taken is the acquisition of the Short Hand alphabet, which will be found in the first column of the first plate. Opposite to each of the consonant and double consonant marks is placed a dot, to shew the learner at what point of the letter he is to begin to form it. It will be observed, "that the alphabet consists of looped, curved, and straight characters, distinguished from each other by their hori- zontal, perpendicular, or oblique position. Much has been said, by dift'eret^ writers on Stenography, with a view to prove that looped charac/ers are inconvenient, and opposed to expedition. The very reverse (Sif this, however, is the fact ; for the looped characters, in- stead of being more difficult in their joinings, as has been commonly supposed by those unacquainted with the practice of Short Hand, are much more easy than most of the straight ones ; the angles with the loops being much less difficult to form than without them, besides their adding greatly to the beauty of the writing. It will doubtless occur to the learner, that the lett^^rs d and r, are both represented by a similar mark. This may appea^ at first sight likely to create confusion ; but, in joining the letters, nothing of this kind can arise. ■2\ because the d is always written downwards from the right to the left, while the r is always written upwards from the left to the right ; and when this letter stands alone, or represents a prefix or termination, it is denoted by the other small character, thus v. it will also be remarked that there are two characters for the letter m', the one made in the reverse form to the other. This is a matter of great convenience ; the uppermost character joining much more readily with the letters b, d,/, g, h, k, p, t, and th ; while the reverse, or lower character, joins easier with the letters /, m, u, r, s, and sh. Perfection in writing and reading the alphabet is of the greatest importance. The learner should not therefore attempt to go a single step further^ until he can write everj' character, in a distinct and legible form, not less than six times in a minute. This being once accomplished, the learner will find one of the greatest impediments to his progress removed. THE ARBITRARIES. Of the arbitraries it is unnecessary to say a single word. The pupil's common sense will tell him how to make them, and when to increase their number. ' LESSON FOURTH. JOINING OF THE CHARACTERS. On Plate Second, the learner will find a table, by which he may easily ascertain how any two consonants should be joined together ; thus, if it be required to know how to join mw together, look at the top of the table for the letter m ; then cast the eye downwards till it comes opposite the letter Jt», and on the line at the point forming the right angle between the two letters, will be found the Short Hand characters for these two letters. The same thing must be done in finding any other combinations : thus, suppose we want to find all the combinations in the word " impress ; " we must look at the top for ;«, and then go down the line till we come opposite ^>, where we shall find mp joined together. We must then take 7^ at the top and go down the line till we come opposite to the letter r, where we will find yyr; then look at the top for r, and go down the line till we come opposite to », where will be found the combination rs ; and these three combinatioas, iiip, jrr, and rs will make mprs, the Short Hand characters for the word. la a word, the joining of characters is effected by making them all follow each other in th«ir natural order. 22 LESSON FIFTH. PLACES OF THE VOWELS. The learner, on reference to the alphabet, will find that the vowels u, e, and / are all represented by a single dot, thus, [ .] ; and that o and u are represented by a kind of apostrophic mark, thus, [']. The ditFevence between these vowels is denoted by their respective positions in reference to the consonant characters ; for instance, on plate third, it will be observed that ah is made by a dot on the left of the letter b at the top : that el is made by a dot on the left of b opposite the middle ; and that ib is made by a dot on the left, opposite the bottom. Ob is made by the comma or apostrophic mark on the left, opposite the top of the letter ; and ub by the same mark, opposite the middle of the letter. When the vowel comes after the consonant, it must of course be placed on the right, as in ba, 6e, bij &c. This rule holds good with reference to the letters S, d, /, g, h, p, t, ch and th^ all of which are made from the top to the bottom, either perpendicularly or obliquely, to the right or left. But then the pupil will say, there are the letters with a horizontal posirion, such as k, m, ?«, s, w, x, aud s/i. Very well: in such case, when the vowel comes before the consonant, it must be made above it ; when after the consonant, it must be made below it ; as in the ex- ample on plate third, ak, ek, ik, Sec. Still the pupil will say, there are the letters I, r, and U /^ An .^ -If (V er _y < 1 < Y K i l(y V \ i Uy A^ v JOx, -<-i> ^ % ~^. V -\(s K \\y<; f \ ]) -^ ^ ^: ^ I ' 1 ^ > ^ ^ \ \ T t\ ^ '^ *> \\." s»-^ Q \ q ^ -!! 4 I ^ \\ U 3 q l^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ -X \ < r ^t vs s i S X< ?« -.^ ^ 3t> ^ > ^ c^ ^ > 5^ ut> r^ s. ^U a't? ■^ \ K ■> ^ \ \ > > \ \ ^ > \ \^ \-i -j \ A i J I 4 I J 1 % ^ <- J n| Jo '^ ~V. T '\. 5- ^- '- - cf. ^ \ ^ 0| -£ ^ -^ M 1 is ? ^ JS! M K J ^ 4 p ^ rx ^ s \ ^ \ \ \ > \ \ K rr. ^ -r\ ^7r^ ' r / ^ - <^ \ /^ /^ - M / A / J /^ 'V- 6^v /; c '->- €^ V <^ a- lit 'I 6~\~ y (L^ l/a-etci;>c _^t6. < <^ ^ ^// «-» <^ ' ">/ C?— \ ^ V S-' '-«-• 6^_ <-^ rd- yxercidc owctfi. ' ,Ky — • bV '-^' t/ - i- V," H ' 'VI sf \ ■• f' ,<^ Plate- V. CJC€tci.^e Seventfi. /- W ^3^ o-^'^^ / f A . n.^''^. ) /• / L <^^ — cr--- ^^ c - :^ /;/ ^ - -- L ^-^ A '/ / 6^^- . ra-.^ \ ^ A^ \ /^ ^ rzT' ' ^^Y-« / ^ • a - » / OV c-^ / , c-V ,. p/^_ f fy . s*^ y^x. ••^3-v-' •nrT / / ^ r^- \/ ^ *"^ \ ^/ ' Vt/ — ' ?>'- ^T o^ "^ \ ^ u5^ (fv-r 2^ J^ / *^ V ^ / c^ • - -- o- -t. ? e^ ^^ . '■> • ■Co '^ N ^/ - \ 7 /^ O ^r^ ^ -^ t 3^ o ^d^ cr-^ ^^v- i; / V ^/ ^- \ /: ^v 'JLA:^ ^\- I r^ ^ (^ /^^ P Phte VII. Il ■ " ' ^^ ' ^' •' ^^^ ? ^V /" ^' '^'^ "^ ^ ' '^ "=■ 4^ V P"^ ^ V —a 1 \ C~ ^-^ <^~ ^^ ^^-^ji^ / — (;, ? H o-y \ i^ ^ I yy- a^>- /ti-" tx-v- L ' :^. t • ^ .^ ,1^ , ^ '. t/6>'/.r=/^\?^ ^ \/V/' ^ '--^ ' — ^^^ \ /I *-^ f> • / ^ ^ . e-, V ^ /I vcn^ «J i Plat^ I'll! / <^T_^- O^— Q~- C /r>f- ^ >* -^^' ^ <^^^ -^ c^ i_ p ^x^^ /; /y' i!^/ V. /: O' ^"i- ^ >^'V^w !:< ▼TWVERSITY of CAUFOIUilA AT LOS ANGELES LIBRARY ■a 01^ fc, u. 5AKEK LAWYER >ALLAS i jbX^^ >. i » fi^-^v^-^^Jh *iAN 2 AA OC \ 1 CL j'-i:. z56 ?2i;s w