THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES F B THE SHORTHAND CLERK. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. Utatttral of factual Juslrurfion HENRY R. EVANS. 'I will be correspondent to command." TEMPEST, Act i, Sc, n. 3Lontion: F. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1880. ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL. TABLE OF CONTENTS. G CHAPTER I. 40 PAGES > INTRODUCTORY. The growth of commerce Improved facilities rendered necessary for the dispatch of business Introduction of the Shorthand BC Clerk The old style and the new Advantages derived from the employ- S2 ment of Shorthand Clerks Increasing demand for their services Absence of any text-book for beginners Abundant material for such a work Shorthand not the only qualification necessary A comparison The wages of experience Setting out well Plan and object of the Manual ........ . 15 CHAPTER II. ENTERING THE ARENA. Popular idea of Shorthand. A strange anomaly Abbreviated Longhand Cases in which it might advantageously be used Explanation of the system Brief Longhand a stepping stone to 5 Shorthand Superiority of the latter Importance of selecting a good system The Eichmonds in the field Explanation of Phonography The Text-books used Practical hints on learning the system The double check The dictionary of contractions Novelty of the Plan Turning Shorthand to account The three courses open Personal influence Advertising The best medium Essentials of an Advertise- mentFighting in the dark Necessity for promptitude Analysis of replies How not to do it Suggested form of application Informality of Phonographers Hints on writing an application and on addressing an envelope ......... 618 448368 VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. PAGES PUT TO THE TEST. Appointing an interview Influence of personal appearance and address Difficulty of adhering to a precise rule of behaviour General principle to be followed Keeping an appointment Take your own weapons Hints on choosing them Under fire " Take a seat, and write, please " Getting ready The plunge The check How candidates may assist themselves beforehand Cases in which the rule would not apply The Proctor's Chrysanthemums . . . 19 24 CHAPTER IV. INSTALLED. Possession nine points of the law Popular estimate of success Lord Bacon's view The real secret Waiting for the principal Improving the shining hour The address book Importance of committing the list to memory Taking note of strange expressions Perusing the current letters The workman and his tools Good work impossible with poor materials Tabular list of the best pens Of the best papers and of the best inks Changing supplies Position of the desk Relative height of desk and seat Posture of the body The standing desk Hints on writing pads Rulers and inkstands, and other requisites of the desk Intercourse with fellow-clerks Rule to be followed The harvest of a quiet eye ..... 2533 CHAPTER V. TAKING DOWN. Nothing takes a man down like a shorthand writer The reverse of the shield An awkward predicament How to get out of it A solid basis to work upon Utility of the Phonographic Dictionary Mode to be pursued in studying it Experimental contractions The use of phraseograms Contractions for formal sentences An example The next requisite Secret of successful reporting Comparative merits of pen and pencil The best pencils to use The defect of gold pens- Superiority of common steel Materials used in the writer's practice Serviceable note books Most suitable size How to label them Drawing the line ........ 3441 CHAPTER VI. TRANSCRIBING. Hamlet's exploit Statists not yet extinct The lawyer who wrote three hands Importance of a clear style The style recom- mended -General rules to be followed in writing How to hold the pen Arrangement of the lines The headings The note and memorandum On the use of capitals Punctuation Correcting faulty sentences From correction to composition Scarcity of Shorthand Clerks who can write without the aid of dictation The reason The remedy The essentials of a business letter Models of style The use of recapitulation Checking the transcript Minor details ..... 42 54 TABLE OF CONTENTS Vll CHAPTER VII. PAGE3 GENERAL DUTIES. Importance of gaining a general knowledge of business Throwing away the main chance The merchant's advice Another aspect of the question Variety of work desirable from every point of view Indexing the letter book Endorsing the letters The abstract book Extending the principle " "What was said to Mr. So-and-so" Difficulty of rememb9ring a hasty transcript How to overcome it- Bird's eye view of the correspondence The diary Mode of keeping it Double advantage gained by it Floating information The common- place book Details and examples Postal information Arithmetic and book-keeping Importance of studying text-books The literature of commerce The Shorthand Clerk's library A word of counsel Cultivating the memory Assimilating knowledge . . . 5574 CHAPTER VIII. CONCLUSION. On the choice of a calling Error of taking the first chance that offers The difference between professional shorthand-writing and shorthand-writing in business Importance of entering congenial em- ployment The prospects of a Shorthand Clerk Large and small offices Specimens of correspondence Average salary The prizes of the profession Looking ahead ....... 7580 CHAPTER IX. APPENDIX. Abbreviations used in commerce Titles and degrees Forms of address . 81-90 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. I. INTRODUCTORY. THE GROWTH OF COMMERCE IMPROVED FACILITIES RENDERED NECESSARY FOR THE DESPATCH OF BUSINESS INTRODUCTION OF THE SHORTHAND CLERK THE OLD STYLE AND THE NEW ADVANTAGES DERIVED FROM THE EMPLOYMENT OF SHORT- HAND CLERKS INCREASING DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES ABSENCE OF ANY TEXT-BOOK FOR BEGINNERS -ABUNDANT MATERIAL FOR SUCH A WORK SHORTHAND NOT THE ONLY QUALIFICATION NECESSARY A COMPARISON THE WAGES OF EXPERIENCE SETTING OUT WELL PLAN AND OBJECT OF THE MANUAL. [HE history of British commerce during the last fifty years is a history of surpassing progress and development. The removal of protective imposts, the influence of scientific discoveries, the growth of popu- lation, and the opening up of new markets and of new industries, have combined to produce in that period an increase of ^"323,000,000 in the annual value of our imports, and of ^"165,000,000 in the annual value of our B 2 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. exports, whilst the internal trade of the country has advanced with equally rapid strides. This expansion of commerce has brought with it | many improved facilities for the despatch of business, not the least important of which is the introduction of the Shorthand Clerk a class of workers whose special duty it is to take down letters in shorthand from dictation, \ and afterwards to transcribe such letters in longhand, for transmission in the usual course. Formerly, the correspondence of a firm was carried on either by the principal himself or by his confidential clerk, no junior being allowed to take part in so delicate and responsible a task. In the old-fashioned days, when rapid mail services and electric telegraphs were unknown, and when, like the BROTHERS CHEERYBLE, business men went about their work in a quiet leisurely way, this arrangement was no doubt sufficient for all the demands that were made upon it. But the current of business life now flows with so much greater volume and force, that it would be next to impossible for any merchant or professional man of standing to carry on his corres- pondence with his own hand at the present day. RUSKIN tells us, in one of his quaint essays on Political Economy, that it is not by the labour of their own hands that men become rich, but by a wise use of the labour of others. The steady and increasing demand^ which exists for the services of shorthand clerks is at least one illustration of the fact that this truth is fully realized by business men. The conviction has been brought home to them that in these high-pressure days their own time and that of their managers can be much THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 3 better employed in the Mart or on 'Change, in buying and selling, and in actively directing the work of their establishments, than in the task of writing their business letters ; and in the science of shorthand they have found an auxiliary by whose aid they can emancipate themselves at will from the drudgery of the desk. "You have excelled all other nations in the products of industry," said Sir HUMPHRY DAVY, " but why ? Because you have assisted industry by science." In assisting their own industry by the science of shorthand, business men may be said to have excelled themselves, for they can now dictate to their shorthand clerk in one hour as much correspondence as would occupy them the greater part of the day if written by their own hand. Thus they are set free to attend to the development of/ their business in other directions, and this, too, with the knowledge that their exact words will be faithfully reproduced, and that their correspondence will therefore be/ still carried on, in effect if not in fact, by themselves alone. It is only in recent years that the demand for shorthand clerks has assumed wide proportions. Long after the need of their services was felt, the difficulty of obtaining competent men at reasonable salaries proved a barrier to their general employment in mercantile offices. The impetus given to the study of shorthand by th(f indefatigable exertions of Mr. ISAAC PITMAN, however, has resulted in an adequate supply of good writers, and there is now hardly a business or professional firm of any standing without its shorthand clerk. In view of this growing importance of the calling, it is somewhat strange that no attempt has hitherto been 4 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. made to furnish a handbook of the duties connected with it. Text-books may be obtained for almost every other trade and profession, but the duties and prospects of the shorthand clerk are a sealed mystery, to be opened { only by the key of practical experience. This omission cannot be said to result from want of material, as there are abundant details and technicalities connected with the work in question which might well be explained for the guidance of beginners. Writing from dictation, although the chief duty, is not the only duty of a short- hand clerk. It is the foundation stone of the building, not the structure itself. A person whose only qualification lies in the fact that he is able to write shorthand is no more fit to undertake the duties of a shorthand clerk than he is fit to undertake the duties of a reporter. The ability to write shorthand must be present in either case, but to it must be added a fund of varied knowledge for the absence of which that ability alone will by no means compensate. The need of a manual for the use of those who intend becoming shorthand clerks, or who have just set out on that career, is therefore self-evident. Experience, as CARLYLE tells us, " doth take dreadfully high wages," and there are few who can afford the waste of time, the vexatious mistakes, and the lost opportunities which those wages comprise. In the present manual, the writer has made a conscientious effort to assist the class of readers for whom he, has written. He has commenced right at the beginning of his subject, working his way gradually upward from point to point, so that no detail may be left unexplained. To set out well on a journey is to have THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 5 one's work half done, and a careful study of the follow- ing pages will, it is hoped, materially assist the advance- ment of beginners by placing them at once in command of information which otherwise they could only acquire by long and perhaps dearly - bought experience. ii. ENTERING THE ARENA. POPULAR IDEA OF SHORTHAND A STRANGE ANOMALY ABBRE- VIATED LONGHAND CASES IN WHICH IT MIGHT ADVANTAGE- OUSLY BE USED EXPLANATION OF THE SYSTEM BRIEF LONGHAND A STEPPING STONE TO SHORTHAND SUPERIORITY OF THE LATTER IMPORTANCE OF SELECTING A GOOD SYSTEM THE RICHMONDS IN THE FIELD EXPLANATION OF PHONO- GRAPHY THE TEXT-BOOKS USED PRACTICAL HINTS ON LEARNING THE SYSTEM THE DOUBLE CHECK THE DICTION- ARY OF CONTRACTIONS NOVELTY OF THE PLAN TURNING SHORTHAND TO ACCOUNT THE THREE COURSES OPEN PERSONAL INFLUENCE ADVERTISING THE BEST MEDIUM ESSENTIALS OF AN ADVERTISEMENT FIGHTING IN THE DARK NECESSITY FOR PROMPTITUDE ANALYSIS OF REPLIES HOW NOT TO DO IT SUGGESTED FORM OF APPLICATION INFORM- ALITY OF PHONOGRAPHERS HINTS ON WRITING AN APPLICA- TION AND ON ADDRESSING AN ENVELOPE. JHORTHAND is commonly associated with those mystic characters which DICKENS compared to the trail of an ink-daubed fly, and a shorthand clerk without a knowledge of those characters would be looked upon by most people as a strange anomaly. Yet there are clerks, ignorant of any system of orthodox stenography, who manage to write from dictation by means of an THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 7 abbreviated longhand, in which printing-office contrac- tions, such as / for that, and wh for which, play a prominent part. Clumsy as this practice may appear to an advanced stenographer, it is nevertheless capable of considerable development in the hands of a rapid writer, and in many cases it is quite sufficient for the purpose of ordinary business dictation. A slow and deliberate speaker can always be followed in this way, with the advantage that the notes can generally be transcribed by other clerks when a pressure of work arises. No one, therefore, need despair of becoming a shorthand clerk because he is unable to write what is usually recognized as shorthand. It is simply a question of speed. A clerk who wields the pen of a ready writer and who finds that his employer is a slow speaker, would, if there is any opening for his services, certainly do well to take advantage of the opportunity and acquire some system of brief writing such as is here indicated. Compared with the time occupied in learning shorthand his task would be a labour of days instead of months. He would thus be able to step quickly into the position of corresponding clerk, and the increased facility of writing which he would possess would serve as a powerful incentive to the study of the winged art itself. In working out the details of a scheme of this kind, each writer must to a certain extent be a law to himself. It would of course be out of the question for any one to learn arbitrary signs for every word in the language. All that should be done is to learn arbitrary signs (say the initial letter or letters) for the words in most frequent use, dealing with the rest as they arise by contractions as brief and yet as suggestive as possible. The THE SHORTHAND CLERK. following will serve as an illustration of the principle to be followed : INTERPRETATION : "In reply to your favour of yesterday, we beg to inform you that we are not at present in a position to accept your offer." The pen should be lifted from the paper as seldom as possible, the highest speed being attained by linking words together by a rapid sweep of the hand. At the same time care should be taken to leave sufficient space between each word to prevent the possibility of their being blended unmeaningly together. Connecting words are frequently omitted by experienced writers, but this is a practice which experience alone can justify, and beginners should be very cautious in resorting to it. For instance, in taking down such a sentence as " You will oblige by giving us in your next a full report of the state of your market," the omission of the words by, in, a, of, and the, would not alter the meaning of the passage in any way ; but, on the other THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 9 hand, in a sentence like this "We shall be obliged if you will not draw upon us at sight for this amount, as we have not been placed in funds by the buyer," the omission of the word not in either place would impart a totally different meaning to the request, and might lead to serious con- fusion. Judgment must therefore be exercised in all cases of elision. It must not be supposed from the foregoing that the writer advocates any system of longhand writing in preference to shorthand. All that he suggests is that the one may serve as a stepping stone to the other whenever a clerk finds an opportunity for the speedy exercise of the accomplishment, and when, by reason of slowness of delivery, the former method would suffice for the 'work required. For, when all is said, the briefest system of longhand writing that can be devised is to shorthand "as 4 moonlight is to sunlight, and as water is to wine ;" or, to I use a more suggestive simile, as a lumbering stage coachj^ is to a rapid express. Longhand is quite inadequate to the task of reporting the impetuous utterances of a rapid speaker, and as it is always possible for a man to become eloquent on a subject which deeply concerns him, it is not surprising to find that the majority of business men, when dictating their letters, come under that category. A knowledge of shorthand is therefore indispensable to all correspondents who wish to be fully equipped for the difficulties to be encountered in the open field of com- petition, and the advancement of a beginner will depend in no small degree upon the particular system which he may adopt. It has been computed that during the last 300 years IO THE SHORTHAND CLERK. nearly 200 systems of shorthand have been published in this country. Fortunately for the student this alarming array does not exist in its entirety at the present day. The ranks have been considerably thinned by old age and infirmity, and the field is now occupied by some five or six systems only. The choice now lies between the methods of GURNEY, PITMAN, TAYLOR, LEWIS, and ODELL; and of these PITMAN'S Phonography is by far the most extensively used, and is the system which the writer strongly advises students to adopt. This excellent system can be best described in Mr. PITMAN'S own words : " The great and desirable object which the author believes he has accomplished is simply this the represen- tation of every sound and articulation that occurs in the English language by a simple and easily formed sign which will readily enter into every combination required, and which is never used to represent more than one sound or articulation. These signs being of the briefest description (dots, right lines, and curves), Phonography is necessarily a system of Shorthand : but it must be seen, however, from what has been stated, that it is radically distinct from all systems of mere Stenography. In Phonography it may almost be said that the sound of every word is made visible ; whereas, in deciphering any of the common systems of shorthand, the context, the memory, the judgment all must be called in to assist the eye. This is the great obstacle which has hitherto prevented short- hand from coming into general use. Its illegibility when written makes us fear to trust our thoughts to its faithless keeping, and renders it quite insufficient to supersede THE SHORTHAND CLERK. II common writing as a means of general communication. On the appearance of Phonetic Shorthand this stigma was removed from the art. Phonetic Shorthand is even more legible than longhand, supposing both styles to be written with equal rapidity." The text books used in this system are the PHONO- GRAPHIC TEACHER, the MANUAL OF PHONOGRAPHY, and the REPORTER'S COMPANION. The first named is an elementary treatise, the second an abbreviation of the system to what is called the Corresponding style, and the last a still further abbreviation to meet the requirements of reporting. The system is generally found a difficult one to acquire, and there is no royal road to a knowledge of it. Students must not expect that by placing the text books under their- pillow at night they will awake in the morning accomplished writers. Very little advice can be given to them beyond Mr. PITMAN'S own advice practice and persevere ; but at the same time a few hints derived from personal experience in this matter may be serviceable. The plan which the writer adopted in learning Phonography was this. Commencing with the TEACHER, he learned the exercises by tracing the shorthand characters on slips of paper and pronouncing their names aloud, drawing and pronouncing each character some ten or a dozen times. As soon as an exercise was learned in this way, he copied it into a manuscript book in precisely the same form as that in which it was given in the TEACHER. Taking another manuscript book he then entered, from memory, the shorthand signs contained in the exercise, and in a third book he entered their longhand equivalents. This practice, though a tedious one, served as a double check 12 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. upon the accuracy of his knowledge. Writing out the exercise intact in the first place, tended to impress it upon his memory, and writing the shorthand characters in the second exercise book without any longhand interpreta- tion of their meaning, served as an excellent self-examina- tion test whenever the characters were looked at. The object of writing only the longhand interpretation in the third exercise book was identical with the last, except that the memory was thus tested in a different manner. The writer felt that the study upon which he had entered was a two-sided one; first, there were the shorthand characters themselves to be learned ; and secondly, there were the words which those characters represented, to be so assimilated by the mind, that whenever they were seen or heard the proper shorthand sign would immediately suggest itself. The MANUAL and the REPORTER'S COM- PANION were each dealt with in the same way, with the important addition of a large indexed manuscript book, into which the writer copied, in alphabetical order, the contractions and grammalogues as they were learned. This book he styled his Dictionary of Contractions, and as it gathered together the contractions from all the text books and from the various Phonographic magazines which he read in the course of his practice, it proved of considerable value to him as a ready means of reference. The writer has never heard of a similar plan to the above having been adopted or even suggested by others, and as he has therefore only his own experience to guide him, he is diffident in claiming for it any special advan- tage. All that he can say is, that it worked admirably THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 13 in his own case, enabling him to make steady progress in the art. The average time occupied in acquiring a practical knowledge of Phonography is twelve months. Some students can report in six months ; and the writer has even known a learner who obtained a lucrative and re- sponsible position as corresponding clerk after a three months' study of the system. Everything depends upon the natural ability of the learner and upon the time regularly alloted to the task. One hour a day, at least, should be devoted to the study, and a fair rate of speed should be attained by private practice before any attempt is made to assume the responsibilities of an engagement. Young and impatient Phonographers very often make the mistake of accepting appointments before they are properly qualified to discharge the duties expected of them, and an unpleasant break-down is the result. No one should enter the field as a shorthand writer until he is able to write, at the lowest estimate, 100 words per minute unless he distinctly understands beforehand that he will only be expected to write from slow dictation. Supposing now that the reader has gained a sound working knowledge of Phonography, the next thing for him to do is to turn that knowledge to account. It was once sagely remarked by a writer on domestic economy, that before cooking a hare, it is necessary to catch it. In the same way, before describing the duties of a shorthand clerk, it will be advisable to point out the best means of attaining to that position. To the aspirant for shorthand clerical honours, then, there are three courses open. 14 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. First, he may obtain a situation by influence ; secondly, he may obtain it by advertising ; and thirdly, he may obtain it by replying to advertisements. The relative value of these courses may be assessed in the order in which they are placed. Personal influence is un- questionably the best means to employ for securing an eligible situation, as an employer generally shews more consideration to a clerk who has been introduced to him by his own friends, or with whom he is personally acquainted, than he shews to an entire stranger. The student should therefore cast about in the circle of his friends for some one who can render him the required assistance in this connection. It is to be feared, however, that the majority of short- hand writers are not fortunate enough to be acquainted either with business men or with the relatives or friends of business men, and to them, therefore, the second course is recommended. Advertising is decidedly preferable to answering advertisements. Much time, anxiety, and toil are saved by placing an announcement directly before the notice of employers. The TIMES is probably the best medium for this purpose, as it is read by almost every business man, and the cost of advertising in it is but a trifle in excess of the charges of other newspapers. An advertisement should be telegraphically concise, but should at the same time cover all the points necessary to be mentioned. To those who have had no experience in such matters the following form may be found acceptable, as a pattern to be modified to suit their own particular requirements. The advertiser is supposed to be a youth who has gained a few years general experience in an THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 15 office and it may be mentioned in passing that it is from this class that the ranks of shorthand clerks are most largely recruited : C* HORTHAND. Wanted, an Engagement as Shorthand Corres- v^ ponding Clerk, by a rapid shorthand and longhand writer. Age 19. Three years' experience as junior clerk. Unexceptionable references as to character and efficiency. Salary required, per annum. Address, &c. If experience has been gained in any particular line of business and the advertiser wishes to continue in that line, the fact should be duly stated in the advertisement. With regard to the last resource replying to adver- tisements no hesitation need be felt when the names of the advertisers are given, but in dealing with anonymous advertisements a certain amount of caution should be exercised. An applicant replying to " A. B.," or " A. Z.," is like a man fighting in the dark and knows not whether he is dealing with friend or foe. Still, the risk must often be run, and whether replying to firms or to initials, the first principle to be observed is promptitude. When it is stated that every advertisement which appears in the TIMES or DAILY TELEGRAPH for a shorthand clerk elicits between 100 and 200 replies, it will be evident that the first applicants in the field stand the best chance of having their letters read, and their qualifications weighed. NAPOLEON used to say that good luck consisted in being at work a " little quarter of an hour" before anybody else a maxim which should be laid to heart by every applicant for a situation. An application, like an advertisement, should be concise and to the point. All verbiage and unnecessary I 6 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. information should be studiously avoided. BTJFFON'S axiom that "the style is the man" holds good in letter writing as well as in the higher forms of literary com- position, and applicants should always bear in mind that their own merits will be judged simply and solely upon the merits of their applications. We shall be well within the mark in stating that of the replies usually received by advertisers, five-tenths say too much, four-tenths say too little, and one-tenth only hit the golden mean. The following are two genuine specimens which will shew what advertisers are sometimes expected to read. The first was written in shorthand a most stupid blunder on a narrow and withal dirty strip of ordinary account paper : The writer of the above was evidently clothed in humility as with a garment. Not so the next applicant: "MR. A. B. will be happy to place his services at MF.RCATOR'S disposal for a salary of ^3 per week. MR. A. B. is an expert Shorthand writer and a rapid transcriber, and has had many years experience in different offices, but for the past two or three years he has been connected with the press. He is, however, now doing nothing, and as things are very dull just now, he is obliged to fall back upon the first chance that offers. MR. C. D. of the Daily - will no doubt satisfy MERCATOR as to MR. A. B 's superlative excellence, as can also other gentlemen if MERCATOR is at all sceptical on the point. Mr. A. B. is disengaged at once, and would have no objection to ccme on trial, or to receive the first week's salary on trial, just to see how far it would go." THE SHORTHAND CLERK. \"J Humour, like Charity covers a multitude of sins, but it is out of place in a business letter, and it is needless to add that MR. A. B. did not have an opportunity of seeing how far that first week's salary " would go." The following is the writer's suggestion of the plain straightforward style in which an application should be written in order to receive attention from business men. The applicant is again supposed to be a young man who has gained a few years experience in the City. GENTLEMEN, Referring to your advertisement in to-day's Times for a Shorthand Clerk, I beg to offer you my services in that capacity. I am 20 years of age, am able to write shorthand at the average rate of 130 words per minute, and can transcribe my notes rapidly and correctly. I am thoroughly acquainted with office routine, having had three years experience as junior clerk with Messrs. Smith & Co., of Mincing Lane, to whom I beg to refer you for particulars as to my character and efficiency. Salary required, per annum. Should you think favourably of this application, and desire a personal interview, I shall be happy to wait upon you at any time you may appoint. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, It is a characteristic of Phonographers that in writing to a stranger they generally address him as " Dear Sir," or even " My Dear Sir," a characteristic attributable no doubt to the feeling of fraternity which exists among Phonographers generally. This habit should be altogether avoided in writing an application. Strict formality must be observed, and "Gentlemen" or "Sir" must take the place of the more effusive Phonographic style. The letter c I 8 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. should always conclude with " I am " (not I remain), "Your obedient Servant." The greatest attention should be paid to the selection of good writing materials. Pens, ink, and paper should all be of the finest quality, and the writing should be a specimen of the applicant's best style. If a clerk takes but little pains when trying to obtain a situation, the inference will naturally be drawn that when he does obtain it, he will take no pains at all. A hint may also be thrown out as to addressing the envelope. The first line of the address should commence close to the leftfhand edge of the envelope, and as near as possible half-way down. Each succeeding line should commence half an inch below, and one inch to the right of its predecessor. The writing should be clear and bold, but devoid of flourishes, the first and last lines of the address being'written in a larger hand than the intermediate lines. A slovenly directed envelope is generally consigned by an advertiser to the'waste paper basket, unopened, the outside being taken as an index to the inside, whereas a neat and business-like address pleases the eye and arrests attention. III. PUT TO THE TEST. APPOINTING AN INTERVIEW INFLUENCE OF PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND ADDRESS DIFFICULTY OF ADHERING TO A PRECISE RULE OF BEHAVIOUR GENERAL PRINCIPLE TO BE FOLLOWED KEEP- ING AN APPOINTMENT TAKE YOUR OWN WEAPONS HINTS ON CHOOSING THEM UNDER FIRE "TAKE A SEAT AND WRITE, PLEASE" GETTING READY THE PLUNGE THE CHECK HOW CANDIDATES MAY ASSIST THEMSELVES BEFOREHAND CASES IN WHICH THE RULE WOULD NOT APPLY THE PROCTOR'S CHRYSANTHEMUMS. HEN employers have occasion to advertise for a Shorthand Clerk, it is usual for them to appoint interviews with some half-dozen of the most pro- mising applicants before making a final selection. At these interviews the personal appearance and address of the candidates carry as much weight as their proficiency in shorthand, success or failure depending very much upon the estimate of character then formed by the employer. All other things being equal, a clerk of attractive manners will out-distance those who are not so well favored ; in fact, an employer will often give the preference to a clerk whom he would like to have about him, even if that clerk 20 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. lacks the mechanical skill and knowledge of his less- pleasing competitors. The greatest attention should therefore be paid to the cultivation of address by all who enter the lists in a competitive personal examination, For manners are not idle, but the fruit Of loyal nature and of noble mind. It is difficult to lay down any precise rule of behaviour to be followed in an examination of this kind, as the ordeal naturally produces a different effect upon different persons, and any arbitrary line of conduct that might be set up would probably collapse under the pressure of an actual test. It may, however, be safely said, that every candidate should endeavour, to the best of his ability, to give his answers clearly, frankly, and pleasantly ; and that, while showing proper respect for himself, he should by no means forget the respect due to the person who may become his employer. In a word, a respectful frankness is the demeanour best calculated to produce a favorable impression. When an applicant receives a reply to his letter, requesting him to call upon the advertisers at a certain hour, he should be strictly punctual in keeping the appointment. Five minutes behind time may be too late for success. Employers, as a rule, have so many matters to attend to during the day that they will not wait a moment beyond the stipulated time to suit the convenience or negligence of a clerk. In announcing his arrival, an applicant should avoid any display of ostentation. The practice now frequently adopted by clerks of sending in a visiting card, should be especially shunned. The best THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 21 plan is for the applicant to enclose in an unsealed envelope the letter requesting him to call, and to send it in as a reminder, with his name. Ever)' candidate is advised to take with him on these occasions the writing materials which he has been accustomed to use, and which he has proved by experience to be best suited to his style. Pens, ink, and note-book should all be carefully tested beforehand and nothing left to chance, as an implicit trust in the materials to be found in an employer's office is not unfrequently rewarded by a blunt quill, or a cross-nibbed Gillott. Elsewhere the question of materials is discussed in detail ; but it may be mentioned here that, for the purpose now under con- sideration, a small note-book (say 6x4) is better than a large and bulky one ; and the stitched but uncovered sheets of reporting paper, to be had of any Phonographic stationer, are better than either. The inkstand used should also be small and neat. An excise-bottle is objec- tionable, owing to its liability to upset when resting upon a table, and to the difficulty generally experienced when dipping the pen into it hurriedly for ink. A very compact and serviceable flat inkstand, secured by two spring lids, and enclosed in imitation brass and morocco, may be obtained anywhere for a shilling. The first five minutes face to face with an employer is a trying time to a candidate. Half the secret of success at such a time consists in being cool and collected. The candidate should never allow himself to be thrown off his balance or flurried in any way an injunction specially to be remembered in dealing with an abrupt employer. A brow-beating Counsel is scarcely more to 22 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. be dreaded by a novice than an employer of this stamp. Raising his head from a mass of papers as the candidate enters the room, he surveys him from head to foot, greeting him at last with a rapid " Mr. ? Ah. Take a seat and write, please," and before the astonished applicant fairly knows where he is, he finds himself plunging his pen wildly into the ink-pot, and making frantic efforts to keep pace with the voluble utterances of the magnate before him. When requested to write, a candidate should calmly take out his materials and place them orderly on the desk before putting pen to paper. If the employer begins to dictate before he is ready to take down, he should not hesitate to check him with a polite " I am not ready yet, sir." Having once commenced, every nerve should be strained to keep pace with the speaker, but even then the candidate should not hesitate to check a too rapid delivery. Such a course would certainly betray weakness on his part, but not to such a degree as would be shewn were he to flounder on hopelessly in arrear, and be unable at the end to furnish an intelligible transcript of his notes. Candidates may assist themselves a great deal in this connection by priming themselves beforehand with some of the technical terms likely to be used at their examina- tion. For instance, if requested to call upon a firm of solicitors, they would do well to learn contractions for all the legal phrases with which they are familiar, or which they may find in the REPORTER'S COMPANION ; if upon merchants, they should endeavour to acquaint themselves not only with general mercantile terms, but with the terms THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 23 commonly used in the particular branch of trade in which the merchants may be engaged. This may easily be done by reference to text books in any Free Library ; or, better still, by reference to some person employed in the branch of trade in question. It is almost needless to point out that by adopting this plan candidates will save themselves from being confused by strange terms, over which they might otherwise hesitate and break down. In some cases, however, where the responsibility is heavy and the salary high, employers purposely refrain from dictating a business letter, preferring to test the .^applicant's proficiency in some outside subject with which he is presumably less acquainted than with ordinary business correspondence. In one case which came under the writer's notice, an applicant was requested to call upon one of the leading firms of Admiralty Proctors in London. He at once set to work and learned the outlines for every part of a ship from peak to keelson, and for all the maritime legal phrases that he could discover, from a caveat to a res- pondentia bond. Thus equipped he felt equal to the severest test that could be applied to him in the way of dictation ; but when the eventful hour arrived, he was not a little surprised to find himself dashing off instructions, not for the arrest of a ship, but for the potting out of chrysanthemums and for the placing of fresh gravel on the paths of the Proctor's garden. In this case the test was safely and easily past, the applicant being a good " all round " man ; but the result would have been other- wise had his knowledge of shorthand been confined to business matters, and the hint may therefore be useful to candidates. 24 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. Once the exciting task of reporting is over, there is no necessity for a maintenance of racing speed. As far as rapidity is concerned, the race has already been won, and what is now required is accuracy of transcription combined with neatness of style. The trial letter should therefore be written out with the utmost care, and it should also be punctuated, divided into paragraphs, and ruled off wherever necessary. IV. INSTALLED. POSSESSION NINE POINTS OF THE LAW POPULAR ESTIMATE OF SUCCESS LORD BACON'S VIEW THE REAL SECRET WAITING FOR THE PRINCIPAL IMPROVING THE SHINING HOUR THE ADDRESS BOOK IMPORTANCE OF COMMITTING THE LIST TO MEMORY TAKING NOTE OF STRANGE EXPRESSIONS PERUSING THE CURRENT LETTERS THE WORKMAN AND HIS TOOLS GOOD WORK IMPOSSIBLE WITH POOR MATERIALS TABULAR LIST OF THE BEST PENS OF THE BEST PAPERS AND OF THE BEST INKS CHANGING SUPPLIES POSITION OF THE DESK RELATIVE HEIGHT OF DESK AND SEAT POSTURE OF THE BODY THE STANDING DESK HINTS ON WRITING PADS RULERS AND INKSTANDS, AND OTHER REQUISITES OF THE DESK INTERCOURSE WITH FELLOW CLERKS RULE TO BE FOLLOWED THE HARVEST OF A QUIET EYE. OSSESSION is nine points of the law, and is an jjjjgii equally important factor of clerical success. A candidate who secures an appointment will, generally speaking, have only himself to blame if he fails to succeed in it. Success and failure are too often looked upon as beyond the reach of controlling influences. A successful man is said to be lucky, and an unsuccessful one the victim of circumstances. " It cannot be denied," writes LORD BACON, " but outward accidents conduce much to 26 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. fortune." True ; but success depends upon the ability to take advantage of those accidents, and not upon the accidents themselves. The secret of success lies in un- ceasing effort, and in making the most of opportunities. It is not always the strong man that wins, but the man who is constantly on the watch for opportunities, and who knows how to adapt means to ends. The beginner who has followed us thus far will know how to adapt means to ends up to a certain point that, namely, of " getting in." We will now lead him a step further. The first thing which he should do on entering upon an engagement is to provide himself with a neat address-book that is, a book with an index running through it, the lettering being printed alternately in black and red. The probability is that the first few hours in his new situation will be hours of idleness, to be spent in waiting for the principal to arrive and for work to be given out. These hours he can profitably utilize in looking over the firm's letter-books, which he will find arranged on a shelf in the clerk's office. Commencing with the latest letter-book, he should copy into his index the names and addresses of the various correspondents, taking special note of any peculiarities that he may discover in the spelling. The remaining letter-books should be treated in the same way, as opportunity offers. It would be well for him to commit the list to memory as soon as possible, and it should afterwards be his constant aim to keep himself thoroughly posted in this department, as enquiries will be addressed to him, as a matter of course, whenever anyone is in doubt as to Smith's address or Brown's initials. His index-book should therefore be the receptacle THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 2J not only of the addresses contained in the letter-books, but of those that may come under his notice in other ways in the course of business. Should he observe during his inspection of the letter-books any technical expressions or facts which may be new to him, he should make a note of them for use in a commonplace-book as hereafter described. All entries of this kind should of course be written in shorthand, except when it is necessary to indicate the peculiar spelling of a word. A careful perusal of the more recent letters say for the preceding week or two will be useful to a beginner by giving him an insight into the current business of the firm, and thus making him familiar beforehand with the subject matter of the letters soon to be dictated to him. The last words lead naturally to the question of materials. The excellence of all clerical work depends, to a large extent, upon the character of the materials used. Although it is true that it is usually a poor workman that complains of his tools, it is equally true that a clever workman can work better with good tools than with bad ones. Scratchy pens, thick ink, and rough or greasy paper, will tell heavily against the work of even the most skilful clerk ; and if a beginner is handicapped in the same way he is simply put out of the field. It is therefore a question of vital importance to him whether or not the implements that are given him to work with are those which are best suited to his needs. Knowing the waste of time generally involved in the solution of this question by a beginner, the writer has drawn up the following list of some of the choicest materials in the market. The list is not a long one, but it is the result of a good deal of 28 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. careful experimental practice in the different classes of materials given. Fine. Medium. Soft. Broad. For Red Ink. PENS. Gillott's School, 351. Mitchell's A. Mitchell's D. Mitchell's I. Mitchell's K. Mitchell's O. Perry's 53, Extra Fine. Perry's Universal School. Perry's 120, Spring Balance. Perry's 52 F. Gillott's 878. Heath's 508 M. Perry's 335 F, Albert. Mitchell's C. Mitchell's G. Mitchell's P. Brandauer's Globe. Brandauer's Times. Gillott's 262 Barrel. Woodward's 72. Gillott's Black Swan Quill. Heath's 585 M. Perry's 223 F. Perry's 441 M. Heath's Old Court. Perry's J. Perry's No. I Broad. Perry's 127 F. Heath's 560 F. Quill. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. PAPER. Glazed. Pine's extra super. Joynson's superfine. Towgood's super. Towgood's extra super. Cowan Son's Ivory. Busbridge & Co.'s super. Herring's Pure Wove. Royal Wove, Ivory. Medium. Original Turkey Mill. Pine's Machine Hand-made. Hodgkinson & Co.'s Gray. Heathercourt Fine. Spicer Bros. Waddie & Co., Edinburgh. Rough. Pirie's Antique. Pine's Old Style. Royal Wove, Velvet. INK. Plain. Blackwood's Post Office. Cochran's Jet Black. Stephens' Blue Black. Draper's Dicroic. Field's Non-corrosive. Featherstone's Black. Copying. Mordan's. Stephens'. Morrell's. Blackwood's. Straker's Double Strong. Ked. Mordan's Alkaline. Field's Scarlet Red. If a clerk finds that the paper or ink in use by his employers is of a kind unsuited to his hand, he 30 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. should call attention to the fact when the next supplies are ordered. As paper of any shade of colour can be matched in a different texture, and as any coloured ink can also be matched in a different quality, he will experience little or no difficulty in effecting the necessary alteration. Too much attention cannot be paid to the position of the desk, the relative height of the desk and seat, and the posture of the body in writing. If possible the desk should be placed facing a window so that the light may fall directly upon the work from in front. Failing this, the desk should be placed sideways to the light, which in that case should fall from the right hand side, so that no shadow may be thrown upon the paper by the arm or shoulder of the writer. Sitting with the back to the light, in a cross light, or under a reflected light, is certain to produce an injurious effect upon the eyesight. The height of the desk and seat should be adjusted with a due regard to individual stature and sight. As a rule it will be found convenient to have the desk a couple of inches higher than the elbows, at which elevation the left arm can be placed upon it in an easy and natural position. A clerk should sit as upright at his desk as he does at his dinner table, a slight inclination of the head being all that is necessary to enable him to see his work clearly, whereas stooping over the desk is the chief cause of the dyspepsia and nervous disorders which form the bete noir of a clerk's life. the sake of health, as well as of variety, it is advisable to write frequently in a standing position, for which purpose a supplementary high desk should, if possible, be procured. The edge of such a desk should be on a level with the lower part of the chest. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 31 Neatness of writing depends a good deal upon the solidity and evenness of the writing pad. The ordinary pads, formed of sheets of blotting paper gummed together on a piece of cardboard, cannot always be depended upon, as they are liable to become wrinkled and uneven. A cheaper and more serviceable pad may be formed of half- a-dozen sheets of blotting-paper of the full size secured at the cut edges by a paper fastener. The ruler should be of ebony, and perfectly straight. It may be tested by placing it against the cheek and holding it up to the light at an angle of thirty degrees, when any imperfections in it can be readily seen. Another plan is to roll it on a flat surface, such as a mahogany table or desk. If light can be seen under it, the ruler is uneven. The inkstands in common use are so needlessly large that the ink contained in them generally gets thick with dust and sediment before it is half used. This is a draw- back to good work, and as copying ink at all events loses a certain degree of power after being long exposed in an open inkstand, it is desirable that the latter should be of small capacity in order to secure a frequent supply of fresh ink without wasting the old. Heavy glass inkstands, with a small cavity are the best. A good dictionary is indispensable to a correspondent. One of the best for ordinary purposes, and certainly the cheapest, is Nuttall's Standard Dictionary, national edition, published by Messrs. F. Warne & Co., at half-a-crown. A geography will also be useful as a handy, though perhaps imperfect, gazetteer, and for this purpose HUGHES'S will be found as good as any. 32 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. A Cumberland lead pencil, a block of soft grey India- rubber (which is better than the spongy and black kinds), and a knife to be used only for erasures, are amongst the remaining requisites of the desk. A good quill pen should also find a place there. For red and blue inks it is much preferable to a steel pen, and it is also better adapted for writing addresses or labels in text-hand. To those who are not acquainted with the proper mode of cutting a quill the following explanation will be useful. Selecting a well- sharpened blade, hold it horizontally and cut away a small portion, back and front, from the blunt end of the quill. Insert the blade into the hollow thus formed and clear away the membrane contained in it. Next cut a further slice from the under side of the quill, turn the back upwards, and scrape it a few times so as to form a channel for the split. Then keeping the left thumb firmly pressed upon the back, apply the blade to the inside of the quill and slit it with a sudden jerk. The sides must be trimmed according to the degree of flexibility required a long sweep for a soft point, a short one for a hard point. To trim the nib, place the point of the quill on the left thumb nail, and draw the blade across it evenly. Before closing this chapter, a word may be said as to a beginner's intercourse with his fellow-clerks. Good breeding will dictate uniform courtesy to others even if it is only its own reward which is frequently the case in the hurry and bustle of business life. But there is another and more selfish reason for its exercise, namely that it is to the self-interest of a beginner to be on good terms with his associates, as he can never tell when or in what way he may require their assistance. " He that questioneth much," THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 33 we are told, " shall learn much," and a beginner should never be above asking for information although he will no doubt discover at a very early stage of his experience that most people have an objection to make others as wise as themselves. His chief reliance should therefore be placed upon his own powers of observation, and if he brings intelligence to bear upon the task he will soon reap the harvest of a quiet eye. V. TAKING DOWN. NOTHING TAKES A MAN DOWN LIKE A SHORTHAND WRITER THE REVERSE OF THE SHIELD AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT HOW TO GET OUT OF IT A SOLID BASIS TO WORK UPON UTILITY OF THE PHONOGRAPHIC DICTIONARY MODE TO BE PURSUED IN STUDYING IT EXPERIMENTAL CONTRACTIONS THE USE OF PHRASEOGRAMS CONTRACTIONS FOR FORMAL SENTENCES AN EXAMPLE THE NEXT REQUISITE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL RE- PORTING COMPARATIVE MERITS OF PEN AND PENCIL THE BEST PENCILS TO USE THE DEFECT OF GOLD PENS SUPERIORITY OF COMMON STEEL MATERIALS USED IN THE WRITER'S PRACTICE SERVICEABLE NOTE BOOKS MOST SUITABLE SIZE HOW TO LABEL THEM DRAWING THE LINE. |T has been said that nothing takes a man down like a shorthand writer. However that may be, there is certainly nothing that blows a shorthand writer up like a man who has been taken down improperly. Employers are extremely quick to detect and to expose the slightest approach to inaccuracy of transcription, knowing that if the evil is not checked in the beginning it may lead eventually to serious mistakes, many a carefully studied argument and important technical statement being spoiled THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 35 and twisted out of all meaning by a careless or incompetent dictatee. Something no doubt may be said on the other side. Employers themselves are not infallible, and in the hurry of dictation it is no uncommon thing for them to confuse proper names, dates, and so on, the blame for which unless the mistake is instantly detected is very often laid upon the innocent shoulders of the shorthand clerk. The position of the latter in such a case is not a pleasant one, owing to his inability, generally speaking, to put forward any convincing plea in self defence. Even if he is satisfied in his own mind that the error is not his, a mere statement to that effect is not always a sufficient answer to a charge of this kind. In nine cases out of ten the dictatee is the only one in the office who understands shorthand, and as his mystic symbols do not carry their meaning on their face, he is unable to support his word by the proof positive of ocular demonstration. All that he can do is to set his own word against his employer's, a course which is not always a judicious one to adopt. The best advice that can be given to a writer under such circumstances is to " endure the wrong he lacks the power to punish," but at the same time to strive unceasingly to put himself, by proved ability, beyond the reach of censure. It will never do for a shorthand clerk to bear a reputation for inaccuracy. Like Caesar's wife, he must be above suspicion, otherwise his chances of promotion will be few and his vexations many. A really competent writer on the other hand, is seldom troubled by frivolous complaints, the high value of his services being fully recognized and appreciated by his employers. How, then, can a beginner raise himself to this enviable 3& THE SHORTHAND CLERK. position ? The first requisite is a solid basis to work upon, a basis of accurate Phonographic knowledge. It is not enough for him to know outlines of some kind for the words he is called upon to write ; he must know the best and the briefest outlines. The Phonographic Dictionary, published by Mr. PITMAN, will be of the greatest assistance to him in this respect, containing, as it does, Mr. PITMAN'S outlines for more than 20,000 words. The student should make himself thoroughly familiar with the contents of that Dictionary, especially with regard to the various contractions given. It would be advisable to copy the contractions into an indexed manuscript book in continua- tion of the plan mentioned in Chapter II, by which means they would be readily available for reference, and, by being separated from the unabridged words which accompany them in the Dictionary, they would also be impressed with greater clearness upon the memory than would otherwise be the case. As many technical terms used in commerce are not contained in the Dictionary, it would be well for the learner to make contractions of his own for all lengthy words of that kind that may come under his notice. This, perhaps, is not a plan which every learner is qualified to follow, but at the same time it may be urged that even an imperfect contraction is better than none at all, and the habit of experimenting in this way will- often result in an intelligent knowledge of the principles of the system. At any rate the importance of contractions cannot be over- estimated by the student, as it is only by their extensive use that the capabilities of Phonography can be developed to the fullest extent. The use of phraseograms should also be carried as far as legibility will permit and that is THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 37 considerably further than the limit usually reached by a Phonographer. For instance, in writing such a passage as this, "We are informed (n.f.) that you are in the market for tonnage," an average writer would lift the pen four or five times, but anyone with a trained eye for phraseograms would not lift it once, as the outlines follow each other in natural sequence. A little practice in this direction will enable a student to link suitable words together in- stinctively, and the waste of time involved in lifting the pen will thus be avoided. As already indicated, the practice of omitting connecting words is one which should not be lightly taken up by a beginner, but in formal and well known sentences it may sometimes be used with advantage. The opening sentence of a letter, for instance, is usually dictated with great rapidity, owing to its more or less stereotyped form, and many writers would be left far behind in the subsequent sentences, if they took down every word of the long winded " We-are-in-receipt-of-your- favor - of- yesterday - and - in-reply-we -beg-to-in form- you." What is wanted in such cases is a distinctive contraction to indicate the particular form of the sentence, and for this purpose the intersection of the two principal words of the sentence will generally be found sufficient. On the following page will be found a specimen of a dictated letter. The first feature to be noticed in it is that initials are used at the top instead of the full name. This plan should always be followed when the name of the correspondent is familiar, as longhand initials can be written as rapidly as the full shorthand signs, and possess an advantage over the latter in keeping each letter in the note book distinct from the rest. For this reason it is 448368 3 8 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. better to write the names of the correspondents even at full length in longhand, than in shorthand. There is not the same necessity for the address to catch the eye, therefore it may be written in shorthand. The contractions used in the letter, together with the omitted words, will be made clear on reference to the interpretation. Interpretation Messrs. J. L. MERRITT & Co., New York. We beg to acknowledge receipt of your esteemed favor of the 1 5th inst., by which we note that First of Exchange for ^900, remittance per " Western Empire," reached you in due course. Second of Exchange was forwarded to you on the loth inst., per " City of Berlin." We have had no tidings of the "City of Berlin" since her departure from this port, but as the wind has been favorable we hope soon to hear of her safe arrival on your side. As soon as the claims for short delivery have been finally adjusted, we will forward you closed accounts, together with remittance for the balance. Given a sound practical knowledge of shorthand, the next requisite is concentration of mind. Therein lies the secret of successful reporting. In a preceding part of THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 39 this manual, candidates were advised when put to their examination test, "to strain every nerve" to follow the speaker. The expression is a homely one, but it indicates clearly enough the condition of mind required. We all know that if we look at a distant object fixedly, or if we look at it through our hands, in telescope fashion, we shall see it more distinctly, than if we give it merely a passing glance. In the same way if we look intently through an opera glass at the actors in a large theatre, we shall hear their words with greater clearness, and be less conscious of the sounds and commotion around us, than would be the case if we looked on with apparent unconcern. The same rule applies to shorthand writing. If we concentrate our mind, if we focus it, so to speak, upon the task before us, the hand will respond to the increased tension and activity of the brain, and will fly over the paper at a rate that would be impossible to us, if we went to work in a listless, sleepy way. This fact should never be lost sight of by those who despair of their ability to follow a rapid speaker. Much also depends upon the pen or pencil used in reporting, and upon the quality of the paper contained in the note-book. Out of the list of materials given in the preceding chapter a learner should have no difficulty in selecting those that are exactly suited to his hand. Opinion is divided as to the relative merits of pen and pencil, and much can no doubt be said on both sides, but, speaking from considerable experience in this matter, the writer is strongly in favour of a pen. Pencil marks are necessarily fainter than pen marks, and strain the eye both in writing and deciphering them, whilst their natural 40 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. indistinctness is increased if the heated hand is accidentally pressed upon, or swept across the page. However, if a writer prefers a pencil, he will find one of PITMAN'S reporting pencils, or a Graphite de Siberie (H.H.), the best to use. Many persons, again, prefer a gold to a steel pen, placing much importance on the fact that a gold pen will last a life time. The chief point to be considered, how- ever, is not whether a pen will last long, but whether it will work well. A gold pen has a tendency to become softened by time and use, and a soft pen is by no means adapted to all hands. Those who have what is called a "heavy" hand may possibly find a gold pen superior to a steel pen, especially when used on paper of a medium quality : but anyone who has a light and delicate touch will find a steel pen a more serviceable implement than its costly rival. In his own practice, the writer has always used a fine pointed steel pen, and highly glazed or " hot- pressed" paper, which have proved equal to the severest tests of verbatim reporting. PITMAN'S elastic-backed note-book is an excellent one for office use, but it is more expensive than the books supplied by other manufacturers. A very excellent note- book is also supplied by Messrs. PARTRIDGE & COOPER, of Fleet Street. Whatever " make " may be used, it should be borne in mind that a large sized book is better than a small one for the desk, as it requires less transitions of the hand across the page, and less turning over of the leaves. When filled up the note-books should be neatly labelled and put away with the letter books, in case it may be necessary to refer to them at some future time for substantiation of a disputed point. The label should THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 41 include the number of the note-book, and the period of time which it covers thus : No. 3. From 3rd May, 1880, To 5th June, 1880. To avoid confusion it will be found advisable to draw a line through the shorthand notes as soon as they have been transcribed in longhand. VI. TRANSCRIBING. HAMLET'S EXPLOIT STATISTS NOT YET EXTINCT THE LAWYER WHO WROTE THREE HANDS IMPORTANCE OF A CLEAR STYLE THE STYLE RECOMMENDED GENERAL RULES TO BE FOLLOWED IN WRITING HOW TO HOLD THE PEN ARRANGEMENT OF THE LINES THE HEADINGS THE NOTE AND MEMORANDUM ON THE USE OF CAPITALS PUNCTUATION CORRECTING FAULTY SENTENCES FROM CORRECTION TO COMPOSITION SCARCITY OF SHORTHAND CLERKS WHO CAN WRITE WITHOUT THE AID OF DICTATION THE REASON THE REMEDY THE ESSENTIALS OF A BUSINESS LETTER MODELS OF STYLE THE USE OF RECAPITULATION CHECKING THE TRANSCRIPT MINOR DETAILS. HEN describing his exploit of forging a new commission, HAMLET naively said " I once did hold it, as our statists do, A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much How to forget that learning : but, sir, now It did me yeoman's service." Good writing has done "yeoman's service" to many since the time of HAMLET, and is held in considerably higher esteem low than it was then. But even in these days of universal letter writing, the race of ' statists' is by no means extinct. Everyone has read MARK TWAIN'S humourous account of THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 43 the extraordinary effect of HORACE GREELEY'S writing upon the mind of MR. ERICKSON, and there is an equally well known story of a lawyer who wrote three hands, the first of which he could read himself but his clerk could not read it nor could anyone else ; the second hand his clerk could read, but he could not read it himself, nor could anyone else : and the third hand neither he nor his clerk nor anyone else could read. Scarcely a day passes in any large office without the receipt of badly written letters, the deciphering of which wastes the time and tries the temper of the principal especially if it happens, as it very frequently does, that the scrawls in question emanate from influential "correspondents. In fact, it would still seem to be an unwritten law with many people that their own importance is measured by the illegibility of their letters. But whatever faults may characterize the penmanship of others, the shorthand clerk must see to it that his own writing is perfectly neat and distinct. Even if a merchant is unable to "write fair" himself he naturally likes to have his letters so written, well knowing that a favorable impression is produced by a clear and business-like style. What is wanted is a style that is at once easily written and easily read. Life is too short for copper-plate writing in correspondence, and even if it were not so, a fine elegant hand, adorned with a variety of flourishes, is the reverse of business-like. The plainer the hand the more suitable it is for business purposes, therefore long loops and long tails and fantastic flourishes should be altogether avoided. Writing, like beauty, "when unadorned, is adorned the most." 44 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. On the opposite page will be found a specimen of the hand which the writer recommends, the whole of the alphabet being given for the guidance of those who may wish to copy it. Whatever style may be adopted, the following general rules should be borne in mind by every correspondent. 1. A wide sprawling hand, and a close narrow hand are alike difficult to read. 2. A plain hand is more legible than an ornamented hand ; for which reason 3. Medium sized loops and tails are preferable to very long or very short ones. 4. A round hand is more legible than an angular hand. 5. A moderately sloping hand is more legible than an excessively sloping hand. 6. Legibility is further secured by regularity and straightness of line, by uniformity in the thickness and size of the letters, and by equality of space between the letters and between the words. 7. The pen should be taken off the paper as seldom as possible. Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the proper method of holding the' pen. All are agreed that the thumb should be slightly bent, and that the first and second fingers should be straight, the latter being placed against the side of, and not below or above, the pen. But with regard to the remaining fingers, some writing masters assert that the third finger should be bent inwards, the little finger being held straight ; some that the third and fourth fingers should be bent inwards ; and others that all the fingers should be held straight, the little finger THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 47 acting as the pivot and support of the hand. The second of these methods, which is represented in the annexed cut, is by far the most practicable. The second finger should cross the third finger between the second and third joints, and the hand should rest lightly upon the little finger, the wrist being kept clear of the desk. As a rule the best results in penmanship are obtained by the " finger movement," that is, by the move- ment of the fingers that hold the pen, the hand being carried passively across the page by a gentle sweep of the arm. For very rapid writing, however, the movement should come from the wrist, the fingers remaining passive. In transcribing a letter, the day of the month should be written before the month and not after it, as in the latter case the figures are apt to clash with the numerals of the year. The name and address of the correspondent should follow the date, the name commencing half an inch below it, and close to the left hand edge of the paper; the address about an inch and a half to the right, on the next line. " Dear Sir," or whatever other form of address may be used, should be written on the following line, as close to the margin as the name, whilst the letter itself should be commenced on the next line just beneath the commencement of the address. The same distance from the edge should be maintained with all succeeding paragraphs, and in writing the body of the letter a regular 48 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. margin should be allowed of half an inch from the left hand side of the paper. After the opening paragraph which is usually an acknowledgement of a letter received, or a reference to a letter previously sent it is customary, if the letter deals with several subjects, to write each subject under a dis- tinctive heading, the headings themselves being written in the margin, with a line ruled beneath each. If the letter deals with one subject only, it is usual to write the heading at the top that is to say on the line next below " Dear Sir." These directions will be clearly understood on reference to the following example : A us fin Friars, London, E.C., 12th July, i&8o. Messrs. Wallace Brothers, Liverpool. Dear Sirs, Your favor of yesterday to hand, contents noted. " Neptune" In accordance with your instructions we have covered 500 on the voyage Liverpool to Bombay, at 2%, policy herewith. We have debited your a\c with amount of premium and stamp, as per debit note also enclosed. " Fortuna." This vessel's age and class, are so much against her that our underwriters decline the risk at your limit. We are, dear Sirs, Yours truly, Geo. Duncan & Co. If the correspondent is a lady, the name and address are usually written at the end of the letter. It is also THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 49 customary with some firms to adopt the formal note style in addressing a lady, especially if she is personally unknown to them. The note style (a letter written in the third person, without the usual commencement and signature) is also used in writing to inferiors, although for this purpose the less formal " memorandum " is generally employed. The memorandum (a note written in the first person, but unsigned) is also extensively used for brief business communications. Capital letters should be used as follows : 1. For the first word of every sentence. 2. For people's names and the names of places. 3. For all names of the Deity. 4. For all titles of honour. 5. For abbreviations, such as P.S. for postscript. 6. For the names of days, months, terms, and holy days. 7. For any very important word, as the Reformation.. 8. For the pronoun I ; and the words Sir, Madam, Mr. and Esq. 9. For the first word of a quotation. The stops made use of in punctuation are the Comma (,), the Semicolon (;), the Colon (:), and the Full Stop (.). The Comma is used to separate short subordinate sentences and participal clauses : the Semicolon to separate lengthy collateral sentences : the Colon to separate collateral sentences which have little connection with each other : and the Full Stop to indicate the end of a sentence. As a general rule, a slop may be placed in writing wherever a pause would be made in speaking the same words, and the E 5O THE SHORTHAND CLERK. nature of the stop to be used may be judged by the length of the pause. A Note of Interrogation (?) should be used after every direct question. A Parenthesis ( ) should be used to enclose any supplementary or explanatory statement, which does not enter into the construction of the main sentence, but is merely mentioned in passing. A Dash ( ) serves the same purpose as a parenthesis. It is also used to mark an abrupt turn in a sentence. A Caret (A) is used to denote an omission, the omitted word or words being written above it. Inverted Commas (" ") are used to mark quotations. A Hyphen (-) is used to divide a word at the end of a line, also to join a compound word, as father-in-law. In dividing words, care should be taken not to separate letters of the same syllable, therefore words of one syllable should never be divided. In the course of transcription, the shorthand clerk will often find that the sentences bear the marks of hasty dictation. Sometimes they are needlessly involved, some- times ungrammatical, and not unfrequently both involved and ungrammatical. In such a case it is his duty to put matters straight to the best of his ability, but without altering the meaning of the sentences in any way. For instance, we will suppose the following sentence to be lying in the note-book " Our Grain market is so unsettled at present that it declines from day to day, and that Messrs. SMITH & Co. should have succeeded in securing 5o/- per ton we can merely look upon it as a fluke." By a very slight alteration this sentence may be turned into good English, thus "Our Grain market is so unsettled at THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 51 present that it declines from day to day, and it was therefore only by a " fluke " that Messrs. SMITH & Co. secured 5o/- per ton." The alteration of a letter naturally suggests the com- position of a letter. There are very few shorthand clerks who can be trusted to carry on the correspondence of a firm without the aid of dictation, although there is no reason whatever why this should be the case. The cause may perhaps be found in the fact that writing habitually from the dictation of others creates, to a certain extent, a feeling of dependency upon external aid. But just as the child grows out of leading strings, so should the shorthand clerk grow out of this feeling of dependency. His daily work gives him an insight into the under-current of the corres- pondence ; he knows, or ought to know, the history of the various transactions of which he writes, and it is in his power to watch the development of those transactions in the many different phases which they assume. He is, therefore, in a better position than any of his fellow clerks to deal with the correspondence in the absence of the principal, and he should see to it that this advantage is not lightly thrown away. If his employer possesses a good style of composition, it should be his aim to cultivate a similar style, for the sufficient reason that if his employer finds no glaring discrepancy between their modes of stating a fact he will have greater confidence in his deputy. With this end in view the correspondent should carefully note not only the turn of his employer's expressions, but his method of putting forward or withholding information, and his general system of attack and defence, all of which may readily be learned in the ordinary course of dictation. 52 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. But it may, and frequently does happen, that the employer possesses a weak style of composition, in which case, the shorthand clerk should endeavour to excel it. In this attempt he should bear in mind that the chief essentials of a business letter are clearness and brevity. There is this great difference between the literary and the business style of composition, that the former amplifies, and the latter condenses; It is the task of the literary man, to " give to airy nothings, a local habitation and a name," but it is the task of the business man, to give to very substantial facts a very limited rendering, and it is difficult to say which is the harder task of the two. ^.t any rate, it is easier to extend than to condense. In a celebrated postscript to one of his Provincial Letters, PASCAL ingeniously pleads want of time as an excuse for his prolixity. "The present letter is a very long one simply because I had no time to make it shorter." Not only should the words be few, but they should be appropriate. There should be no ambiguity in business correspondence ; every word must have a distinct meaning, upon which no construction but the right one can be placed. For this reason it is better to use plain words than high-flown words. Some purists go so far as to assert that only words of Saxon origin should be used in English composition, but this is a needless restriction. We must take our language as we find it, and use the words that will most plainly express our meaning, without stopping to enquire whether they are derived from Saxon, French, or Latin. In acquiring a business style the student will be thrown, to a great extent, upon his own resources, as no manual of commercial correspondence has yet been published, which can safely be accepted as a THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 53 model. All the " Complete Letter Writers" that we have, are more or less stilted and unbusiness-like in their diction, and are therefore anything but trustworthy guides. ANDERSON'S is by far the best, but even Anderson is often pedantic and out of date. Instead of forming his style on any of the existing manuals, the shorthand clerk would do well to study the actual letters which pass through his hands for endorsement, paying special regard to those of eminent firms. The letters of such houses as BARING BROTHERS, and J. S. MORGAN & Co., for instance, are perfect models of perspicuity ; carrying with them a sense of concentrated force. Much information may also be gleaned from IRVING'S " Elements of Composition." In replying to a letter, care should be taken to follow its order of arrangement, and to divide the subjects into paragraphs as already mentioned. It is also advisable to recapitulate the principal points contained in it. This plan will not only make the reply more intelligible to the receiver, but will render the letter book a history of the whole transaction. As soon as a letter is written it should be read over and corrected if necessary a task which is easier if done at once than if put off till the letters accumulate. The envelope should also be addressed at the same time, and placed between the leaves of the letter. If any enclosures are sent with the letter, the contraction " Enc" should be written at the top of the page with the number of enclosures below it. In some offices it is usual to enumerate the enclosures at the bottom of the letter, for the convenience of the postal clerk. If an extract or telegram has to be annexed to a letter, it should be done before the letter is put out of hand, or, if that is impossible, 54 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. a mark " / " should be placed at the top of the page as a reminder. As soon as a telegram is annexed the word " confirmed " should be written below it in the telegraph- book, with a red pencil. The surnames and addresses of the various correspon- dents should be enteredj in the postage book as the letters are stamped. VII. GENERAL DUTIES. IMPORTANCE OF GAINING A GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF BUSINESS THROWING AWAY THE MAIN CHANCE THE MERCHANT'S ADVICE ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE QUESTION VARIETY OF WORK DESIRABLE FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW INDEXING THE LETTER- BOOK ENDORSING THE LETTERS THE ABSTRACT BOOK EXTEND- ING THE PRINCIPLE "WHAT WAS SAID TO MR. SO-AND-SO " DIFFICULTY OF REMEMBERING A HASTY TRANSCRIPT HOW TO OVERCOME IT BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THE DIARY MODE OF KEEPING IT DOUBLE ADVANTAGE GAINED BY IT FLOATING INFORMATION THE COMMON-PLACE BOOK DETAILS AND EXAMPLES POSTAL INFORMATION ARITHMETIC AND BOOKKEEPING IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING TEXT-BOOKS THE LITERATURE OF COMMERCE THE SHORTHAND CLERK'S LIBRARY A WORD OF COUNSEL CULTIVATING THE MEMORY ASSIMIL- ATING KNOWLEDGE. SHORTHAND clerk is valued in proportion to his general knowledge of his employer's business. If he is thoroughly acquainted with office routine, and can bring to the task of letter writing, a clear appreciation of the various issues involved in it, he will command a larger salary, and be held in higher esteem than if all his knowledge was comprised within the covers of his note book. This is a fact not always realized by shorthand 56 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. clerks. There are many who object to discharge "any duties not connected with the writing and transcribing of their notes, on the ground that "it is not their work," but the fallacy of such an objection must be obvious to everyone on reflection. A clerk who declines to take part in the general work of the office, simply throws away his principal chance of advancement.- As a shorthand corres- pondent, he cannot hope to rise beyond a limited point, but if he displays ability in other directions, he may be promoted at any time to a higher position. Many years ago a London merchant presented the writer with a copy of DANIEL SHERRIFF'S Treatise on Book-keeping, with I a recommendation to make it the basis of a scientific knowledge of accounts. " Take my advice," said he, " aim higher than shorthand. However clever you may become as a shorthand writer, your work will still be manual work, and you will never rise so high by your hands as by your head." As to the practical soundness of this advice there cannot be two opinions. But apart altogether from the question of advancement in business, a change of work is absolutely necessary in order to preserve a healthy balance of the mind. The task of transcribing ordinary business correspondence, does not call for any continued exertion of the brain. After a time a clerk becomes so accustomed to the work, that he performs it more or less mechanically, and without seme counteracting influences, his mind is liable to suffer from want of exercise. From every point of view, therefore, a variety of work is desirable, and should be heartily welcomed by every shorthand clerk. Dealing first of all with the duties which lie nearest to the task of correspondence, we may commence with THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 57 the indexing of the letter book. Many clerks perform this operation in a very careless manner, merely jumbling the addresses and figures together in this fashion : Brown Wm., Glasgow, 3,29,40,52,67. The result is that it is often difficult to distinguish between the figures of the different pages, and time is thus needlessly wasted when referring to the letters. Everything would at once be made clear by the simple expedient of putting the figures in columns, thus : Brown Wm., | Glasgow | 3 | 29 | 40 | 52 | 67 In addition to entering the letters in the index proper, a running index is kept up at the top of the letters them- selves, the page of the preceding as well as of the succeeding letter to the same correspondent being given.' Thus, the second letter in the above specimen would be headed -fa. These entries are usually made in red pencil, ink and blacklead being unsuitable for use on tissue paper. The letters received should be folded and endorsed every morning, in order to avoid accumulation of the work. The following is the usual "mode of endorsement : 1880. Wm. Brown. Glasgow, July i2th. Reed. ,, 1 3th. Ansd. ,, 1 3th. In some offices it is customary to add to the above a precis of the contents of the letter, for convenience of reference. This plan is very serviceable when there are many letters from the same correspondent. 58 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. The Abstract Book, in which the letters received are daily summarised, should be neatly and carefully kept. Only the substance of the letters should be inserted, and that in the fewest possible words. The art of precis writing lies in stripping a fact of all the circumlocutory words which surround it. The kernel, and not the shell, is wanted. For the sake of illustration we may take the specimen letter on page 48, which should be entered in the abstract book in the following form : GEO. DUNCAN & Co., London, izth July. Neptune. /~soo insured at 2%. Policy and debit note enclosed. Fortuna. Risk declined, on account age. This principle may be extended to the keeping of a private abstract book of the letters sent. A correspondent is sup- posed to remember what he has written, and is frequently asked, after a considerable lapse of time, what was said to Mr. So-and-so on a certain subject. Of course if the letter in question was actually composed by him he will have little difficulty in remembering it unless he is in the habit of writing many letters on the same kind of business but if merely transcribed from his notes, the case is altogether different. There is little or nothing in the task of tran- scribing a letter that tends to fix it in the memory. The process, as already shewn, becomes after a time mechanical, and in the majority of cases a shorthand clerk is obliged to get through the work as quickly as possible, without attempting to impress it on his mind. Therefore, to place himself on an equality with a composer, a transcriber must THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 59 adopt some special means of assimilating the contents of the letters. Much may be accomplished by reading, every morning, the letters despatched on the previous day, but this alone is not sufficient. A letter is not to be remem- bered by reading it once, and besides, there is much information in an actual letter with which it is unnecessary to burden the mind. What is wanted is a brief summary of the contents, an occasional glance at which will enable a clerk to refresh his memory in five minutes with the letters of as many weeks. Carrying the principle still further, every shorthand clerk should keep a diary of the chief events which take place in his employer's business. The entries should be as laconic as those in the abstract-book, and if written in shorthand very little time need be occupied in making them. By adopting this plan the correspondent will be able to keep in mind the history of the various transactions which occur, and to answer intelligently any appeals that may be made to him for information. As a rule, the number of such appeals will grow in proportion to the correspondent's ability to answer them, a result which will operate to his advantage in two ways ; first, by putting his memory to a frequent test, thus deepening and confirming his knowledge ; and secondly, by creating a feeling of confidence in his general ability, thus paving the way to promotion. Nor should the correspondent stop here. Excellent as the Abstract Book and Diary may be, they do not cover all the necessary points. In every business there is a constant stream of floating information ; technical facts and practical suggestions come to the surface to-day, and are then 60 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. carried out of sight on the rapid and ever-changing tide of business life. As these waifs and strays are the very essence of business knowledge, it should be the aim of every correspondent to seize them as they pass, and to preserve them for future use. For this purpose there is nothing to equal a properly classified and indexed common- place book. The value of such a book in self-education, whether in the counting-house or in the study, cannot be over-estimated, and if it is not widely appreciated, it is simply because it is not widely known. The following extract from an article recently contributed by the writer to a phonographic magazine, will fully explain the system to be followed. " There are few published common-place books that can be accepted as patterns to be followed. JOHN LOCKE invented a system of his own, A New Mdhod of a Common-place Book, but it is too complicated for general use. One paragraph of LOCKE'S description will alone be sufficient to prove this : 'When I meet with anything that I think fit to put into my common-place book, I first find a proper head. Suppose, for example, that the word be EPISTOLA, I look into the index for the first letter and the following vowel, which in this instance are E, i. If in the space marked E, i, there is any number that directs me to the page designed for words that begin with an E, and whose first vowel, after the initial letter, is i, I must then write under the word Epistola, in that page, what I have to remark.' JOHN TODD, the author of the Student's Afanual, also invented a system which he dignified with the title of Index Return, but like LOCKE'S, it is needlessly complicated, and at the present day hardly one man in a THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 6 I thousand knows anything about it. The best method seems to be want of method at least of such elaborate method as that adopted by these philosophers. SOUTHEY'S Common-place Book is far superior in its arrangement to either of the above systems. In the latter work the subjects are arranged under general headings, and under these general headings are placed in a careless and natural way, the special facts which belong to them. For instance, one volume contains such general headings as these 'Ideas and Studies for Literary Composition'; 'Collections for History of English Literature and Poetry ' ; ' Extracts, Facts and Opinions relating to Political and Social Society.' Under these headings, as already mentioned, are arranged the facts connected with them. This plan is so simple that he who runs may read, and students cannot do better than follow in the footsteps of so great a master. But however admirable the plan adopted in SOUTHEY'S book may be, there is yet a good deal to be learned before it can be carried out. SOUTHEY himself did not arrange his notes in the order in which they now appear, that being the work of those who edited the notes after his death. The result is visible, but not the means of obtaining that result. For sometime I endeavoured to follow SOUTHEY'S plan, in this way. I took a strongly-bound manuscript book, and after paging it and making an index, I allotted a certain number of pages to a certain number of general headings, inserting in the index the page on which each heading commenced. Then, whenever I wished to make an extract I referred to the index, ascertained the page of the general heading required, and wrote the extract in its proper place. This plan, however, 62 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. did not work very smoothly. The space allotted to som'e of the general headings became filled with extracts sooner than others, and thus continuations and additions had to be made, which were rather confusing. Necessity is the mother of invention, and after thinking the matter over I hit upon the plan of writing my extracts upon loose sheets of paper. The result was a complete success. I took care to write only one extract on each sheet, and to inscribe it with the general heading to which it belonged, as well as with its own distinctive heading. In this way I got together a large number of sheets, which were classified without the slightest difficulty, and which formed a very serviceable volume when bound. This plan of using loose sheets has a further and most important advantage over a cumbersome common-place book, namely, that the sheets can be carried about in one's pocket, ready for service at any time and under any circumstances. The kind of paper which I used at first was ordinary note paper, with the fly-sheet cut off, but I now use a perforated note book, which is an improvement in every way upon the note paper. As the leaves of the book become filled with extracts they should be torn out and filed on a clip, in order to reduce the bulk of the book and to avoid waste of time in turning over the used pages." If it is objected that these supplementary books will involve considerable labour, it may be replied that no one should count the labour too severe that will give him a thorough mastery over his duties. Genius itself, we are told, is only an immense capacity for taking trouble ; at any rate no good and lasting results can be obtained without honest toil. The art of keeping books of this THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 63 kind lies in making the entries at once, and in shorthand, thus reducing the expenditure of time to a minimum. Every correspondent should make himself acquainted with the principal regulations and charges of the Post Office, both with icgard to letters and telegrams. The Postal Guide, published quarterly, contains a mass of information on these matters so great a mass, in fact, that the book has become nearly as formidable as Bradshaw itself. An occasional study of the Guide will be useful, but if the following brief digest is committed to memory it will be found sufficient for ordinary purposes. INLAND REGULATIONS. LETTERS for places within the United Kingdom are charged postage as follows : Id. Not exceeding I oz. Above I oz., but not above 2 oz. 2 , 4 4 2d. 2d. 3d. 3Jd. 4d. Above 12 oz., the postage is Id. per oz., commencing with the first ounce. Thus a letter weighing 13 oz., is charged Is. Id. A letter posted unpaid is chargeable on delivery with double postage ; and a letter posted insufficiently prepaid, is chargeable with double the deficiency. No letter may exceed 18 inches in length, 9 inches in width, or 6 inches in depth, unless it be on Her Majesty's Service, in which case no limit is placed upon the size, nor postage required. 64 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. POST CARDS. Only the official post cards and embossed private cards may be used for written communications ; but for circulars any kind of card may be used, with an adhesive halfpenny stamp. NEWSPAPERS. For each newspaper sent inland, the postage is one halfpenny, but several newspapers may be sent in a packet at Book Post rates. The cover must be open at both ends, and must not be fastened to the newspaper, otherwise the newspaper will be treated as a letter. BOOK POST. A book-packet may contain any number of separate books or other publications, photographs, drawings, prints, maps or paper, and whatever is necessary for the safe transmission of such articles. The cover must be open at both ends. The postage is ^d. for every 2 oz., or part of that weight. No book-packet may exceed 5 Ibs. in weight, 18 inches in length, 9 inches in width, or 6 inches in depth, unless sent on Her Majesty's Service. Circulars may be sent at book post rates. REGISTRATION. The fee for registering any articles passing through the post, is twopence. If money is for- warded, the letter (in order to secure the guarantee of % in case of loss), should be enclosed in one of the registered letter envelopes sold by the Post Office. LATE LETTERS. The fee on inland late letters is d. ; on foreign letters, Id. MONEY ORDERS. The commission on inland Money Orders is, for sums under ios., 2d. ; for sums of los. and under ^, 3d.; and for every subsequent part of i, up to/'io, Id. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. FOREIGN MAILS. COUNTRY. LETTERS per 2 oz. POST CARDS. NEWSPAPERS per 4 ozs. $. d. *. d. *. d. Abyssinia 5 O 2 O 4 Accra 4 O l\ O I Africa (West Coast) 6 o I Africa (North Coast) 2 \ O I I Algeria H O I I Arabia 5 O 2 o l \ Argentine Republic 4 O l o I Ascension 6 o I Australia . . . . 6 o I Austria 2 | O I o I Azores o 2j I I Bahamas I O o I Barbadoes I O o I Belgium o 2l I I Bermuda 4 O l\ I Bolivia I o o 2 Borneo o 5 O 2 o 4 Brazil 4 O \\ o I British Guiana 4 O \\ o I Bulgaria 2| O I o I Canada o 2| O I I Canary Islands o 2\ I o I Cape de Verd Islands o 4 o \\ o I Ceylon o 5 2 J i Chili I o o 2 China 5 2 4 Costa Rica I o I Cuba o 4 \\ I Denmark 2| I I Dominica 4 ij I Ecuador I o 2 Egypt o 2 2 O I I F 66 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. COUNTRY. LETTERS per J oz. POST CARDS. NEWSPAPERS per 4 ozs. * d. *. d. s. d. France O 2\ I O I Germany O 2\ O I O I Greece O 2\ I O I Holland O 2\ O I o I India o 5 2 I* Italy 2\ O I o I Jamaica o 4 O \\ o I Japan o 5 2 o 1* Java o 5 O 2 o 1} Liberia o 4 O \\ o I Madagascar fSt, Mary) o 4 O ij I Madeira 2\ O I o I Malta O 2\ I o I Martinique o 4 O l o I Mauritius o 4 O l| r Mexico o 4 O l| o I New Zealand o 6 o I Norway O 2\ O I o I Penang 5 O 2 I* Persia 2* I o I Peru o 4 l| I Phillipine Islands o 5 2 ll Portugal O 2\ O I o I Reunion o 4 O l I Russia O 2\ I I Singapore o 5 2 If Spain > 2\ O I o I Sweden 2\ O I o I Switzerland O 2\ O I I Syria O 2\ O I o I Trinidad o 4 o ij I Turkey O 2\ O I I United States O 2\ I I Uruguay I O I THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 6 7 COST OF TELEGRAMS. The cost of Telegrams to any part of the United Kingdom is is. for the first 20 words (exclusive of the names and addresses of senders and receivers), and 3d. for every additional five words or part of five words. The cost of Foreign Telegrams is now based on a word system (which includes names and addresses), as follows : For each For each word. word. *. d. . d. Aden 3 9 France O 2\ Algeria o 4 Germany 4 Argentine Republic : Gibraltar o 6 Buenos Ayres 16 4 Greece o Ik All other Stations 16 9 Heligoland o 6 Australia 10 8 Herzegovina o 5 Austria o 4^ Holland o 3 Belgium 2 Hungary o 5 Beloochistan 4 2 India : Or -via Turkey 3 9 West of Chittagong . . 4 7 Bolivia 24 4 East of Chittagong 4 10 Bosnia o 5 Italy o 5 Brazil ranging from gf- to 16 2 Japan : Bulgaria o 51 Nagasaki 8 4 Burmah 5 i All other stations 9 3 Or via Turkey 4 8 Java 6 10 Canada o 6 Madeira i 7 Cape Colony 9 3 Malacca 6 3 Ceylon 4 9 Malta o 8 Chili 21 4 Manilla China 8 4 Telegrams for Manilla are sent by post Cochin China 7 3 from Song Kong. Corsica 2j Mauritius Delagoa Bay Denmark 8 10 o 4 Telegrams for Mauritius are sent by post from Aden. Egypt : Alexandria i 7 Montenegro o 5 Other stations i/io and 2 Mozambique 8 10 68 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. For each For each word. word. a. d. a. d. Natal : Servia o 5 Durban 8 9 Singapore 6 5 All other places 9 3 Spain o 6 New South Wales 10 10 Sweden o 5* New Zealand 10 8 Switzerland o 4 Norway o 4 Transvaal 9 3 Panama 12 6 Turkey in Europe o 8 Penang 5 7 Turkey in Asia lOjd. to i i* Persia i 7 United States o 6 Peru . . 21/2 to 27 5 Uruguay : Portugal o 6J Monte Video 15 8 Roumania o 5 All other stations . . 16 i Russia in Europe o 9i Vancouver's Island 4 6 Russia (Caucasus) II . West Indies 5/1 to 17 i Russia in Asia 1/9 to 2 8 Zanzibar 7 9 Turning aside from correspondence we now enter the domain of figures. "Teach a boy the value of figures" said Mr. Bright in one of his speeches, " and he is made a man." This perhaps is not everyone's standard of man- hood, but at the same time there can be little doubt that quickness of calculation is of the utmost value in business. The principal rules of arithmetic should be carefully learned, and not only learned but frequently practised and turned over and over in the mind so that they may never be forgotten. No clerk should be satisfied until he is able to tell at a glance the value of any figure when added to or taken from any other figure. Even the longest column in the ledger should be added without a pause. Mental arithmetic also is of great importance. For want of exercising themselves in it clerks are frequently taken aback by the most simple question in interest, discount, or THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 69 fractions, and are obliged to work the calculation on paper before they can give the result. This unreadiness casts a slur upon their ability, and there is really no excuse for it. Mental arithmetic is by no means so difficult as it seems. Easy calculations in money, weights, and measures are soon learned, and a little systematic practice of them will not only bring with it unlooked for facility, but will strengthen the brain for fresh and more ambitious efforts in the same direction. When FRANKLIN was put to the blush by his comrades in the printing-office for his ignorance of arithmetic, he took COCKER'S Treatise, and " went through it with the greatest ease." He would have spared his blushes if he had adopted this course in proper time, and the hint should not be lost on others whose arithmetical knowledge is not "according to Cocker." Everyone with a little ingenuity can invent a short method of his own for making head-calculations, or he can take his model from the mental exercises contained in most books of arithmetic. From arithmetic to book-keeping is a natural transition. The merchant to whom allusion has already been made, looked upon book-keeping as a science, and perhaps its intricate yet finely harmonized principles fairly entitle it to that high rank. At any rate it should be studied scientifi- cally that is, with a due regard to the general plan and operation of its laws, as well as to the form of its details. A clerk who thoroughly understands the principles of book- keeping, will be able to apply those principles intelligently to any set of books, but if he has only a routine knowledge of the particular form of entry adopted in a particular office, he will be non-plussed whenever he is thrown out JO THE SHORTHAND CLERK. of the beaten track. SHERIFF'S Treatise of Book-keeping is one of the best text-books that the writer has seen, as every example given in it is clearly explained, and an unerring rule for debtor and creditor constitutes its "leading feature and fundamental principle." HAMILTON & BALL'S manual also furnishes good exercises, and taken together these two books contain as much information as can well be acquired outside of actual practice. In whatever business the shorthand clerk may find him- self placed, he should read all the books relating to that business that he can procure. By this means he will be able to understand the work that is going on about him, and by combining theory with practice, he will reap the full advantages of each. The literature of commerce comprises works of the greatest practical value, pre- eminent among them being McCuLLOCH's Dictionary of Commerce, LEVI'S History of British Commerce, SMITH'S Wealth of Nations, MILLS' Political Economy, and SIMMONDS' Science and Commerce. These books are simply indispensable to a thorough comprehension of business, and the writer has therefore included them in the following list of books, which should find a place in THE SHORTHAND CLERK'S LIBRARY. PHONOGRAPHIC TEXT-BOOKS : PUBLISHER. Teacher ....... Pitman. Manual ,, Reporter's Companion .... ,, Phrase Book ,, Phonographic Dictionary .... ,, THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 7 1 PHONOGRAPHIC PERIODICALS : Phonetic Journal .... Shorthand Magazine .... Lecturer, &c Irving's Elements of English Composition Mason's English Grammar .... Alford's Queen's English .... Anderson's Mercantile Letters Nuttall's Standard Pronouncing Dictionary . Postal Guide Daniel Sheriff's Science of Double-entry Book-keeping ..... Hamilton & Balls' Book-keeping Colenso's Arithmetic Tate's Modern Cambist .... Hughes' Manual of Geography Keith Johnson's School Atlas McCulloch's Dictionary of Commerce . Levi's History of British Commerce Simmond's Science and Commerce Smith's Mercantile Law .... Crump's Manual of Banking Mills' Principles of Political Economy . Smith's Wealth of Nations, (Edited by James E. Thorold Rogers; with Notes . And all the text-books bearing on the particular clerk may be engaged. PUBLISHEK. Pitman. Longmans. Walton &> Maberly. Daldy & Isbister. Trubner. Warne. Post Office. Simpkin ^Marshall. Macmillan. Longmans. Effingham Wilson. Longmans. Black-wood. Longmans. Jno. Murray. David Bogue. Stevens & Son. Longmans. Longmans. Macmillan. business hi which the Owing to their exhaustive character many of these books are expensive, but this fact will not deter an earnest student from purchasing them, however it may act on others. As RUSKIN says in Sesame and Lilies, " We talk of food for the mind, as of food for the body ; now a good book contains such food inexhaustible : it is provision for life 72 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. and for the best part of us ; yet how long most people would look at the best book before they would give the price of a large turbot for it ! " The writer can only advise his readers to gel the books regardless of their cost. They will soon pay for themselves a hundred-fold. Constant attention should be paid to the improvement I of the memory. Very little benefit can be derived from any of the advertised systems of mnemonics, which, as a rule, only burden the mind with fresh matter for remem- brance. What is wanted is cultivation from within, not artificial aid from without. The strength of a person's memory is in proportion to his powers of observation and reflection. No one can remember a circumstance unless it has made an impression upon his mind, and the stronger the impression, the more lasting and clear will be the remembrance. The secret of a good memory, in short, lies in engraving a fact upon the mind at the time of its occurrence, and in frequently reviewing the past. As already shown, a judicious use of the abstract-book will enable a correspondent to meet any calls that may be made upon his memory in regard to the contents of the letters ; but there is another species of remembrance which is more difficult, and that is the remembrance of dates. "When did So-and-so call?" and "When was that purchase made ? " are types of the questions which an employer frequently puts to his correspondent in the course of dictation. It sometimes happens that the fact itself is remembered with perfect distinctness, but not the date on which it occurred. To remedy this defect of memory dates should be grouped in limited periods (say of one week), each period to be pointed or marked off by THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 73 some important event. This plan will generally be sufficient to suggest the dates of the minor occurrences which take place in those periods. Another question frequently put to a correspondent is, " What day of the month was last Thursday?" or "What day of the month will be next Tuesday ? " Usually the clerk counts the days laboriously upon his fingers, keeping his employer waiting until that interesting operation is completed. But the relation of one day to another ought to be as clear as the relation of one year to another. With the exercise of very little trouble anyone may invent and commit to memory time-tables of weeks and months, of which the following may serve as a specimen : To a FROM K^ 3 >> >-, 3 CJ G g >, 'O !? rt T3 E rj 5 U 3 Tj 1 5 R "rt H P H CO CO 3 Monday I 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tuesday 7 I 2 3 4 5 6 Wednesday 6 7 I 2 3 4 5 Thursday 5 6 7 I 2 3 4 Friday 4 5 6 7 I 2 3 Saturday 3 4 5 6 7 I 2 Sunday 2 3 4 5 6 7 I The above arrangement looks formidable in print, but it is simple enough when committed to memory. By its aid 74 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. it is just as easy to remember the number of days between any two days of the week, as it is to remember that two and two make four. Supposing for instance, that the present date is Monday the 20th, and we are asked the date of last Friday, we shall be able to answer, with the speed of thought, "iyth," the table having taught us that the distance between Friday and Monday, is three days. Trifling as the importance of such questions may appear to an outsider, it is nevertheless, a fact that many a clerk owes his promotion chiefly to his readiness in replying to 'them. Employers have such a variety of weighty matters to think of, that many of them lose their grasp of details, and are quick to appreciate a clerk who is able to supply ytheir deficiency. Finally, however valuable a knowledge of facts may be, in itself, it should be accompanied by a quiet and contemplative process of mental analysis, by means of which the relation of different facts to each other, and their real value and significance as a whole, will be ascertained and assimilated by the mind. VIII. CONCLUSION. ON THE CHOICE OF A CALLING ERROR OF TAKING THE FIRST CHANCE THAT OFFERS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRO- FESSIONAL SHORTHAND-WRITING AND SHORTHAND-WRITING IN BUSINESS IMPORTANCE OF ENTERING CONGENIAL EMPLOY- MENT THE PROSPECTS OF A SHORTHAND CLERK LARGE AND SMALL OFFICES SPECIMENS OF CORRESPONDENCE AVERAGE SALARY THE PRIZES OF THE PROFESSION LOOKING AHEAD. WING chiefly to the fact that shorthand writing is a calling in itself, comparatively little attention is paid by the majority of shorthand clerks to the nature of the* business which they enter for the exercise of that calling. Like Mr. A. B. in our specimen letter, they " take the first chance that offers," without troubling themselves with any abstract speculations as to its general suitableness. This, however, is a grave mistake. As a distinct profession in the Law Courts or on the Press shorthand writing is lucrative enough, and opens up a sufficiently wide field for enterprize, but when used in any other business it may be compared to literature a good staff, but a poor crutch. Few accomplishments give a clerk a better start in business than a knowledge of phonography, but after the start has 76 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. once been made the accomplishment becomes of secondary importance. The business itself should then receive the greatest share of attention. Every shorthand clerk should therefore be guided by the bent of his natural abilities in entering upon an engagement, relying for his future advancement not so much upon his skill in phonography, as upon his fitness for the particular business to which that skill will introduce him. If the calling is congenial to his tastes, the chances are that he will prosper in it ; but if uncongenial, he will most likely continue in a subordinate position all his life a discontented grumbler at his fate. A clerk, for instance, who might make an excellent con- veyancer is out of place amidst the figures and bustle of the counting-house, and vice versa. The writer's own experience having been gained in commerce, he has, perhaps, a natural partiality for that sphere of work, but putting preference aside, there would still seem to be greater opportunities for advancement in commerce than in any other calling. A shorthand clerk may, and often 'does, work his way up to the rank of a solicitor, but there are considerably less difficulties in the way of his becoming a trader, if he has a natural taste for the work on which, as already stated, everything depends. It may also be taken as a general rule, that small offices afford greater opportunities for improvement than large offices, owing to the fact that in the latter a clerk is forced to confine his attention to one particular section of work, a perfect knowledge of which will by no means ensure a knowledge of the rest. In small offices, on the other hand, a clerk is expected to " do a little of everything," and is thus made acquainted with the working of the whole business. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 77 The following specimens will show the general character of the correspondence carried on in some of the leading professions, and will perhaps assist our readers in making a selection to suit their tastes. SHIPBROKER'S LETTER. We notice that the "Argonaut" has arrived at Havre from San Francisco, and shall be glad if we can assist you in procuring an outward freight for her this time. Rates unfortunately continue low, but if you will give us your views as to direction, our best shall be done to place a suitable offer before you. Should you think of sending her back to San Francisco, we could place her from Cardiff at i5/- per ton, combined with S5/- U.K. 6o/- Continent via orders, usual conditions of Charter. We might also place her from Cardiff to Riceports and home at 6s/- on the round, next season's loading, terms charter herewith. We enclose our last Freight Circular, which will shew you what is doing in other directions, and await the favour of your reply. MERCHANT'S LETTER. I beg to confirm the arrangement made with you this morning, for the purchase of the floating cargo of Rangoon Rice, per ship "Europa," at 8/9 per cwt. The quality to be guaranteed a fair average of the season's crop, or, if inferior thereto, a fair allowance to be made, to be settled by arbitration in the usual manner. Payment to be in cash, 14 days from last day of weighing, less 2^% discount. Please send me formal contract for signature, as soon as possible. 78 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. LAWYER'S LETTER. We have seen the Solicitors for the other side, who inform us that their clients repudiate all liability in respect of your claim against their late firm, with the exception of the item of iov secured by acceptance of Mr. Smith. This amount they are prepared to pay on receiving your receipt in full of all demands, otherwise the amount will be paid into court and the case contested. Please let us know as soon as possible whether we shall arrange the matter on these terms, or whether you wish us to proceed. BANKER'S LETTER. We have the pleasure to establish a credit in favor of MR. JOHN SMITH, who will present to you this letter, and we will thank you to supply him with cash to the extent of five hundred pounds sterling, or such part thereof as may not have been previously paid upon this credit, writing off on the back of this letter the sum advanced, and taking his drafts on us in your favor for your reimbursement, which we engage duly to honour. ASSURANCE COMPANY'S LETTER. In reply to your enquiry, we beg to hand you a printed form, which we will thank you to fill up and return to us, when your application will receive our prompt attention. We also enclose our book of rates, &c., for your guidance, and may mention that instead of charging rates higher than are necessary, and afterwards returning the excess in the shape of periodical Bonuses (as customary with other offices), this Society gives from the first as large an Assurance as the Premiums will with safety bear reserving THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 79 the whole surplus for those members who have lived long enough to secure the common fund from loss. A Policy for 1200 or ^1250 may thus at most ages be had for the Premium usually charged for ^"1000 only ; while, by reserving the surplus large additions have been given, and may be expected in the future, on the policies of those who live to participate. RAILWAY COMPANY'S LETTER. Please copy this Ko. in your reoly. In answer to your note of the igth inst., we beg to inform you that we have communicated with Southampton in reference to the missing package marked <^R^^ alleged to have been forwarded from that place to your address on the izth inst., but no trace of the package in question can be found in the Company's books, and we must, therefore, ask you to furnish us with further information as to time of delivery, and to whom delivered at the Southampton Goods Office, when we will institute fresh enquiries in the matter. B. 558! i STOCKBROKER'S LETTER. In accordance with your instructions we have purchased a ^"500 New Zealand Government 5/30 Debenture Bond at 98^ (which was the very best to be done), and now enclose debit note for amount of purchase money and commission. We shall receive the bond next settling day (23rd inst.), when we will hold it at your disposal. 80 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. In London, the average salary of a junior shorthand clerk, or of a shorthand clerk who has had no previous experience in that capacity, ranges from ^"50 to ^80 a year, but two or three years experience is generally sufficient to ensure to a competent writer a salary of IOQ per annum. The average salary paid in large offices to really skilful writers who have received a thorough training in their work, is i 50 per annum. In many old established and wealthy merchant's and lawyer's offices, however, as much as 200 is paid, with an annual present either at Christmas or on the occasion of the summer holidays. These are the prizes of the profession, and there is little or no prospect of a shorthand clerk being able to rise above the latter salary, unless he looks outside and beyond his task of correspondence, and qualifies himself in the manner already shown, to take an active part in the business in which he is engaged. IX. APPENDIX. ABBREVIATIONS USED IN COMMERCE TITLES AND DEGREES FORMS OF ADDRESS. ABBREVIATIONS USED IN COMMERCE. @ At, to, or from. A/c - - Account. A.D. - - (Anno Domini] In the Year of our Lord. A.M. - - (Ante meridian) Before noon. AMT. - - Amount. B/L - - Bill of Lading. B/P - - Bills payable. B/R - - Bills receivable. CAPT. - - Captain. C.B. - - Cash Book. COMM. - Commission. Co. - - Company, c/o - - Care of. CR. - - Creditor. CY. - - Currency. D.B. - - Day Book. D/b - - Days after date. DFT. - - Draft. Dis. - - Discount. G THE SHORTHAND CLERK. DiTTOorDo. The same. Doz. - - Dozen. DR. - - Debtor. D/s - - Days after sight. D.V. - - (Deo -volente] God willing. E.G. - - (Exempli gratia) For example. E.E. - - Errors excepted. E. & O.E. - Errors and omissions excepted. Ex. - - Exchange. EXD. - - Examined. FO. - - Folio. F.O.B. - Free on board. F.P.A. - Free of Particular Average. F.O.W. - First open water. IB. or IBID. - (Ibidem) In the same place. ID. - - (Idem) The same. I.E. - - (Id esf) That is. INST. - - Instant present month. INT. - - Interest. INV. - - Invoice. I.O.U. - I owe you. L/C - - Letter of Credit. L.S. - - (Locus Sigilli) Place of the Seal. MESSRS. - Messieurs. MDSE. - - Merchandise. .M/D - - Months after date. MO. - - Month. M/s - - Months after sight. M.S. - - Manuscript. N.B. - - (Nota bene) Mark well. NEM. CON. - (Nemine contradicente) No one contradicting. O/A - - On account of. % - Per cent. P/C - - Price current. P.M. - - Post meridian after noon. PRM. - - Premium. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. PRO TEM. - (Pro tempore) For the time. PR OX. - - (Proximo) In the next (month). P.S. - - (Post scriptum) Postscript. Q.V. - - (Quod -vide) which see. ULTO. - - (Ultimo} In the last (month), viz. - - Videlicit] To wit : namely. TITLES AND DEGREES. ABP. - - Archbishop. A.R.A. - Associate of the Royal Academy. B. A. or A.B. Bachelor of Arts. B.C.L. - - Bachelor of Civil Law. B.D. - - Bachelor of Divinity. B.M. - - Bachelor of Medicine. BP. - - Bishop. CAPT. - - Captain. C.C. - - Companion of the Bath. C.E. - - Civil Engineer. C.I.E. - - Companion Indian Empire. C.M.G. - Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. COL. - - Colonel. D.C.L. - - Doctor of Civil Law. D.D. - - Doctor of Divinity. F.A.S. - - Fellow of the Antiquarian Society. F.M. - - Field Marshal. F.R.C.P. - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. F.R.C.S. - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. F.R.H.S. - Fellow of the Royal Humane Society. F.R.HiST.S. Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. F.R.S. - - Fellow of the Royal Society. F.S.A. - - Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. G.C.B. - - Grand Cross of the Bath. G.C.M.G. - Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George. GEN. - - General. 84 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. H.I.H. - - His Imperial Highness. H.M.S. - Her Majesty's Service, or Ship. HON. - - Honorable. J.P. - - Justice of the Peace. K.B. - - Knight of the Bath. K.C.B. - - Knight Commander of the Bath. K.C.M.G. - Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George. K.G. - - Knight of the Garter. K.P. - - Knight of St. Patrick. K.T. - - Knight of the Thistle. L.C.J. - - Lord Chief Justice. LIEUT. - - Lieutenant. LL.B. - - Bachelor of Laws. LL.D. - - Doctor of Laws. L.R.C.S. - Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons. L.S.A. - - Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. M. A. or A.M. Master of Arts. M.D. - - Doctor of Medicine. M.R.C.S. - Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. N.P. - - Notary Public. P.C. - - Privy Councillor. PH.D. - - Doctor of Philosophy. Q.C. - - Queen's Counsel. R.A. - - Royal Academician Royal Artillery. R.E. - - Royal Engineers. R.M. - - Royal Marines. R.N. . . Royal Navy. THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 85 FORMS OF ADDRESS. NOTE : In writing to titled personages the pronoun you should never be used, and the possessive pronoun your only in conjunction with the formal title. For instance, 'your Majesty,' 'your Highness,' 'your Lordship,' should be written instead of you ; and 'your Majesty's,' 'your Highness's,' your Lordship's,' instead of your. THE QUEEN. Commencement : Madam, Conclusion : I am, With the profoundest veneration, Madam, Your Majesty's most faithful and most devoted Subject. Address : To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. PRINCE OF WALES. Com : Sir, Con : I am, With the greatest respect, Sir, Your Royal Highness's most dutiful, most humble, and most devoted Servant. Address : To His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. [The Princess of Wales is addressed in a similar way, Madam being substituted for Sir.] PRINCES AND PRINCESSES OF THE BLOOD ROYAL. The Sons, Daughters, Brothers, Sisters, Uncles and Aunts of the Sovereign come under this denomination. By Letters Patent, dated February 1864, children of Sons of the Sovereign are also entitled to the rank of Royal. Highness. Com : Sir (or Madam). Con : I am, With the greatest respect, Your Royal Highness's most dutiful and most obedient Servant. Address : To His (or Her) Royal Highness, Prince (or Princess) G2 86 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. The eldest daughter of the Sovereign is styled the Princess Royal, for whom the superscription must be as follows : To Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. Commencement and conclusion same as above. PRINCES AND PRINCESSES OF THE BLOOD. Princes and Princesses of the Blood are the Nephews, Nieces, and Cousins of the Sovereign, who do not take the title of Royal. Com : Sir (or Madam). Con : I have the honour to be, With great respect, Sir (or Madam), Your Highness's most obedient and very humble Sen-ant. Address : To His (or Her) Highness, the Prince (or Princess) . DUKES. Com : My Lord Duke. Con : I have the honour to be, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most devoted and obedient Servant. Address : To His Grace The Duke of , K.G., etc. etc. etc. DUCHESSES. Com : Madam. Con : I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Grace's most obedient and most humble Sen-ant. Address : To Her Grace The Duchess of . THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 87 MARQUESSES. Com : My Lord Marquis. Con : I have the honour to remain, My Lord Marquis, Your Lordship's most obedient and most humble Servant. Address : To the Most Honourable The Marquis of MARCHIONESSES. Com : Madam. Con : I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Ladyship's most obedient and most humble Servant. EARLS, VISCOUNTS, AND BARONS. Com : My Lord. Con : I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient and very humble Servant. Address /To the Right Honourable the Earl of . To the Right Honourable Lord Viscount . To the Right Honourable Lord . COUNTESSES, VISCOUNTESSES, AND BARONESSES. Com. : Madam. Con : I have the honour to remain, Madam, Your Ladyship's most obedient and very humble Servant. Address : To the Right Honourable the Countess . To the Right Honourable Lady Viscountess . To the Right Honourable Lady . 88 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. BARONETS AND KNIGHTS. Com : Sir. Con : I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most humble and obedient Servant. Address : To Sir Bart. (The title Knight is not added). WIVES OF BARONETS AND KNIGHTS. Com : Madam. Con : I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Ladyship's most obedient humble Servant. Address : To Lady . ARMY AND NAVY. Admirals, Commodores and Captains, and all officers in the Army above subalterns, have their rank added to their own name and title, thus : To Admiral, Sir A. B . To General, The Right Honourable Lord . GOVERNORS OF COLONIES. Com : Sir. Con : I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Excellency's obedient humble Servant. Address : To His Excellency, The Governor of . THE SHORTHAND CLERK. 89 ARCHBISHOPS. Com : My Lord Archbishop. Con : I am, My Lord Archbishop, Your Grace's most obedient Servant. Address : To His Grace, The Lord Archbishop of . BISHOPS. Com : My Lord Bishop. Con : I have the honour to be, My Lord Bishop, Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant. Address : To the Right Reverend, the Lord Bishop of . WIVES OF ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS. No clerical dignity confers any title or rank upon the wives of the dignitaries, who are merely addressed as Mrs. unless they have a title in their own right. DEANS. Com : Reverend Sir. Con : I have the honour to be, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient Servant. Address : To the Very Reverend the Dean of . ARCHDEACONS. Com : Reverend Sir. Con : I am, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient Servant. Address : To the Venerable the Archdeacon . 9 THE SHORTHAND CLERK. CLERGYMEN. Com .-Reverend Sir. Con : I am, Reverend Sir, Your obedient Servant. Address .-To the Reverend A B , M. A. JUDGES. Lord High Chancellor. -j Lords of Appeal in Ordinary. Lord Chief Justice of England. \ To be addressed as Lords. Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. J Puisne Judges and Barons of the Exchequer To the Honourable Mr. Justice . AMBASSADORS. In writing to Foreign Ambassadors resident in this country, or to English Ambassadors resident abroad, the words His Excellency should precede the rank and name, and Your Excellency should be used throughout the letter. The same form should be used in addressing Ambassadors' wives, substituting Her for His. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. SECRETARIES OF STATE : To the Right Hon. Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State For the Department. TREASURY : To the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. ADMIRALTY : To the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. The Honourable The Commissioners of Customs. ,, Inland Revenue. ,, ,, Woods and Forests and Land Revenues. ,, ,, Public Works and Buildings. etc. etc. COWELL'S STEAM PRINTING WORKS, IPSWICH. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. 31<98 Po UNIVERSITY ol CALIFOKMiA AT LOS ANGELES 256 Evans - E92s The shorthand clerk* UG 4 195& 256 E92s A 000 564 914 o .