PRICE ONE SHILLING. SIMPLEX" '0 8 6 "HIP 5 2 A SYSTEM OF SHORTHAND BASED UPON SIMPLE, PRACTICAL, AM) STRAIGHTFORWARD PRINCIPLES, ADAPTED FOR THE SCHOOL, THE OFFICE, AND THE MILLION. WALTER T. BROWNE, F.Sn.S., uovuRNon OF CHKTHAM'S HOSPITAL (THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL), MANCHKSTKR. . 0. LAWYER 'AS TEXAS Recoynised by the Education Department. MANCHESTER : HEY\VOOI>, DEAXSGATE AND RHK;KK LON DUX : K. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER Row. 188L Stalioneri w-i / *- . o 4S OXFORD SHORTHAND Co. THE 22JUL91 ID O "V H! IR,. "SIMPLEX" SHORTHAND: A SYSTEM OP SHORTHAND BASED UPON SIMPLE, PRACTICAL, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD PRINCIPLES, ADAPTED FOR THE SCHOOL, THE OFFICE, AND THE MILLION. WALTER T. BROWNE, F.Sn.S., GOVERNOR OF CHETHAM'S HOSPITAL (THE BLUE COAT^SCHOOL), MANCHESTER. Recognised by the Education Department. MANCHESTER : JOHN HEYWOOD, DEANSGATE AND RIDGEFIELD. LONDON F. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER Row. 1891. Entered at Stationers' Hall.] X J > 5 PREFACE. I THINK I hear the reader exclaim " What, another Shorthand System ! " Yes, for the simple reason that those which exist do not meet the full requirements of a system to put into the hands of children attending our Elementary Schools. In this idea I do not stand alone, for an observant journalist writes in the Church Review, May, 1881, " A legible Shorthand is the want of the age," and Thomas Anderson, F.S.S., in the concluding words of his ex- cellent " History of Shorthand," page 236. says " Of what use is the teaching of Shorthand in schools in view of the unsuitable character of the existing systems ? What is the use of burdening boys of ten, twelve, fourteen, with what men engaged in daily practising are not without their difficulties in deciphering ? " Mr. M. Levy, a writer of Taylor's System, in his "History of Shorthand Writing," published 1861, writes "The great object of every system ought to be to enable us to write a word without taking a pen from paper." These forcible and weighty words, the deliberate expression of well-known practical reporters, have been proved over and over again in my experience, in teaching other systems, to be the truth and nothing but the truth, and feeling the importance of the subject, the simple system set forth in the following pages has been devised and put to a practical test with the boys in this ancient Blue Coat School. The results have been most gratifying, and I am therefore in a position to assert that the " Simplex " Shorthand is easy to learn, easy to write, and easy to read by children working in the lowest standards, and moreover, if it be systematically taught and practised through the whole of the school course, the pupil will be able to put his knowledge to a practical and profitable use on leaving school. Having said this, I leave the system here developed to the judg- ment and final adoption of the teachers who are taking this in- teresting subject in their schools, feeling confident that when they put it to a practical test, they will say, like one of their number, "It is just the thing for our children," WALTER T. BROWNE. Chethairis Hospital, Hunt's Bank, Manchester, 1891. 448430 THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE "SIMPLEX" SHORTHAND. 1. In the elementary form there is, practically, only one size of consonants. 2. These may be written either upwards or down- wards in the case of perpendicular or angular characters, or from right to left, or left to right, in the horizontal ones. 3. All vowels are written without taking off the pen to insert them. 4. The vowels are so arranged as to be easily ivritten upon a very simple and fixed principle, from which there is no exception. 5. They make the system the most legible in existence. 6. It is written phonetically, but if the writer chooses, it caii be orthographic without any loss of legibility. 7. Every shade of sound, for practical purposes, may be expressed without lifting the pen. 8. There are no exceptions to any Rule. 9. The word signs are few, and mostly alphabetic or self suggestive. 10. Being a system of joined vowels, it is well adapted for the introduction of time saving Phraseography. 11. ABBREVIATIONS. The most common and simple prefixes and suffixes are written without taking off the pen, and are in no way to be confounded with the unabbreviated characters. 12. SPEED. There is nothing in the system to pre- vent the writer from attaining a high rate of speed. It simply depends upon practice and natural aptitude. It can be written in its elementary form at least five times as quickly as ordinary longhand. LESSON I. The consonants and vowels used in this system are principally geometrical, and have been adopted because they are simple and easy to write, and tend to give a general neatness to the writing. THE ALPHABET. 0-A "S J """ "~ s / B \ K ) T C soft C L u U 1 ^ M f- V =. E v^ 'N J w X -p s J Wh \G / P i X "N H V Qu ^ Y I -\ R Z DOUBLE CONSONANTS. V sh, or v^\^x ^\ h, or /->^-s TRIPLE CONSONANTS, y^ str, V skr, or scr, J/ spr, ^/ spl, o ing. ALTERNATIVE SIGNS. If the student prefers it, he may write the thickened consonants double length instead of thickening them, or j B, ] D, ^ G, f V, may be used. ORDINAKY VOWEL SCHEME. E o~ --y- o o Q With these signs the student can begin work, but before entering into any further description how to use them with the consonants, it is necessary to impress \ipon the learner the importance of being able to produce the con- sonant forms quickly and well to rapid dictation. Until this power is gained it will be unwise to go forward. To help the student to fix these in his memory, the following grotesque figure has been designed. It is called the Mnemonical Alphabet (see next page). The method adopted by the author is to draw this at the first lesson on the blackboard, in the presence of the class. This always rivets the attention of the pupils, and the subsequent analysis of the figure becomes more interesting to them. They should be taught to reproduce the figure again and again, naming each letter as they proceed. LESSON II. Having fully mastered the consonants, the vowels should be commenced. The arrangement adopted is simplicity itself almost all of them, as will be seen by consulting the alphabet, are merely a loop written in four positions, and the fifth a bend. We shall now proceed to give a few illustrations of the method of writing them with the consonants. How to write the vowel A. This is a loop struck upwards, thus : Examples s*tf pat ; ^ cat ; ^/^ rap ; v *~f Nat or gnat ; Sam. THE MNEMONICAL ALPHABET. S D 5H CH EXERCISE 1. Read aloud, and then write in longhand the following : A A Ni_ NL-, VX A^ SLA EXERCISE 2. Write in shorthand the following words : Pap, ban, fan, van, wasp, what, tap, dab, than, lass, hand, rant, cat, gap, jam, yam, sat, Mac, nay, bang, shad, chant, sad, pant, lag, wag, had, mad. If you have time add other words to this list, for the more you do well the easier will be your ultimate progress. How to write the vowel E. This is the same loop written to the left of the letter J, thus : Examples mend; =j debt; ~^l set; ^ guess; gem ; 3^, dress ; ^ _ less. EXERCISE 3. Write in longhand, reading aloud at the same time, what follows : 10 EXERCISE 4. Write in shorthand, taking care to do the work neatly, the following words, and as an extra exercise select from a pocket dictionary a number of words con- taining the vowels A and E, and write them out. EXERCISE 5. Ben, pent, Bet, fen, vest, when, well, whet, Ted, den, dealt, deaf, then, the, them, less, lead, let, hem, hen, red, he, rest, bed, keg, get, gem, jest, yet, Seth, meant, fell, Shem, shed, chest How to write the vowel I. This is again the same loop written downwards, the opposite of A, thus : Examples sin. EXERCISE 6. Read aloud, and then write in longhand the following words : V S 7* 1 '"M 7! EXERCISE 7. Write out in shorthand the following words : pill, big, fin, villa, wit, wick, dip, whit, tick, thin, thigh, lit, list, limn, hill, hiss, hint, rig, rim, kick, king, gig, gill, jig, sin, sill, sit, cit, zinc, my, mill, knit, nip, wing, ring, thing, shipper, chill, pity, Willie. ADDITIONAL EXERCISE 8. Find a list of words contain- ing the vowels A, E, I, and write it in the neatest short- hand you can produce. Do not hurry over your work at this stage. If you take care at the beginning, speed will come in due time. 11 How to write the vowel 0. This is again the same loop, but it is written the oppo- site way to E, thus : Examples "Y hot; L_ toss; ^f Moll;*?* sob; ^ log; "^ rod; N^" cock; p dot. EXERCISE 9. Read aloud, and then write in longhand, the following : Examples EXERCISE 10. Put into shorthand the following words : pot, pock, lot, London, voter, top, don, though, lot, lo, hob, hot, romp, rocked, robbed, cob, go, Joe, yo, yacht, so, tod, mock, shot, chopped, prong. How to write the vowel U. This sign is not a loop but a bend, something like the end of the finger-nail. This may be written in any posi- tion to suit the consonants and to make the neatest out- line. Examples ; ? cull ; *^C pun ; \tv /f cup ; k^, dun ; ? cull ; *^C hug ; muck ; Q/ j lust. EXERCISE 1 1. Read aloud, and then write in longhand, the words which follow : 12 EXERCISE 12. Write in shorthand the following words, viz. : pump, but, fun, tun, bush, bus, rut, rump, cull, gush, gum, jump, jug, sup, must, nun, bump, thumb, shut, chump, one, hut, lug, rust, thrust. ADDITIONAL EXERCISE 13. Write out a hundred words containing any of the vowels just explained. Do not attempt very long words at this stage, for, later on, abbreviations will be introduced which will help the stu- dent to write them with great ease and compactness. LESSON III. Thus far we have been treating the short sounds of the five common vowels, and as far as we have gone we have experienced no difficulty in reading and writing the examples which have been set before us. The question will now be asked, How are we to express the long sound ee and oo, as found in such words as peel, seal, teal, pool, cool, said fool? This is expressed by making these vowels , longer, thus : Examples meal; <=/^ feel ; ^ peal ; ^ fool ; 'o ^ room; /\_ pool. EXERCISE 14. Read first and then write in longhand the following : =< OE ORE at end. IE IRE at end. One glance at this scheme will be sufficient to fix it on the memory, and it only remains for us to give examples of the way these sounds are written in with the con- sonants to enable the student to use them. Examples __/v N same; . > v^ >. game; A said; near ; ^ rear ; pine; ~"V*-^ sign; code; ^- n( >te. 14 Endings : When these signs are final, then they add in the four places, AIL, EAR, IRE, and ORE. Examples |^ tail; --v^/v snail; v^ gale; Sire; / mire; pire ; V core > /-v_ more > ( l re - EXERCISE 17. Write in longhand the following words : f EXERCISE 18. Select a number of examples of words containing the vowel sounds and endings just explained, and write them in shorthand. Put the paper on one side, and on some future day take it in hand and read it out to some fellow-student. Correct all errors. It will be well, perhaps, to give a short list of words for your immediate use, thus: pane, bail, pear, pire, poem, fane, fear, fight, fool, vane, vile, vote, wane, wear, wine, tail, tire, lade, Lear, life, loam, hate, hire, bone, rape, rear, ripe, came, cite, Jane, Yale, yoke, sane, sere, soap, zone, moan, shine. 15 LESSON V. How to write AW. This is done without lifting the pen, and it is formed by a small circle cutting the consonant with which it is connected, thus : Examples : raw; ^ thaw; "^ gnaw. EXERCISE 19. Read aloud, and then write in longhand, the following : EXERCISE 20. Write in shorthand, Paul, board, fawn, vault, ward, tall, dawn, thought, lawn, haul, Gaul, yawn, sword, taw, morn, shawm, shawl, caught. How to write OW without taking off the pen. This is same sign as AW, but written larger. Ex- amples : prow ; ^-&> now ; (Q allow ; >" vow. 16 EXERCISE 21. Head aloud, and write in longhand, the following : zp -^ a> EXERCISE 22. Write in shorthand the words which follow : power, bowl, fowl, vowel, towel, down, thou, bout, hound, rout, gown, sound, Zounds, mouse, nous, shout, loup, coupe, knout, clout, out, Towser. LESSON VI. How to write oi. This can be written oy without introducing any special sign, thus : N^coy; boy; ~^^ joy; but it is better to write it in this way fj, i.e., a long u written at angle of 45, thus : Example ^/ coy; / boy; ^ joy ; v, coin ; coil ; EXERCISE 23. Read aloud, and write in longhand, the following : ^ y py f 17 . EXERCISE 24. Select from your pocket dictionary words containing oi, and write them out in neat short- hand. How to write ew. If this cannot be expressed by the u, another sign must be used. This is just the opposite of /7, and is written U. Examples S brew ; ^ crew ; ^ dew ; new. EXERCISE 25. Read aloud, and write in longhand what follows : ^ -^ 4 -} f 7% EXERCISE 26. Write in shorthand : Pewter, brewed, fewer, viewed, tune, Dude, duel, lute, Lune, Hugh, rude, cue, gew-gaw, Jew, yew, use, suit, mute, mused, nude, news, neuter, Shudehill, chew, choose, sue. LESSON VII. How to write the sound ah, as in art. This is the consonant E, ^ , shortened to a mere tick, thus : Examples arm ; *\ part ; "^^ Arne. Note in practice this is used for Har, thus : Example "*' harp ; "\^ hark ; ^ hearth. 18 EXERCISE 27. Read aloud, and write in longhand : EXERCISE 28. Write in shorthand : park, barb, far- thing, varlet, calm, card, gnarled, Jarley, yard, psalm, march, sharp. CONCLUDING REMARKS. Thus far we have provided signs for the complete con- sonant and vowel expression of the words in our language : (1) There are signs for the short vowels, as found in bat, met, chin, shot, but. (2) Long, as bate, mete, wise, note, Bute. (3) Also for oi, oy, aw, ow, ew, and ah ; and now, with the use of a few word signs, the student may begin the actual work of writing sentences in shorthand LESSON VIII. The few word signs used in the elementary style of the " Simplex " Shorthand, are as follows : 1 2 < ? > 4 V 3 No. 1 stands for A, Aye. No. 2 Eh. ' No. 3 stands for /, Hi, Eye. No. 4 0, Oh, Ho. 19 This is another use of an old friend, as these signs are not connected with any consonant, it is impossible for any confusion to arise in the reading. Example \> I o I "I am going to sing to-day." LIST OF WORD SIGNS. "*\ ah, are ) the is v y u / be all J we (of ^ Q of the Q all the |> *~~ shall V to be O yo* PUNCTUATION. There is nothing in this system to prevent the ordinary mode of pointing, but generally only the period is used, thus : Example V 7P He is a good boy. Has he come to school ? Give him a crust. Just see how he eats. 20 PART II. CONTRACTIONS AND EXPEDIENTS TO INCREASE SPEED, AND TO PRESERVE LINEALITY. In the first part unabbreviated Shorthand only was treated, and though it affords a ready means of writing, at least five times as quick as the ordinary longhand, it is obvious that many contractions must be used to render the system adapted for the work of reporting. 1. PREFIXES AND AFFIXES. Where possible these are alphabetic and written without lifting the pen, and in all cases they should be shaded to give distinctness. Com, con is a hook written in any position. Thus : Example : comply; compress ; consist; e_-^x~- conceive. Tion is the same sign. Example : connection; ~ ^^* conception ; comment; f ^/***^ combination. N All the additions to this sign, such as tion-s, ed, al, ly, ar, er, y, ate, ing, ality, are written with these signs or consonants attached to the hook. actions; /> jv mentioned; ^t sessional ; fractionally; Vfb affectionate; mentioning ; y^ nationality, &c. 21 Sys, bis, kis, ses, bes, pes. These and every syllable ending in is or es are formed by writing the consonant double size. Thus : /^ business J. dessert \ gist vv hesitate \O kissing \ kestrel C Leicester /""""^ / pistol / U 7 question "^ j 'tis I vesture Jte* this Chester JBeswick [4, display physic gesture X" festive 1_^ history Jessop ^> Jester kestrel C^_, Lisbon mission /'~~\^ message pester U 7 "^ quizzing rising ~ > y- restive tester /*" visit wisdom ^fi west Thespis V^_ yes Note. These can be written either as initial, medial, or final. Accom, aeon. This is a small K written at the begin- ning of the word but not joined. Examples : accomplished; accommodation. Unaccom is the same sign written larger, thus : Example : \^"^^ unaccompanied. 22 Recom, con, col. This is a small R written in the same position as above, thus : Examples : "N x ~~' a | recommend ; \ ~"^L, >**eoiMwZef / recompense; \^ recondite; recollect; "^ '^^ s ^ recommence. The un is added by making the sign larger, thus : Examples : ^~"^C unreconciled; ~ unrecollected. Circum is a circle joined to the first consonant, and disjoined for the un thus : Examples : circumcise; O v uncircumcise ; circumlocution; *-* counterblast. Un is added by making the dot larger, thus : i uncontradicted ; C uncontrolled. ^. . Miscom, miscon. A small M in position, thus : Examples : miscomprehend; '^-zf misconceive; misconception ; ^1^ misconducted. Un is expressed by making the M larger. Noncom, noncon. A small N in position. Examples : nonconsent; i noncontested ; Nonconformist ; *~ noncomply. 23 Extra, extre, exter. A small X in position, thus : Examples : j extradition; C*"~N extreme; external; * ^~^ extra-mural. " Self," either as prefix or suffix is " s " crossing consonant, Examples : self-imposed; f f ~' selfish ; himself; - thyself; unselfish ; Discom, discon. A small D in position ; un is added by making it larger : I '^f discommode ; * '^N disconnect ; I o undisconnected. Fore, unfor. Small and large F crossing consonant. Examples : orgive ; fZf^-s unforgiveness ; foreclose; "&*>*^, forsaken. Incom, incon, incog. Add a small tick to the "con" hook. Examples : inconstant ; (Z~*^^ incomplete ; inconsiderable; ^~^(, incognito; Inter, intro. A tick N in position. Examples ; ii *'X s j intersection; -"*L=\ intercede; w t=i_ introduce; Zz-S^ introspective. 24 Irrecon. Add a small R to the recon, thus : V >-TI / / irreconcilable. Magaa, magni. A small tick M in position. Examples : ^M magnitude; O^vv . magnanimous; magnanimity ; *** /ir*?^ magnificence. AFFIXES. Able, ible. Add a large B, thus : Examples : ^^ equable; *7 enable; ~~f^~^7 sensible; * > ~V-v' estimable ; <= V' eatable ; V' gable. Ability. Add a dot to able. Examples : **\/ mutability ; -i/"" stability. Abled. Add a small D to able. Examples : ^s'* enabled; C/'* fabled. Ableness. Add large N. Examples : agreeableness ; \^/^ i -' durableness ; nimbleness; \S*^~^^ "* indispensableness. Gate, date. Write the first cousonant small, under the former part of the word. Bated, cated, dated, and so on right through alphabet. Write the first consonant of the affix large under the last consonant or vowel thus. Example : / abated; t/ abrogated. antedated ; ^-av^ Se is jaded ; ~^ He is hated; 25 -r slated; ~^Z* checkmated; ^^ He quoted ; L addlepated ; ^. antiquated ; "^S narrated; Q^ They aresated ; ^ dictated; ^ I waited ; 2^. The shaded ; b v^ It is a graded. If any other vowel is sounded, it must be inserted. Examples : deleted ; defeated; ^ greeted ; - Be seated. Ful. F. Crossing the end of the last consonant thus. Example : 4, deceitful ; fearful. To add ness write N thus. Example : usefulness; ^~^CL man f u ^ ness - Fore. F crossing end of last consonant, thus : Examples : ^ before ; /JT therefore ; ^v heretofore. Ing, ly, s, ed. A ring at the end of the consonant, thus: sing ; " O sings; X. bring; singed; 33 singing', (1-j lovingly; ~<& swingingly. 26 Less. L crossing the last consonant, thus : Examples : ^f, sunless ; f^ faithless ; *'* waistless ; ~^ songless. To add ness write N to the L. Examples : **X> simles&ness ; z^' sleeplessness ; ^~fa boundlessness. Ness is a large N joined. Examples : vagueness ; /vA^/ plainness ; ^ ' quickness; Ality, city, sity, ity, is denoted by a dot in position : 1st dot at top of horizontal letters, and right side of others ', 2nd at bottom and left ; 3rd at end. Examples : \ formality ; Otf""^ animality ; adversity ; v >^-t^^ university ; }/S dubity ; ^^^ unity. Ment is a large M joined thus : Examples : sentiment ; t i^- l ^~~ > \ inducements ; o-o sonship. Someness. Sn crossing last consonant thus. Example .- wholesomeness ; --^/ handsomeness. Soever. Sv crossing last letter thus. Example : whatsoever ; ~^s^i howsoever. Tious, cious. A mark thus => Example : ^e^ fractious ; / luscious ; ^*f~^=^ bumptious; v M g - J gracious. To add ness write small N to affix. Time, tine. The same turned opposite. =^. Examples? "^^fitime; ^ pastime ; Argentine ; **T< = j infantine- Tude, dude. Repeat the T or D. Example : fc-^v/t amplitude; "^j certitude; a Z?wc?e / L attitude. 28 Tial, cial. An sh joined. Examples : *^v^ crucial ; & * initial ; CL^ official ; ^3 .^ credential. Logue, gogue. L and G at end. Examples : p' catalogue; ^^^"\^ g ramma i g ue j N pedagogue; ^~* t \> demagogue. Head, hood. H crossing middle and end of last letter. Examples : ^ behead ; ^^ girlhood ; manhood ; hardihood. :! Tate, tiate. Ch at end, joined. Examples : fZ-i propitiate ; *^ eventuate. Ward, wise. W at middle and end of last letter. Examples : d> forward ; ^* onward ; **^ umvise ; endwise. In the above list a large number of prefixes and affixes have been brought before the notice of the student. It will be well not to be too eager to adopt any of them. The wiser plan is to get thoroughly experienced in the use of the elementary style. The correct and quick writing of this is the true basis of all real progress. 29 PHRASE WRITING. In a system of joined vowels the construction of phrases is very easy. The temptation to incorporate too many words should be resisted. These should not go beyond three or four words, and should be readable by all the writers of the system. Examples : He is a boy. You will say. As a ; Has a. r It is so. ^N You are here. fc "*v It is right. I cannot go. I shall not be. To be seen. Look up at me. And so on ad infinitum. It will be seen that all these are the actual representation of the sounds of the words. Memory is not burdened, and with care a multitude of useful phrases can be arranged by any writer feeling the need or tnem. The author has, by way of a test, written a long string of words at haphazard on the blackboard, and a large proportion of the boys have read them off without any marked hesitation. "A gasman is seeking you for a Christmas box, Sir." Such sentences as these are frequently slowly read. 448430 30 ARBITRARY WORDS. There are to be found many words which would take too long, and cover too much space to write out fully ; a self-suggestive sign should be used. Whenever one crops up the student should invent a suitable and simple form, and get it fixed in his memory, thus : Examples : G everlasting ; ^ continual ; Q perpetual ; Q always ; ^^^ church ; under. The author is making a list of such words which he intends to issue as soon as his pupils ask for it, but already there is sufficient placed before them to enable them to realise the coveted goal of actual reporting. The whole of the Elementary "Simplex" Shorthand is now before us. From personal experience the author can say, "if the pupils are careful at the beginning regular in practice, neat in writing, and judicious in the use of the abbreviations, they will soon possess all the essentials of a ready shorthand writer." NIVERSITY ot AT T OS ANGELES LIBRARY J( i :> \ k V >^ ... ^^si c ^ y cc V [P.T.O. for translation. 32 B. 0. LrV DJLLUS, LINES TO A COMIC AUTHOR, ON AN ABUSIVE REVIEW. What though the chilly wide-mouth'd quacking chorus From the rank swamps of murk Review-land croak ; So was it, neighbour, in the times before us, When Momus, throwing on his Attic cloak, Romped with the Graces ; and each tickled Muse (That Turk, Dan Phoebus, whom bards call divine, Was married to at least he kept all nine) Fled, but still with reverted faces ran ; Yet, somewhat the broad freedoms to excuse, They had allur'd the audacious Greek to use, Swore they mistook him for their own good man. This Momus Aristophanes on earth Men called him maugre all his wit and worth, Was croaked and gabbled at. How, then, ehould'you Or I, friend, hope to 'scape the skulking crew ] No ! laugh and say aloud, in tones of glee, " I hate the quacking tribe, and they hate me ! " Samuel Taylor Coleridge. JOHN HEYWOOD, Excelsior Printing and Bookbinding Works, Manchester. [PS, 954 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below -1557 2m-9,'46(A394)470