LEONARDOS 
 SHORTHAND 
 
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 THE LIBRARY 
 
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 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
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 SHORT-HAND FOR THE PEOPLE: 
 
 BEING A COMPREHENSIVE 
 
 SYSTEM OF STENOGRAPHY, 
 
 FOUNDED OX A NEW PRINCIPLE 
 
 BY WHICH ANY PERSON, WHO CAN WRITE, MAY QUICKLY LEARN 
 
 THE ART WITHOUT A .MASTER: AND BY WHICH FROM 
 
 FOUR TO FIVE HOURS OUT OF SIX MAY BE 
 
 SAVED IN WRITING: 
 
 CONTAINING AMPLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ACQUIREMENT OF THIS 
 MOST USEFUL AND DELIGHTFUL ART. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 SHORT ARITHMETIC, 
 
 EQUALLY SIMPLE, EASY, AND SWIFT. 
 
 BY S. W. LEONARD 
 
 " It may now become a question for the consideration of Parliament, what 
 reward ought to be voted to the man who has reduced the national debt to 
 
 THREE FIGURES!" 
 
 <G*f)dtf!if)aui : 
 
 PUBLISHED, FOR THE AUTHOR, BY JOHN LOVESY, 
 IMPERIAL LIBRARY ; 
 
 AND SOLD BY LONGMAN AND CO., WHITTAKER AND CO., SIMPKIN AND CO., 4WD 
 HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO., LONDON. 
 
 M.DCCC.XXXVI1I. 
 
 * » J 
 
 • t •
 
 BATH: 
 
 Printed by Georgk Wood, 
 Parsonage Lane. 
 
 • • • • • • *
 
 >- 
 
 
 s 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 In presenting the following system of Short-Hand to the 
 Public, it is requested that those who may be inclined to 
 think such a work superfluous, will give it a candid exa- 
 mination before they pronounce it to be such. 
 
 The Author has not been actuated by motives of interest 
 or vanity, but by a desire to contribute his mite to the 
 advancement of so useful a science. 
 
 He was first led to a consideration of the subject by 
 
 having another work in contemplation, and feeling the 
 
 want of a more rapid mode of committing to paper those 
 
 evanescent ideas which are seldom so happily expressed 
 
 as at the moment in which they aTe conceived. He often 
 
 : found that, before the pen could trace the first sentence, that 
 
 Sr moment had flown for ever. To remedy this evil, the only 
 
 £S resource was Short- Hand ; but, although system after system 
 
 was explored, still the object was not attained. The same 
 
 defect presented itself in every system that professed to be 
 
 ^ infallible. What was to be done ? To write one was a 
 
 ?*" work of some labour : still it seemed preferable to the 
 
 n labour of acquiring facility in the others ; and also easy 
 
 z to avoid that which appeared objectionable in them. The 
 
 -a determination was soon formed ; the experiment was tried, 
 
 and as far as the Author's own feeling is concerned, has 
 
 been perfectly successful. It may, perhaps, not be so to 
 
 uj others ; for there is, in the human mind, a bias which gives 
 
 d to one individual the power of conceiving and executing 
 
 p that which, to another, shall be an impossibility. 
 
 It must be something of this kind which has withheld 
 from the Author many of the conceptions of other Steno- 
 graphic writers, and made them appear like " a sealed 
 book ;" — at least, for every practical purpose. The same 
 thing may happen in the attempt to communicate his own 
 ideas to other minds. Some of those minds may not be of 
 the same genera, and consequently unable to embrace that 
 which, to himself, is nature. 
 
 A 2 

 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Nevertheless, he has made bold to leave the beaten tract, 
 and, if he has succeeded in simplifying the art only in a 
 degree, his labour will be repaid. But he is free to confess 
 that his ambition has taken a more extensive range ; having 
 for its object, the bringing of the art within the reach of 
 every capacity, and every scale of education, by clearing it 
 of all unnecessary obscurity, and of all dependence on 
 other branches of learning beyond reading and writing. 
 And he confidently hopes that it will be found much more 
 generally useful than former systems ; and, that the day is 
 not far distant, when the practice of short-hand writing 
 will become universal. 
 
 Hitherto it has been confined to very few persons, com- 
 pared with the numerous classes that are employed in 
 writing ; because the vague and uncertain principles that 
 have been adopted have obscured the art, and rendered it 
 inaccessible to the millions that would otherwise have 
 enjoyed its advantages. Stenography is, yet, like an unpo- 
 lished diamond, which only requires the lapidary's art 
 to remove the rough surface that obscures its brilliancy. 
 If the rubbish can be once cleared away, the gem will 
 shine forth in all its splendour. There will then be no 
 good reason why we should continue to write in a character 
 that occupies so much time as that in present use. If the 
 sevenfold celerity which the art of Stenography undoubtedly 
 gives can be rendered tractable to all persons, we cannot 
 imagine that any one would be so unconquerably satur- 
 nine, as to prefer plodding on by the old (that is, the 
 present) mode of writing. 
 
 Leaving the abbreviation of words and sentences out of 
 the question; a manuscript, written in the character now 
 proposed, will take less than one third of the time which it 
 occupies in the common hand. An expert writer may 
 reduce it to less than one fourth. 
 
 Of the advantage attending such a result, there can be 
 no question. It would, in its way, be of as much import- 
 ance to thousands, as the increased rapidity of travelling 
 by rail-roads and steam-vessels has lately been to the com- 
 mercial world ; and if Short-Hand were, in the first instance, 
 taught in our schools, it would become as familiar, and 
 quite as legible to every one, as the common hand writing 
 is now. 
 
 All short-hand characters have a confused and perplex- 
 ing appearance at first ; but this arises entirely from their 
 novelty. Our common running hand appears equally so 
 to one who has never learned to write. This kind of 
 perplexity would be much more felt by an adult, who, 
 after having, all his life previously used" only the Short- 
 Hand character, should, for the first time, see, and begin
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 to learn our common writing. It would be more puzzling 
 in proportion as the characters are more complex ; and 
 we may easily imagine that a student, under such circum- 
 tances,* would with difficulty become reconciled to a system 
 so much more tedious in operation than that which he had 
 before been accustomed to. 
 
 If we look back to former times, we find that characters 
 were then in common use that are now entirely laid aside, 
 or used only as ornamental writing. Why have they been 
 laid aside? We need only look at specimens of those 
 characters for an answer to this question. Compared with 
 those now in use, the letters are much more complicated 
 in form, and consequently would consume too much time 
 for general use, when all is hurry and bustle and rapidity of 
 motion. Let us only fancy the whole army of clerks 
 throughout the British dominions to be suddenly com- 
 pelled to return to the use of the old English black letter, 
 German, and church texts, and engrossing hands ! ! What 
 a general consternation would ensue ! The readers would 
 be full as much dissatisfied with the change as the writers. 
 Both houses of parliament would be overwhelmed with 
 petitions, pouring in from all quarters, against such an 
 antiquated tax upon time and labour. Not one person in 
 fifty would be able to decipher a common letter of business ; 
 and merchants, of twenty or thirty years standing, would 
 have to go to school again before they could proceed with 
 their commercial affairs. 
 
 If such then has already been the progress of Pen- 
 manship, may we not anticipate the time when our running 
 hand will appear as tedious, and become as obsolete, as the 
 old black letter is to us at this period ? 
 
 We know the thing is to be done. We know that Short- 
 Hand, imperfect as it may yet be, does far outstrip the 
 swiftest common hand writing. And a few individuals 
 there are now, who can follow a speaker with ease. But the 
 notes thus taken must be transcribed into long-hand before 
 the type can be set up. The compositor cannot do it from 
 the short-hand copy. Neither can the notes, unless they 
 are as fully taken as possible, be well transcribed by another 
 writer, who was not present when they were taken. Here 
 and there, two writers may perhaps do it, who are well 
 accustomed to each other's marks, &c. ; but, generally speak- 
 ing, it is not an easy task. 
 
 The great drawback seems to be, that, hitherto, the rules 
 of Stenography have been too indefinite, and too intricate, 
 to be generally understood ; and its principles are not suffi- 
 ciently fixed. No system has yet made its appearance, so 
 unobjectionable as to induce all men to adopt it for their 
 own ease and convenience, and the despatch of business. 
 
 A 3
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Author of this Work has endeavoured to trace ont 
 the defect which has thus retarded the general use of so 
 delightful an accomplishment. He ventures to conclude, 
 that he has, at least, discovered where it lies ; and he has, 
 accordingly, made a bold stroke at (what he considers to be) 
 the root of the evil. 
 
 When we commence studying Music, we have a number 
 of characters to learn which are totally different, and distinct 
 from any thing we have before attempted. They puzzle us 
 exceedingly at first ; and, for some time, we torture the ears 
 of our friends with our vile mistakes. There is no difference 
 in this respect between the most learned Greek at the 
 University, and the humble long-divisionist in a common 
 day-school. Nevertheless, the musical characters do, ulti- 
 mately, lead the industrious student, with certainty, to the 
 highest rank in the art ; and the accomplished professor 
 takes a musical score, which he has, perhaps, never seen till 
 that moment, and (exactly as the writer of that music 
 intended it to be) plays from it the most brilliant and diffi- 
 cult passages ; running through the most sublime mazes of 
 harmony and modulation, with a rapidity and precision 
 truly astonishing to the uninitiated. 
 Now, how has all this been effected? 
 Certainly not by giving to some of the musical characters 
 several different significations, and leaving the performer to 
 guess which they may possibly be intended for ! So far 
 from this being the case, every little variation of length in 
 the notes — their acuteness or gravity — the manner of playing 
 them — all have a distinct mark, which leads the performer, 
 with the utmost exactness, to give all the notes the precise 
 situation, length, and effect, which the composer intended 
 them to have. 
 
 It is the same in our Alphabet, both in type and 
 manuscript, and it never happens that the same letters (or 
 characters) represent five or six different syllables, or words. 
 On the contrary, each combination has one fixed meaning, 
 and no more; consequently, any person may decipher what 
 has been written or printed by another. 
 
 The inference to be drawn from these observations must 
 be evident. The Author deems it conclusive ; and ventures 
 to assert, that no system of Short-Hand will ever become 
 general, which does not adopt a separate mark for every 
 letter — and, as far as possible, give to every combination of 
 those marks one definite signification. 
 
 It may be asked, — " How are we to have a sufficient 
 number of simple marks to express the multitude of 
 words that we have occasion for?" This question might 
 be answered by another, viz., How is it that twenty-six 
 letters are made to express the whole number of words con-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 tained in our own language, and in several others ? But a 
 practical illustration is given in the following system, which 
 is formed on the above-named principles, and to which we 
 will refer the reader, after a few remarks on Simplicity, — on 
 the Application of Grammar, — on Orthography, — and on 
 Writing by Sound. 
 
 First, with regard to Simplicity. 
 
 Of all the Stenographic systems that have hitherto 
 been published, not one has ever come into general use. 
 Much less have they besn able to accomplish the object 
 which some of them talk about, — that of superseding the 
 present mode of writing. Why ? Because, though all have 
 professed to do one thing, that one thing has never yet 
 been done. The art has never yet been simplified ! The 
 fact is, that none of the Stenographic writers have ever 
 availed themselves of the variety which lies before them : 
 like superficial composers of music, who pass their whole 
 lives without being aware of the hidden treasure contained 
 even in passages written by themselves, and which a know- 
 ledge of double counterpoint would at once lay open to 
 their view. The Stenographers find that there is a very 
 limited number of simple marks to be had. Thinking to 
 economise, they begin simplifying by making one mark 
 serve many purposes. This procedure leads them into 
 innumerable difficulties ; not only creating a necessity for 
 auxiliary marks, arbitraries, and a multitude of rules and 
 exceptions, but absolutely shutting them out from the use 
 of that endless variety which the characters will admit of 
 when properly applied. Having taken a wrong path at the 
 outset, by adopting a deficient and ill-chosen alphabet, their 
 difficulties increase at every step ; and, in spite of their 
 boasted advantages, their system ends in confusion and 
 perplexity. 
 
 Many of the supposed advantages of other systems are, 
 in this work, thrown aside as positive incumbrances ; even 
 the apparently essential one of grammatical rules and ab- 
 breviations. The reader will observe, that all grammatical 
 terms are studiously avoided, as they are not only super- 
 fluous, but, in a work intended for general use, they would 
 even be fatal to its success. This may appear strange to 
 some ; and, indeed, a friend has observed, that " A person 
 who knows nothing about grammar is not qualified to be a 
 reporter." Most readily is the position granted ; but we 
 may reply, that all persons cannot be reporters. There are 
 thousands to whom Short-Hand would be an invaluable 
 acquisition ; whose industry and talent have raised them 
 from menial employments to situations of trust and import- 
 ance ; though not possessing the advantages of a liberal 
 education, and who perhaps never learned a grammatical
 
 8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 rule in their lives. Others there are who, under certain 
 circumstances, may have acquired a habit of speaking and 
 writing with tolerable correctness, and yet have troubled 
 themselves very little about grammar. These would per- 
 haps be puzzled if required to conjugate a verb, or even 
 name the parts of speech ; and, rather than decline a noun, 
 would decline the subject altogether. Such persons, how- 
 ever they might desire to learn Short-Hand, would certainly 
 throw it aside the moment they caught sight of " Marks for 
 Grammatical Abbreviations" and " Auxiliary Verbs." 
 
 But, setting aside the convenience of this latter class, it 
 is fair to conclude, that, while the absence of grammatical 
 terms in Stenography cannot be of the slightest disadvan- 
 tage to the most learned grammarian, it will most materially 
 accommodate the industrious classes, who may not have the 
 felicity of being acquainted with them. 
 
 Of the propriety, and even frequent necessity, of allow- 
 ing the Orthography of Short-Hand to be guided by the 
 sound of words, there can be no doubt ; but the rule is 
 often misapplied, and such abuse should be guarded against. 
 The advocates for writing entirely by sound either forget, 
 or they are not aware of the fact, that the ear is very often 
 defective. It is this which prevents many from learning 
 music ; and renders the acquirement of languages so diffi- 
 cult to others. The Author has met with many who, to use 
 their own phrase, " could never turn a tune ;" others who 
 write several languages extremely well, but speak them very 
 badly. Some can be as much gratified with the sound of a 
 Jews-harp, or a hurdy-gurdy, as with the delicious tones of 
 Bochsa or Paganini. And a very clever friend has declared 
 that, — provided he could hear the words, — the tune of 
 " Polly, put the kettle on" was quite as agreeable to him as 
 the most refined melody he ever listened to. In all these 
 cases there must be a very imperfect perception of the dif- 
 ference of sounds. Phrenologically speaking, the organ of 
 tune, and those connected with it, must be small, and feebly 
 developed. Such persons would most probably be incapable 
 of learning Stenography on the principle of sound. Dif- 
 ference of country, and even provincial dialects, will also 
 have some influence in rendering a system on this principle 
 abortive. There is a peculiar sound given by the peasantry 
 of Gloucestershire to the vowel a that we shall not find in 
 Walker's Dictionary ; and if the English Stenographer, 
 who has written marks for every sound in our language, 
 were to hear them pronounced by a Scotchman, he would 
 probably pull his o wn ears, and write another exception to 
 his rules, or a new set of marks for Scotland. 
 
 For these, and other reasons that might be urged, it 
 appears indispensably requisite that our Short-Hand should
 
 INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 be, to the full, as independent of sound as the common 
 hand is : at least, if we would render it accessible to all 
 classes ; and it is the avowed object of this work to do so. 
 
 In order to prevent any misapprehension of the fore- 
 going remarks, it may be observed, that our system does not 
 require absolute adherence to the established orthography. 
 On the contrary, full as many deviations (in the way of con- 
 traction) will probably be found as in any system whatever. 
 It is only the substitution of letters, one for the other, and 
 the giving to one mark mauy different meanings, that are 
 here rejected as false principles, which, instead of simplify- 
 ing, only serve to create ambiguity : for instance, the ab- 
 surdity of spelling the words clearing and colouring with a 
 k, and representing them both by the same mark, viz., klrng ! 
 
 However, the Author is fully aware of the power of 
 habit and prejudice ; and, therefore, he would say to those 
 who are iu favour of the " cognate sound " principle, that 
 there is nothing in this system to prevent the characters 
 being used according to that principle. They may, if they 
 please, continue to spell physician with an F — (jizishan), — 
 and represent, also, felicity, fallacy, and foolery, by one 
 and the same mark. He only begs to observe, that iu this 
 work the practice is not recognized ; and he must enter his 
 protest accordingly. 
 
 Now comes the grand puff! To be in the fashion, 
 something more must be said of the "extreme brevity" of 
 the system= The promise of very wonderful facility has 
 generally ended in disappointed expectation. We must, 
 therefore, in truth and candour, confess, that all which we 
 can absolutely gain in brevity, without assistance from some- 
 thing else, is the difference between the short-hand charac- 
 ters and those of the common hand. In all beyond this 
 difference, we are subject to a law something like that in 
 mechanics ; viz., what is gained in power is lost in time. 
 So, in stenography, what we gain in time, we lose in legi- 
 bility. The more we abbreviate, the more we must draw 
 upon our own memory ; and the less our writing will be 
 legible to others. Henceforth let no abbreviator think to 
 set aside this law. The attempt will be fallacious : he will 
 as soon discover the perpetual motion. 
 
 All the marks used in this system have been duly con- 
 sidered. They are not selected and applied as mere fancy 
 might dictate ; but have been changed, and written with, 
 many times and in many different ways, without reference 
 to other systems. Indeed, the great object was, to avoid 
 being influenced by others in choice and arrangement. 
 For a considerable time, the characters appeared to elude 
 every effort to bring them into any thing like systematic 
 harmony with each other ; but, at length, a new perception
 
 10 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of their powers burst suddenly upon the almost astonished 
 mind of the Author. New arrangements were made in 
 order to bring those powers into action. The veil was 
 removed which had enveloped the science in darkness and 
 difficulty. All further obstruction seemed to vanish ; and 
 the pleasing discovery, that the defect was not in the mate- 
 rials, but in the working of them, gave fresh energy to 
 persevere in completing the present arrangement. 
 
 But, although the result has been so far satisfactory, the 
 Author feels that more may yet be done. The greatest pos- 
 sible degree of perfection is not yet attained, and future 
 experience must supply that which is yet wanting. How- 
 ever, he hopes it will be admitted that the characters of his 
 alphabet, and double letters, are shortened to the utmost 
 limit consistent with their use. There is neither loop nor 
 angle to be found in them ; and they never lose their iden- 
 tity in any of their combinations. It may also be fairly 
 stated, that a greater number of the letters belonging to 
 each word can be inserted, in proportion to the number of 
 marks used, than by any other system the Author has yet 
 seen, because two and three letters are so continually ex- 
 pressed by one mark, and often four or five letters by one 
 inflexion of the pen. Also those abrupt departures from 
 our established orthography, which make it so difficult to 
 decipher in many systems, are not at all necessary here, the 
 characters being so arranged, that it is even more easy to 
 insert the proper letters than to write substitutes for them. 
 
 As we shall have occasion to enlarge on this, and other 
 points, further on, we will now briefly sum up the leading 
 features of our System. They may be enumerated thus. 
 
 1st. The representation of every letter in the Alphabet 
 by one simple mark, distinct from all the rest. 
 
 2d. The total abolition of the very defective method of 
 substituting one letter for another. Also, that of giving 
 several meanings to the same mark. And the utter ex- 
 tinction of all ambiguity arising from those methods. 
 
 3d. The numerous rules and exceptions that encumber 
 every other system, and draw so largely on the memory of 
 the writer, are entirely done away in this ; one general rule 
 only, applying to, and pervading the whole : thus leaving 
 the mind as free and undivided as in common writing. 
 
 4th. It is entirely independent of grammatical rules, or of 
 any other science, save that which all systems require ; viz., 
 a correct formation of the characters. It is also indepen- 
 dent of ruled lines, or any other aid beyond common writing. 
 
 5th. All the compound characters are formed upon, and 
 in connexion with, the simple characters of the Alphabet, 
 and double letters : thus rendering the use of arbitraries 
 unnecessary.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 11 
 
 6th. Consequently, it depends less upon the memory than 
 any other system extant, and is more easily acquired. It is 
 as short without abbreviated words as some other systems 
 are with them ; and, at the pleasure of the writer, admits 
 of being made much shorter. 
 
 With these explanatory remarks, the Work is now laid 
 before the Public, in humble confidence that it will not be 
 entirely without its use. Should it render half as much 
 service to others as it already has done to its Author, there 
 will be ample cause for mutual gratulation. If it only mark 
 out the track for a better and more convenient road to per- 
 fection in the Art, it will exceed the expectation of the 
 Author, who originally intended it only for private use. 
 And even should it sink into oblivion, it will impart the 
 pleasing reflection that he has, at least, endeavoured to be 
 of senice to mankind ; while, to himself, it continues to 
 yield both pleasure, in the practice of it, and profit, in the 
 continual saving of many hours of sedentary labour.
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 The art of Short-Hand Writing has received several names ;* 
 the most appropriate of which is, Stenography: being 
 derived from two Greek words, Stenos, short ; and Graphe, 
 a writing. As the name fully implies, the science enables 
 us to commit any subject to paper in a much shorter time 
 than we can possibly do by our common writing. 
 
 To write the common Alphabet, in small hand, takes 
 about 105 motions of the pen; Capitals take about 135. 
 By the Stenographic Alphabet of this System, it takes 26 
 motions ; one for each letter. Here, then, is a saving of 
 three-fourths of the time. A further reduction is effected 
 by the aid of double letters, and by the peculiar arrange- 
 ment of the characters, which often allows three, four, and 
 five letters to be distinctly expressed by one mark of the 
 pen. So that, without having recourse to the usual omission 
 of vowels, and superfluous consonants, a letter which would 
 take an hour to write, in the common hand, may, by this 
 method, be written in ten minutes — one-sixth of the time. 
 By the aid of abbreviations, a much greater swiftness will of 
 course be attained, for the use of reporters, &c. The un- 
 abbreviated short-hand, in which every word is written, will 
 afford us the means of reducing the labour and fatigue of 
 the reporter, in being obliged to transcribe his notes into 
 the common hand, if, instead of doing this, he were to 
 transcribe his abbreviated notes into unabbreviated short- 
 hand, which, it is assumed, may be soon read by compositors 
 (and indeed by every person), as the common hand is now ; 
 in such case, the saving of labour to the reporters would 
 always be more than three-fourths of the time at present 
 occupied in transcribing. The Author conceives that this 
 may be well worth the attention of those gentlemen whose 
 health and comfort are so often sacrificed to excessive 
 
 * Brachygraphy, Tachygraphy, &c. A late writer calls it 
 " Ideagraphy."
 
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 JAJV1U . 
 
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 froiael 
 
 mafyfcd &Cc . 
 
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 ■:/yr/^ tfye- a^tn^e asie d-ececfeet tne ( nanacteftj 
 
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 n O
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 13 
 
 application ; and, besides, it would often expedite the 
 transmission of news. 
 
 The characters used in Stenography are of two kinds,! ft 
 viz, — Simple and Compound ; or, as they are often called, 
 Radical and Derivative. The simple or radical characters 
 consist of either a line, or segment ef a circle, and require 
 but one motion of the pen to write them. 
 
 By varying- the position of a Hue — placing it perpen- 
 dicularly, horizontally, and obliquely, each way, at two 
 different angles (see Plate 1st), we obtain six distinct 
 marks, or characters. Then, placing the curve, or segment 
 of a circle, perpendicularly, horizontally, and obliquely 
 each way at only one ' angle (45°), and reversing their 
 convex sides, we have eight more. By using tuo sizes 
 of the fourteen characters, thus produced, we double the 
 number. By increasing the curve to a semi-circle, and 
 using two sizes, we obtain sixteen other characters. Again 
 introducing the line as a dash, or hair-stroke, and the 
 curve as a comma, allowing the dash four positions, and 
 adding the dot, we shall have fifty simple marks at our 
 disposal. From these, the characters of the Alphabet are 
 selected : some of which are again introduced a size larger 
 (called double size) y in order to have simple marks for the 
 double consonants, &c. (see Plate 1st.) Including these, 
 we have above seventy simple and distinct characters at 
 command. 
 
 Compound or Derivative characters are all those having 
 loops, small curves, semi-circles, or angles, attached to them. 
 They require two or more motions of the pen to write them. 
 
 They are never used for single letters in this system. All 
 the Alphabetical Compounds of two letters are given in 
 Plate 3d. 
 
 It is indeed matter of surprise to the Author, that, in 
 most of the systems he has yet examined, their Alphabets 
 contain so many compound characters, when (if properly 
 employed) there are so many simple marks to select from. 
 If we analyse those systems, we shall find them very far 
 from possessing all the simplicity and brevity that the 
 science will admit of. We notice, amongst others, those 
 which have been called the "Stenographic Standards," 
 where we find, that — 
 
 Gurney's Alphabet has fifteen compound, or derivative 
 characters ; three of which express two letters each : so 
 that, in effect, there are no less than eighteen compound 
 characters. The simple marks are eight, one of which 
 expresses two letters (c and k) ; x, on the contrary, has two 
 characters to represent it, both compound. 
 
 Byrom's Alphabet has thirteen compounds,— all of them
 
 ]4 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 looped I * Of these, k and c are alike ; / has three charac- 
 ters, and x two. The simple marks are also thirteen : b 
 having tv\o, and c, s, and z, being alike. The vowels and 
 y are alike (dots) ; the latter having also a compound. 
 
 Taylor's Alphabet has eleven compounds: seven are 
 looped — w having two of them. The simple marks are 
 eight ; one of them expressing c, h, and q ; and another c, 
 s, and z ; d and r are alike — the latter having also a com- 
 pound. The vowels a, e, i, have a dash ; and o, it, y, a dot; 
 y has also a compound. 
 
 Jn Mavor's Alphabet there are twelve compounds: h 
 and p have each two of them. The simple marks are nine 
 — c has two ; one of which also expresses k ; and the 
 other, s and z. I and r are alike ; the latter has also a 
 compound. The vowels a, e, i, have a comma ; and o, u, y, 
 a dot. 
 
 The Alphabet of Curtis has sixteen characters only: 
 eio-ht of which are compounds (six being looped). The 
 remaining eight are simple ; of which number d and r are 
 alike, as in Taylor's, whose characters he, in great part, 
 follows. The vowels are dots. 
 
 The Alphabet of Wells has only thirteen characters for 
 the single letters. They are all simple except two : but no 
 less than five of them express two, three, and four letters 
 each ; as,/, m, v,ph, by one mark ; also c, ch, k, and x, by 
 another. Then s, c soft, and z ; j, and g soft ; I and r. The 
 vowels are dots ; and y has a dot and a small circle or loop. 
 Then there are twenty-two compound marks for double and 
 triple consonants : some of them expressing two, three, and 
 four different combinations. A like number is added for 
 grammatical abbreviations, prefixes, and affixes. A fourth 
 set for auxiliary verbs, 6cc ; and a fifth set for arbitrary 
 abbreviations. In all, above one hundred characters ; some 
 of them having several different meanings ; and the system 
 depends on grammatical rules.f 
 
 * Looped characters are the very worst that can be chosen ; not 
 only as being compounds, but they will not join well, and are apt to 
 blot up. Every looped character we write takes at least as much 
 time as two letters ought to do ; and they are, besides, not suffi- 
 ciently distinct from each other. 
 
 T We may pass over those systems which require ruled lines, as 
 only adapted to the use of those very ingenious persons, whose 
 talent finds its level in surmounting unnecessary difficulties. 
 
 They are only mentioned here for the purpose of observing, that, 
 by the method given in this book, considerably more is effected 
 without ruled lines, than any of those systems can do with them ; 
 and with one twentieth part of the time and trouble required in 
 learning them. To those who may not have seen one of those 
 systems, a brief description may not be unacceptable : — Two or
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 15 
 
 There would be no end of meeting and answering all 
 the frivolous objections continually advanced by the ignorant, 
 the superficial, and the lazy parts of mankind : but one 
 assertion which has been made by Stenographers and 
 others who ought to have known better, as it tends to 
 mislead those who either cannot or will not judge for them- 
 selves, it may be as well to notice. 
 
 I It has been said that — "Nature furnishes us with no] 
 jmore than nine distinct simple marks." Now this is not] 
 true in any sense. It is both more and less than the truth. 
 Mathematically speaking, there are no more than two, or, 
 at most, three simple marks in nature, viz. the straight line, 
 the curved line, and the point or dot, from which both these 
 are produced by progression ; all the rest are mere apparent 
 varieties of the same line and curve, produced by being 
 placed in different positions with respect to our eye. Some 
 give the line four positions, and the semi-circle four ; which, 
 with the dot, make the nine simple marks that they say 
 nature produces. 
 
 Others admit also a segment of a larger circle in eight 
 positions, — making, with the others, seventeen simple marks; 
 and these say, that nature furnishes that number. Others 
 again venture a step further, and introduce a line or curve 
 twice the length of the former marks. 
 
 These are condemned by another class, who say that 
 marks of different sizes, or more or less curved, are highly 
 objectionable. With just the same propriety, they might 
 argue against the use of capital and small letters in our 
 common writing. The latter class have recourse to loops 
 
 three lines are ruled across the page, in the manner of music-paper, 
 and ethers from top to bottom, forming a number of small squares 
 all over the page. Each square is a position for a certain letter, and 
 we must suppose that letter to be there without writing it. Then 
 placing the pen upon the square which represents the first letter of 
 the word to be written, we must write the second letter; or, if that 
 is a vowel, write the next consonant — or only the last, as the case 
 may be. In this kind of short-hand, a continual jumping of the 
 pen, from one position to the other, must occur ; and consequent 
 loss of time, besides that which indifferent memories or imperfect 
 sights will spend in ascertaining which position they must begin 
 with. Two or three jumps may thus occur before the right position 
 is jumped upon. The mind being thus divided, the thread of our 
 subject is in danger of being: broken, and a further loss of time 
 occasioned. To save more than the first letter in each word, a 
 greater number of positions must be employed, and mastered by the 
 student, before he can begin to write. And when he has done so, 
 there is the continual expense of ruled paper, or the continual time 
 and trouble of ruling it ourselves. The time and trouble will be 
 more than that saved in writing; and the expense of short-hand 
 paper will even exceed that of music paper, — because it must be 
 ruled downward, as well as across; and with two coloured inks, 
 B 2
 
 16 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 and small hooks, joined at one end of the former marks — a 
 rery unnecessary expedient, as we may have a sufficient 
 number of simple marks if we like to use them. "Oh, 
 but," say the loop-and-hook writers, " your marks will not 
 he sufficiently distinct from each other for the purposes of 
 Stenography, if you use more than we have set down.' : 
 Now may we not laugh at the absurdity of these Stenogra- 
 phic law-makers? who, while they are contending for suffi- 
 cient distinctness between the characters, are themselves con- 
 founding all distinction, by writing one and the same mark 
 for several different letters. And then they tell us, that 
 the sound and sense cannot fail to set us right as to which 
 letter or word is intended \ 
 
 Thus they continue playing at follow-myTeader in the 
 same unvaried track, each fancying his own achievement 
 superior to his fellows, while in reality there are only some 
 shades of difference in the superior clumsiness with which 
 a part of them scramble through their task ; never once 
 suspecting that their own precepts only proclaim the un- 
 educated state of their eye, or their ignorance of geometry 
 to be so great, that they cannot distinguish one angle from 
 another if it be less than forty-five degrees! 
 
 To those whose perceptions go no further, and who are 
 content to remain in that state of blissful unconsciousness, 
 the Author candidly recommends that they proceed no 
 further with this system ; since he is ftrrnly of opinion 
 that if the student cannot learn to distinguish an angle 
 of 20° or 70° from one of 45, c and these again from the 
 horizontal and perpendicular lines, as given in Plate 2d, 
 he is not in a state to learn any short-hand but the old 
 ambiguous systems of substitution and guess-work. 
 
 ISow it must undoubtedly create confusion in any 
 system, when one character must represent three or four 
 letters. It is not so in our common Alphabet. There, 
 every letter has its distinct character. The one is never 
 substituted for the other ; and herein seems to lie the grand 
 secret of making the twenty -six characters or letters of our 
 Alphabet represent clearly, and at once, to the eye, the 
 many thousands of words contained in our language ; so 
 that a good reader is never for a moment in doubt as to the 
 meaning of the characters before him. A single glance 
 conveys to the mind whole sentences, much quicker than 
 they cau be uttered ; and this, too, ivith absolute certainty. 
 But it may be doubted whether that would be the case, if 
 one character were made to express c, ch, k, and z ; another 
 to express s, c, and z ; a third, /, v, and ph ; a fourth, I and 
 r ; and a fifth, a, e, z, o, w. and y. Let any one try the 
 experiment with a few sentences, and give his writing to 
 another person to read. We will quote, for instance, a
 
 STENOGRAPHY. J 7 
 
 passage from the Author of the above Alphabet. Selecting 
 k,to express that letter and its " cognate sounds" c and ch ; 
 /, also for v, and ph ; c, for its cognates s and z ; I and r 
 indiscriminately ; and o, to represent all the vowels and y ; 
 the passage alluded to (inserting every letter) will then 
 stand thus: 
 
 " To plofodo o coctom of c-*olt-ond ot onko compro, oocoro 
 to bo lomombolod, fokoro to t-o wlotol, ond porfoctro doclonkt, 
 ond rogobro ot ono doctonko of tomo, wot-oot t-o konko of 
 mocopplo-oncoon." 
 
 Now, if this vile jargon puzzles the eye so much in a 
 character with which we have been long acquainted, and 
 where we have only to recollect the five letters which repre- 
 sent themselves and thirteen others, what will it do in a 
 character that is new to us ? Omit the vowels, and it will 
 be equally unintelligible. And yet this is a system which 
 professes to remove the obscurity of former systems ; and 
 for publishing which, no doubt, the motive was what its 
 author declares it to be, viz : 
 
 " To provide a system of Short-Hand, at once simple, easily 
 to be remembered, facile to the writer, and perfectly distinct and 
 legible at any distance of time, without the chance of misap- 
 prehension." 
 
 Such is the interpretation of the passage written above, 
 with the substitution, by its author, of one letter for ano- 
 ther. Let the reader judge whether it answers the purpose 
 described, or not ; and whether he thinks he could, in six 
 months, acquire the art of distinguishing three, four, and 
 even six, characters from each other, which are invariably 
 represented by one and the same mark. 
 
 It is a mistaken idea, to aim at simplicity in this art, by 
 making the same character express several letters ; although 
 they may be " cognate sounds" It js decidedly the wrong 
 sort of simplicity ; and what little (if any thing) is gained in 
 this way, is very much more than counterbalanced by the 
 ambiguity thus created. 
 
 It should be remembered, that brevity is not the sole 
 object of Short-Hand : it should also be very clear ; not only 
 to the writer himself, but to others by whom it has fre- 
 quently to be deciphered ; and (thanks to the mistaken 
 simplicity which hitherto has mystified the art) must be 
 transcribed into long-hand before the compositor can set 
 up the type. 
 
 Where is the use of writing which cannot be deciphered P 
 This complaint is made of one of the best systems (Dr. 
 Mavor's), that " the deciphering it is a very difficult task indeed" 
 
 * There being no character for h, except in connexion with $ and 
 c, it is here represented by the hyphen. 
 B 3
 
 18 STENOGRAPH T. 
 
 And of another of the best (Mr. Gurney's), that " it requires 
 very great application and labour before it can be correctly and 
 rapidly icritlen" And yet, oddly enough, the author who 
 states this complaint has just before asserted, that " it is 
 impossible to devise rules by which the object could be better 
 attained.'" And then sets himself about the task of improv- 
 ing them, and removing their obscurity, in the manner 
 before quoted ! 
 
 It is evident, however, that there must be some defect in 
 the principles on which short-hand systems have hitherto 
 been constructed. To atfempt the removal of that defect is 
 certainly praiseworthy ; but the object does not seem likely 
 to be accomplished by making still more turnings and wind- 
 ings on the same main-road. In all short-hand, the ortho- 
 graphy of our language is sufficiently encroached upon„ 
 without rendering it more obscure by using the same cha- 
 racter indiscriminately for several different letters ; and 
 there is not so much trouble in learning to write 26 charac- 
 ters as in distinguishing 26 letters by only 13 characters. 
 The first trouble is very soon got over ; whereas, the latter 
 mode creates a lasting difficulty where none need exist. 
 We may venture to say, the difficulty will never be got over 
 where a person has to transcribe the short-hand writing 
 of another. 
 
 We may give a thing a fine name ; but, unless we make it 
 useful, very little is gained. We may talk about " the philo- 
 sophical analogy of elementary sounds." It is not the analogy 
 of sounds that we want to learn in Stenography. It is the 
 art of distinguishing those sounds in writing, by a new set 
 of characters, perfectly simple, and so arranged as to be 
 capable of expressing our language in far less time than any 
 other method before known. 
 
 It appears to the Author of this work, that those sounds 
 which are the most alike should be carefully distinguished 
 from each other by the characters which represent them. 
 For, however defective our orthography may be ; however 
 great the discrepancy between the sound of words and that 
 of the letters which compose them ; it is not very probable 
 that any short-hand system whatever will effect a sudden, 
 radical reform, and overturn that orthography altogether. 
 Will it not, therefore, be rather the wisest plan to accom- 
 modate our short-hand, in some degree, to the existing laws 
 of orthography ? and 
 
 rather bear those ills we have 
 
 Than fly to others that we know not of." 
 
 For, certainly, some of the proposed " remedies " have been 
 " worse than the disease." 
 
 But, however this may be, in a science that, if carried
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 19 
 
 out to great extent, requires a retentive memory, that faculty 
 should he taxed as lightly as possible ; and there is certainly 
 no necessity for making us stop to recollect whether a cha- 
 racter is intended to represent bl, br, pi, or pr ! However 
 simple that character may he in itself, it will not make 
 amends for such an inconvenience, which must frequently 
 occur in deciphering, where the sense is not clearly made 
 out by the connexion of a word with the other parts of a 
 sentence. The short-hand writer does not feel the difficulty ; 
 it is only in deciphering that the defect becomes formidable : 
 a defect which will always prevent any system in which it 
 is found from coming into general use. 
 
 In the System now presented, this defect is entirely 
 removed. The characters, from their peculiar arrangement, 
 join as readily, and admit of the same variety of combina- 
 tion, as the common alphabet. Therefore, each combination 
 receives its proper mark ; and letters which, in common 
 orthography, do not belong to words, are never inserted here. 
 Thus our Short-Hand is rendered as easy to decipher as the 
 common writing. We have also the advantage, that no 
 possible combination of the characters can be mistaken for 
 any other than those intended. The alphabetical appear- 
 ance is always preserved. 
 
 We must now notice the vowels, and the mode of using ft 
 them ; both being different from all the before-mentioned ' 
 systems. 
 
 Every vowel has a distinct character, like the consonants. 
 So far it agrees with Gurney's : but in that system the vowel 
 characters are not only all compound, except a, but each is 
 also represented, at the end of words, by a dot, placed at 
 the top, middle, or bottom, of a consonant (PI. 4, Ex. 1) ; 
 each situation representing two vowels. In three other 
 systems, nearly the same method is adopted. Byrom places 
 a dot in jive situations against the consonant, to express the 
 five vowels. (Ex. 2.) Taylor's dash for a, e, i, and dot for 
 o, u, y, have each three situations to express their three 
 vowels. (Ex. 3.) Mavor uses the comma and dot in the 
 same way. 
 
 Now, with all due deference for authorities which seem 
 to have led the way in this science, and setting aside the 
 intricacy of the plan, and the confusion of having two or 
 more significations for the same mark, it will often happen 
 that the adjoining consonant will prevent the insertion of 
 a vowel in its proper situation. And, besides, who is there 
 that, in the hurry of writing, can, with certainty, place a dot 
 in either of the Jive, or even in three situations, against a 
 line not more than the eighth of an inch long ; even pro- 
 vided there be no hinderance from the adjoining line or 
 curve ? Possibly, the authors of those systems had arrived
 
 20 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 at that degree of dexterity ; but there are thousands who 
 would find the thing utterly impracticable, unless they were 
 to occupy more time in doing it, than would suffice to write 
 the words at length in the common hand. 
 . We here propose, not only to remove the above objec- 
 tions, but to introduce some advantages which none of those 
 systems present to us. First, that of always distinguishing 
 whether a vowel stands before or after a consonant ; which 
 cannot be done in a system where the vowels have to be 
 distinguished from each other by their situation. Secondly, 
 they may be used either separately or joined with the con- 
 sonants, as may best suit their locality. (PI. 4th, Ex. 4th.) 
 Thirdly, when joined with the consonants, they are often 
 represented by commencing or terminating the consonant 
 with a hair-stroke (PI. 3d, am, go, &c.) ; so that they take no 
 ; more time than marking a single letter. Many short words 
 are thus written with one motion of the pen. 
 
 Whichever way the vowels are used, the same general 
 rule obtains, viz. when before another letter, they are either 
 above or to the left; when they follow a letter, they are 
 under, or to the right. (PI. 4, Ex. 4, also PI. 3.) By this 
 arrangement, they can be inserted at pleasure, in all situa- 
 tions, without danger of mistake. 
 
 The rule is the same when the vowel forms a part of the 
 consonant. If the vowel is first, the hair- stroke is the 
 upper or left-hand end of the consonant. When it comes 
 after, the hair-stroke forms the lower or right-hand end. (PI. 
 3d, co, da, &c.) This method will be fouud extremely easy 
 and convenient in practice, as soon as the forms become a 
 little familiar to the eye and hand. 
 
 Some of -the consonants admit of this treatment, as in 
 amen : amn are written at one stroke, and e is inserted at 
 the junction of the consonants. (PI. 4th, Ex. 5th.) The 
 line is the length of m and n when joined ; and a is ex- 
 pressed by the hair-stroke at the beginning, or left-hand. 
 
 Again. — In the word animal, anma are expressed by the 
 same line, both commencing and terminating with a hair- 
 stroke, and i is inserted at the length of n, from the begin- 
 ning ; or it may be omitted, and then the I can be carried on, 
 instead of under. All the six letters are written with two 
 strokes and a dot. 
 
 The position of the vowel will also, in such cases, de- 
 termine which consonant stands first, as in nimble, minute, 
 &c. In the first, the dot for i is at the length of n, from the 
 beginning of the line nm ; and in the latter it is at the 
 length of n, from the end of it. 
 
 The word philosopher is written with three strokes, a dot, 
 and dash. The first and second o are hair-strokes at the 
 end of / and s; and at the junction of ph, I, and ph, r, the
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 21 
 
 Towels i and e are placed. Thus eleven letters are written 
 with five marks of the pen. (PI. 4, Ex. 5.) 
 
 These examples are unabbreviated ; and similar ones 
 are of constant occurrence. In the word exchange, the first 
 six letters are made with one stroke ; running into each 
 other without an angle. (PI. 4, Ex. 5.) 
 
 We now proceed to the Prepositions and Terminations, 
 or Prefixes and Affixes. These are the beginnings and end- 
 ings of words : as pre, pro, lion, sions, ment, &c. &c. They 
 are generally abbreviated, but seldom with sufficient perspi- 
 cuity. For instance, Byrom makes the character for p to 
 express up, par, pre, pro — pal, part, pel. And the mark for 
 k and c is written for could, can, com, con, — cle, cal, ic, kind. 
 Taylor uses a loop to express lion, sion ; and their plurals by 
 a dot, placed to the right or beloiv their connecting character. 
 And ing, ings, by a loop and dot to the left, or above it ; al- 
 though, in the same system, no less than seven of the alpha- 
 betic characters are looped, and the dot is used to express 
 the vowels o, u, y, and is placed in three situations to the 
 left and above the consonant for that purpose! 
 
 It is here proposed to clear away all such unnecessary 
 confusion ; neither using arbitraries at all, nor the same 
 mark for more than one meaning. To do this, all preposi- 
 tions and terminations must bear one, or more, of the 
 characters belonging to them ; particularly the leading con- 
 sonant : being that which gives the sound required without 
 the help of a vowel ; as in words beginning with en, ex, de, 
 pe, &c. Here the consonant alone gives the sound of the 
 syllable. Also in words ending with by, cy, ty (sounded 
 like be, ce, te.) Other prepositions and terminations must 
 have a vowel, or another consonant, added, to avoid having 
 the same mark for different significations. A practical illus- 
 tration of this method is given in Plates 6 and 7. The most j 
 useful of these should by all means be committed to memory. ' 
 
 The student will find, after a little practice, that he can (j 
 omit many more vowels, and even consonants, than at first, 
 and still the writing will be perfectly legible ; and as he 
 become* perfect in the knowledge and use of the characters, 
 a great number of abbreviations will occur to him, and be- 
 come familiar to the eye and hand, which at first may seem 
 impracticable ; and all this can be accomplished in less 
 time, and more easily, than most persons yet unacquainted 
 with the art will be inclined to believe. 
 
 Of course, some will acquire facility quicker than others. 
 For instance, those who understand geometry and drawing 
 will more readily distinguish and write the characters. In- 
 deed, some acquaintance with lines and angles will be in- 
 dispensable to every short-hand writer, let him adopt what- 
 ever system he will. There are many persons who write a
 
 22 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 good hand, and yet would be puzzled to draw a line or 
 curve in any other direction than that in which they have 
 been accustomed to slope their letters: for, although the 
 eye may distinguish the difference, the hand will not so 
 easily trace in another direction without a little practice. 
 
 Let those who doubt this, try the experiment. Drawing 
 masters continually have to correct young pupils in this 
 respect, who are apt to draw all their houses and other 
 objects tumbling over to the right. The remedy for this is 
 a different mode of holding the pencil from that used in 
 writing ; which mode is here recommended for writing 
 short-hand. To those accustomed to drawing and music, it 
 is enough to say, hold the pencil as an artist does, or the 
 pen as most good writers of music do. For those who 
 /^practice neither, a brief explanation may suffice. — Keep the 
 ' fingers rather more bent, and the pencil more upright, than 
 in common writing ; at the same time, keep the elbow 
 farther from the body, and the hand rather turned inward. 
 If a pen be used, turn it outwards, with the hand and arm 
 as before. By observing this, the perpendicular characters, 
 and the diagonal from left to right downward, are more 
 easily made ; and the circle is not so liable to become an 
 oval, sloping like an O. This position of the pen, however, 
 will seem awkward to many who are not accustomed to it ; 
 and those who feel too much embarrassed by it can, if they 
 please, adopt their usual mode. 
 
 We may now proceed with a few directions for the 
 acquirement of this most useful, and (surely it is not too 
 much to add) most delightful art; for, will it not be 
 delightful, to possess the power of conveying our thoughts 
 in wriiintr, with as much rapidity as we can speak them? 
 The Author finds it so, and only regrets that so many 
 years have rolled away, unblest by the pleasure he now 
 feels in the use of it; and he "ventures, from his own 
 experience, to assert that those, who will only persevere 
 in learning it, will find its acquirement much easier than 
 they expect. 
 
 LESSON I. 
 
 /? Placing the alphabet before him (Plate 1st), the student 
 A should repeatedly make all the characters, naming as he 
 writes them, until they become familiar to him. Then, re- 
 moving the copy, make them from memory, only referring 
 to it when at a loss.
 
 J 
 
 90° 
 
 C coin. ' --. «<(' /'•''• ' . * » \ ,-> ■■=. , j 
 
 -^ «■ v k r ;* <■■ S\ \W -'""' \ w 
 
 C-\ cirrn/m. > •- ^— V . ■' x i , - / \ \ \ /\ W-" • j 
 
 7 /v ' /< ' 7 > /' - - ? i •' '■•■ / / '?<# , 
 
 ul&t <j r' x / ! , - ' , . ,/ 
 
 -^ ay / V'' .- '0/ - ■' / /- ) e^f \-etn 
 
 ^ / 
 
 Oh
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 23 
 
 At the commencement, be careful to make all the cha- 
 racters at their proper angle, referring frequently to the 
 " Geometrical Analysis ;" and by no means exceed the 
 range there given to each letter. 
 
 And here it is particularly recommended to attend 
 strictly to the advice given by another writer on this art: — 
 " Be careful to attain correctness and precision in the for- 
 mation of your characters; for, as the whole beauty of 
 Penmanship lies in the regularity of the writing, and the 
 the formation, according to rules, of every letter ; so, in 
 Short-hand, its sole utility and applicability depend upon its 
 correctness." 
 
 To this effect, indeed, is the advice given with every 
 system; and the same precision which they require will 
 suffice for this. That nothing may be wanting for the 
 attainment of our object, the following explanation of each 
 character is given, as marked in the " Geometrical Ana- 
 lysis." (Plate 2d.) 
 
 a. The dash for a must always be horizontal. It unites 
 
 or incorporates with eig'ht consonants. That is, it 
 may be expressed by commencing or terminating 
 those consonants with a hair-stroke. (Plate 3d, ca, da, 
 &c.) Where a vowel is thus written, the consonant 
 retains its simple form. 
 
 b. The proper angle for b is at 70 degrees ; but it may 
 
 range to 60 degrees ; that is, it may be so much more 
 sloping occasionally, to suit its combination with other 
 characters, but should not stand lower than 60° lest 
 it be mistaken for r. The best way is to keep it as 
 erect as we can, without confounding it with the per- 
 pendicular line t. It unites with o, and will run into 
 ten consonants ; that is, it will join those consonants 
 one way, and sometimes two ways, without forming 
 an angle with them. (Plate 3d, bd, &c.) 
 
 c. The native angle (U we may be allowed the expression) 
 
 is 45° convex side downwards to the left. But its 
 other positions are at 90°, and at the opposite angle 
 of 46° (convex side upwards to the left), as there is no 
 other semi-circle in those directions that it can be 
 mistaken for. Thus uniting with a, e, and o, it will run 
 into sixteen consonants. C is thus allowed three po- 
 sitions, because it begins a much larger number of 
 words than any other letter except s. These different 
 positions, while they do not interfere with other cha- 
 racters, greatly facilitate its union with the vowels 
 and most of the single and double consonants. 
 
 d. The proper angle is 45°, and its range from 30° to 60°, 
 
 uniting with a, o, and u ; and, by inflexion, with e. It
 
 24 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 will run into seventeen consonants. By the inflexion 
 of a consonant, is understood the bending- of the hair- 
 stroke end into the position of the vowel to be ex- 
 pressed. (Plate 3d — de, we, &c.) 
 
 e. Is the oblique dash downward from left to right. The 
 
 proper angle is at 45°, but it may range from 20° to 
 70°, thus incorporating with eleven consonants. 
 
 f. The angle is at 70°, ranging down to 50°, as no other 
 
 oblique line stands in that direction. It unites with 
 e, and will run into eight consonants. 
 
 g*. Must always be as nearly horizontal as possible, only 
 allowing for gg, when joined one under the other. It 
 unites with e and o, and, by inflexion, with u. It may 
 run into thirteen consonants. 
 
 h. A horizontal curve like g, but convex upivards, and also 
 unites with e,o; and, by inflexion, with u. It runs into 
 nine consonants. 
 
 i. Is the point or dot, and in this System must never be 
 used for any other purpose in writing. The only ex- 
 ception is in the " Short Arithmetic," where it ex- 
 presses the cipher. 
 
 j. k. Both horizontal, but convex sides reversed ; the 
 latter being upwards. They are small models of p 
 and w, but do not require more than one position. 
 When united with e and o, their ends may be inflexed, 
 and their semi-circular form may be increased to a 
 semi-ellipsis. They must always be kept small, that 
 they may not be mistaken for/? and w. 
 
 1. Stands at 20° upwards to the right, and may range 
 down to 15° or even lower, as a small deviation from 
 the horizontal will distinguish it from in. It is some- 
 times in the direction of r, but is always twice the 
 length of that character. It unites with o, and will 
 run into eight consonants. 
 
 m. Is the horizontal line, twice the length of n. When 
 these two characters are joined, the line is made as 
 long as both together, and thicker at the end where 
 m stands. The precedence may also be indicated by 
 a vowel placed at their junction. (Plate 4th, Ex. 5.) 
 m unites with a, and runs into seven consonants. 
 
 n. Is also horizontal, and only half the length of in. The 
 same observations apply to it. 
 
 o. Is the oblique dash downward from right to left. Its 
 angle is 45°, but like e may range from 20° to 70°. It 
 unites with thirteen consonants. 
 
 p. Is the semi-circle, convex side downwards, and may 
 range from this horizontal position to 45°, convex to 
 the right downwards. (In speaking of the "hori- 
 zontal position" of a semi-circle, it is understood that
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 25 
 
 a line passing through the two ends will he hori- 
 zontal. In the second position of p, a line passing 
 through the ends will stand at 45° upwards to the 
 right.) It may be inflexed ; and will thus unite with 
 a, e, o, and u. It runs into eleven consonants. 
 
 q. Is the small semi-circle or semi-ellipsis. It has three 
 positions, ranging from 45° convex upwards to the 
 right, to the opposite angle of 45° downwards to the 
 right. By its three positions it unites with a, e, and 
 of and runs into thirteen consonants. It is always to 
 be understood as qu, being uniformly followed by 
 that vowel. It is properly a double letter. 
 
 r. Stands at 45° upwards to the right, and may range 
 down to 20° : as it is only half the length of Z," there is 
 no danger of its beiug mistaken for that character. It 
 unites with o, and will run into twelve consonants. 
 
 s. Also stands at 45°, and may range from 20° to 70° : it 
 will thus unite with a, e, o, and u ; and will run into 
 thirteen consonants. It begins a greater number of 
 words in our language than any other letter (upwards 
 of 4500). It also terminates a vast number ; c is the 
 next to it, as before noticed ; and the constant recur- 
 rence of these two letters occasions the hissing sound 
 in our speech, so much noticed by foreigners. 
 
 t. Is the short perpendicular line. It unites with u, and 
 runs into nine consonants. 
 
 Ut Is the perpendicular dash: it will incorporate with 
 eight consonants. 
 
 Vi This curve stands at the angle of 45°, convex side 
 downwards, to the left ; but it may range from 20° to 
 60°. It unites with a, e, and u, — and, by inflexion, with 
 o ; and will run into twelve consonants. 
 
 w. Is the reverse of p. It has two positions : ranging 
 from the horizontal, to 45°, convex upwards to the 
 right. Like p, the ends may be inflexed, inward or 
 outward, and thus unite with a, e, o, and u, and run 
 into ten consonants. 
 
 x. Is the perpendicular curve ; the convex side to the 
 right. It may range over, occasionally, to 45° convex 
 upwards to the right, as there is no other curve, of the 
 same size, in that direction. It will thus unite with 
 all the vowels, and run into sixteen consonants. 
 
 y. Is both a vowel and a consonant. The small comma is 
 here exclusively devoted to its service; and may there- 
 fore be written in any position, except those three in 
 which the large comma of z stands. It will thus 
 unite with all the vowels and consonants with which 
 we may have occasion to combine it. (Plate 3d : yo, 
 oy, ey, &c.) 
 
 c
 
 26 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 z. Is a large comma, having three positions, the tail being 
 either horizontal, or ranging 20° up, or down, to the 
 right, uniting with o, e, and o ; and running into 
 eight consonants. 
 
 The Student will find his advantage in being thus 
 particular in the formation of his Alphabet ; and when a 
 perfect knowledge of this, and of the double consonants, 
 is attained, little else remains but by practice to acquire 
 facility in writing it; and the first six lessons are suffi- 
 cient for common purposes, where abbreviations are not 
 used to any great extent. Indeed they are not so much 
 required here, because, by the peculiar mode of express- 
 ing the vowels, the aptitude of the characters, and aid of 
 the double consonants, we are so continually writing from 
 two to five or six letters with a single inflexion of the 
 pen. And, besides, we have the advantage, that our 
 Short-Hand will be much more in harmony with the 
 established rules of orthography ; the use of which, we 
 must, after all, be constantly under the necessity of re- 
 turning to, in all works, not printed in short-hand. At 
 least, we must do so for a considerable time to come, let 
 the advocates for writing by sound rave as they will. 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 When the characters of the Alphabet are sufficiently fixed 
 in the memory to be written at pleasure, the student 
 should proceed to the Table for joining them (Plate 3d). 
 Let him make all the combinations in succession ; naming 
 as he writes them. Two or more ways are sometimes 
 given ; these will all be useful. He must attend particularly 
 to the joining of vowels with consonants ; many of them, as 
 before observed, being expressed by the hair-stroke at 
 one end of the consonant, without making it a compound 
 character.* 
 
 * It is presumed that no decent penman will, for a moment, 
 object to this mode of inserting the vowels, on the score of 
 " difficulty." Every shopman of a week's standing ought to be 
 sufficiently master of his pen to achieve these characters. It 
 is indeed difficult to conceive that such an objection can be made by 
 any one having occasion for the use of short-hand, unless by those 
 who, either from being afflicted with affectation, or some other cause,
 
 ?Z3 
 
 a 
 
 7 
 
 c 
 
 7 
 
 / 
 * 
 
 t4 
 
 £ 
 
 z/ 
 
 r 
 
 \ 
 
 j 
 
 J 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 u 
 
 \J 
 
 ■J 
 
 -J 
 
 
 n 
 
 m 
 
 o 
 
 
 -^i 
 
 o 
 
 A. 
 
 
 X 
 
 
 to 
 
 O 
 
 n 
 
 
 un 
 
 rT» 
 
 ^2 
 
 ^1 
 
 21 
 -n 
 
 ~i 
 
 J* 
 
 o 
 
 _£_ 
 
 a- 
 
 c^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^
 
 2>1.5 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 jtyvrion^o 
 
 J^y^. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 • 
 
 <^ 
 
 </ 
 
 € 
 
 / 
 
 f 
 
 /f 
 
 C 
 
 / 
 
 Jh 
 
 / 
 
 m 
 
 n 
 
 L y 
 
 /* 
 
 '/ 
 
 ? 
 
 J 
 
 t 
 
 ^/ V 
 
 ^ 
 
 J?' 
 
 > 
 
 5: 
 
 a 
 
 *1 
 
 77 
 
 c 
 
 /■ 
 
 -v 
 
 "A 
 
 ^ 
 
 — 
 
 V 
 
 - 
 
 -A 
 
 ^ 
 
 — 
 
 - 
 
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 ^J 
 
 3 
 
 Z 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 V 
 
 _n 
 
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 f 
 
 Lf 
 
 / / 
 
 <! 
 
 ? 
 
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 A 
 
 
 
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 A 
 
 i-- 
 
 ^= 
 
 L 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 A- 1 
 
 •\ 
 
 
 U 
 
 A 
 
 / 
 
 K 
 
 r 
 
 /^ 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 ^ 
 
 c 
 
 C 
 
 a 
 
 c5- 
 
 c/ - 
 
 C 
 
 c? 
 
 O 
 
 
 C 
 
 Cv 
 
 o 
 
 O' 
 
 C " 
 
 c_ 
 
 c 
 
 
 u 
 
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 <1 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 to 
 
 S° 
 
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 c 
 
 c^ 
 
 ct 
 
 r 
 
 n 
 
 
 (t 
 
 r C 
 
 ^ 
 
 r-" 
 
 A 
 
 /T 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 C- 
 
 
 r f 
 
 ? 
 
 r e 
 
 ^ 
 
 4 
 
 n 
 
 r r 
 
 (\ 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 <: 
 
 ^ 
 
 e 
 
 - 
 
 V 
 
 r- 
 
 9 
 
 \v 
 
 \ 
 
 - 
 
 — 
 
 * 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 '— 
 
 - 
 
 > v 
 
 
 
 \, 
 
 
 J ; 
 
 n 
 
 " *i 
 
 \ 
 
 o 
 
 ) 
 
 ■ 
 
 V 
 
 f 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 I 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
 . v 
 
 v^ 
 
 W^ 
 
 V. 
 
 V, 
 
 V 
 
 V-- 
 
 v - 
 
 V- 
 
 \ v 
 
 
 <? 
 
 u 
 
 \j 
 
 \i 
 
 \ 
 
 0- 
 
 \n 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 / 
 
 — 
 
 ---I 
 
 ^S 
 *-i, 
 
 
 v_ 
 
 ^ 
 
 s=^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 v< 
 
 v^ 
 
 v_y> 
 
 X 
 
 — " 
 
 — - 
 
 — 
 
 ^u 
 
 - 
 
 
 *-> 
 
 M 
 
 w. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 "1 
 
 v_^ 
 
 — ■ 
 
 £ 
 
 — 
 
 -1 
 
 
 T 
 
 - 
 
 n 
 
 ~ 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 »~M 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^> 
 
 ^=». 
 
 ^S" 
 
 ^> 
 
 
 ^; 
 
 '-? 
 
 o 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 -~v 
 
 ^3 
 
 J 
 n 
 
 - 
 
 — 
 
 I 
 
 - 
 
 7 
 
 •c 
 
 .r 
 
 « 
 
 A 
 
 •— 
 
 -* 
 
 
 ■i 
 
 .A 
 
 *^ 
 
 -- 
 
 - 
 
 '/ 
 
 •w 
 
 ••i 
 
 ■/ 
 
 ■j 
 
 :i 
 
 •' 
 
 X 
 
 ,n 
 
 :) 
 
 ; 
 
 •- 
 
 J 
 
 - 
 
 1J 
 
 ^ 
 
 s 
 
 » 
 
 'A 
 
 — 
 
 iT^ 
 
 y 
 
 U, 
 
 ui 
 
 v^" 
 
 "~ 
 
 - 
 
 1/ 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 J 
 
 J1 
 
 u 
 
 M 
 
 iO 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 k 
 
 - 
 
 :/,/ 
 
 2. 
 
 rf 
 
 r 
 
 T 
 
 <V_^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 o- 
 
 % 
 
 m 
 
 fW 
 
 »- 
 
 «»- 
 
 «, 
 
 rO 
 
 "? 
 
 fV 
 
 ^ 
 
 1^ 
 
 " 
 
 \ 
 
 rn 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 f\_ 
 
 € 
 
 ^ 
 
 --7 
 
 --c 
 
 -T" 
 
 -- 
 
 ^--\ 
 
 *S? 
 
 ^< 
 
 -^ 
 
 *>*> 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 A. 
 
 -^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^U 
 
 ^» 
 
 -^/ 
 
 4 
 
 -^i 
 
 ^ 
 
 -A. 
 
 
 -n 
 
 ^ 
 
 — 
 
 m. 
 
 — 
 
 —j 
 
 ~L 
 
 ~r 
 
 =i 
 
 -\ 
 
 ' 
 
 -— 
 
 T-, 
 
 -v 
 
 -^ 
 
 z^- 
 
 — 
 
 ~3" 
 
 — 
 
 -v. 
 
 =^ 
 
 -7 
 
 -y 
 
 — i 
 
 — 
 
 ~v 
 
 — n 
 
 ~) 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 ri 
 
 - 
 
 i 
 
 X 
 
 7 
 
 - 
 
 -\ 
 
 "^ 
 
 — 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 —r\ 
 
 7 
 
 ^~ 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 -u 
 
 — o 
 
 V 
 
 
 _i 
 
 r; 
 
 "V 
 
 _n 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 o 
 
 &- 
 
 '/ 
 
 c 
 
 - 
 
 <* 
 
 A 
 
 zz 
 
 — 
 
 
 «, 
 
 A 
 
 ^ 
 
 *= 
 
 t: 
 
 \ 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 X 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 v. 
 
 
 
 ) 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 p 
 
 w 
 
 
 ml 
 
 oT 
 
 O 
 
 >-\ 
 
 u^ 
 
 vy~- 
 
 V 
 
 U" 
 
 U" 
 
 
 ^- 
 
 LT" 
 
 \J 
 
 
 u» 
 
 
 u 
 
 J 
 
 u 
 
 iA. 
 
 / 
 
 4 
 
 u 
 
 w^ 
 
 V 
 
 - 
 
 '* 
 
 6 
 
 fr 
 
 » 
 
 ^ 
 
 1^ 
 
 j-^ 
 
 ?' 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■S 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^T 
 
 a- 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 -r 
 
 i> 
 
 r 
 
 °= 
 
 ? 
 
 ^r 1 
 
 1 
 
 ', 
 
 ^ 
 
 I 
 
 -5 
 
 •/ 
 
 
 -r 
 
 - 
 
 ^A 
 
 <o 
 
 /-> 
 
 - 
 
 .- 
 
 s 
 
 ^^ 
 
 *- 
 
 ^ 
 
 s 
 
 /u 
 
 ^-0 
 
 
 4 
 
 -i 
 
 - 
 
 A. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 ^" 
 
 •*- 
 
 J 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 ./■ 
 
 y 
 
 > 
 
 ^ 
 ^ 
 
 
 / 
 
 y 
 
 J 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 J 
 y 
 
 J 
 
 ^ 
 
 / 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 J ) 
 
 ; 
 
 .A 
 
 r 
 
 >0 
 
 _^; 
 
 y^ 
 
 t 
 
 ri 
 
 V 
 
 d 
 
 k- 
 
 n 
 
 K 
 
 
 
 i: 
 
 ir 
 
 r^ 
 
 U- 
 
 1 — 
 1 — 
 
 r 
 
 \\ 
 
 UM 
 
 ir 
 
 U 
 
 ? 
 
 Ml 
 
 i 
 
 l^ 
 
 Oh 
 
 D 
 
 I 
 
 r- 
 
 u 
 
 L r 
 
 l/ 
 
 6 
 
 r 
 
 N J, 
 
 \ 
 
 i—' 
 
 r — ■ 
 
 • 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 — 
 
 - 
 
 ^ 
 
 • u 
 
 h> 
 
 - 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 i.r 
 
 ^. 
 
 n 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 r- 
 
 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 V 
 
 £ 
 
 ¥ 
 
 V. 
 
 s 
 
 v^ 
 
 v_ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^X 
 
 ^_ 
 
 ^_ 
 
 K 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 L- 
 
 W 
 
 ^S 
 
 ^ 
 
 vv 
 
 ^ 
 
 S^ 
 
 L 
 
 ^ 
 
 W 
 
 rv 
 
 n 
 
 ^ 
 
 rV 
 
 r\ 
 
 °\ 
 
 r\_. 
 
 rv-v 
 
 <^. 
 
 a 
 
 rv, 
 
 rv^- 
 
 rw 
 
 rv. 
 
 
 
 o^ 
 
 n, 
 
 rv- 
 
 
 
 n^ 
 
 n 
 
 A 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 n^ 
 
 JC 
 
 1 
 
 >; 
 
 1 
 
 k 
 
 ) 
 
 1 
 
 L 
 
 k 
 
 ):■ 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 W 
 
 L. 
 
 L 
 
 ) 
 
 ^ 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 V 
 
 Y^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 n 
 
 : 
 
 L 
 
 ¥ 
 
 - 
 
 /V 
 
 c 
 
 /" 
 
 - 
 
 A 
 
 ^ 
 
 - 
 
 ;• 
 
 v 
 
 /> 
 
 «-- 
 
 — 
 
 •r 
 
 / 
 
 \> 
 
 - 
 
 S 
 
 J 
 
 i 
 
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 •y 
 
 /i 
 
 
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 V. 
 
 <% 
 
 - 
 
 7 
 
 X 
 
 7* 
 
 V 
 
 *\ 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 *r 
 
 ^\j 
 
 »_n 
 
 -^ 
 
 — 
 
 - 
 
 ~s 
 
 ^J 
 
 •-0 
 
 > 
 
 y 
 
 *i 
 
 »-i 
 
 \ 
 
 ^r> 
 
 1 
 
 «-, 
 
 > 
 
 A 
 
 
 . f. J 
 
 ». / 
 
 fc& 
 
 as 2 
 
 s* 3 
 
 <?/?& 
 
 a/ie . 
 
 ^/Ai'« 
 
 < < 
 
 ^ 
 
 E- y*^ 
 
 dc//h 
 
 ^ <5 
 
 * ayn 
 
 % £ 
 
 I&IH. 
 
 &n ' 
 
 f Ai'ri 
 
 ^/^ 
 
 r ' 
 
 I? ^.y 
 
 ^/. 
 
 

 
 STENOGRAPHY. 27 
 
 And here another great advantage may be pointed out. 
 This method is divested of the whole tribe of perplexing 
 rules and exceptions which encumber other systems, respect- 
 ing the way in which the characters must be written. For 
 example: — In some authors we find that certain characters 
 must always be struck (or written) upwards, and joined at 
 the top ; others only downwards, and joined at the bottom; 
 some are used only in the middle of words, except when 
 some other particular letter follows, and then they may begin 
 a word. Again, where several characters represent one 
 letter, the first must be used in particular cases, the second 
 in other cases, and the third in all the rest, except where 
 some other rule must be followed. In another system, all 
 the looped characters may be turned either way ! (rather an 
 Irish method, by the by, of distinguishing them from each 
 other.) But the most enigmatical contrivance of all is, 
 making two different letters to be represented by one and 
 the same mark, and directing, that for one of those letters 
 the mark must begin at the top, and be made downwards ; 
 and for the other, it must begin at the bottom, and be made 
 upwards! of course, taking it for granted that the deci- 
 pherer of that writing will be able to distinguish which end 
 of a small line or curve was begun first by the writer, " at 
 any distance of time, without a chance of misapprehension" ! 
 
 It is of little use to say that "the difficulty is obviated 
 by noticing the relative situation of the two characters." It 
 may be so at the beginning of words ; but those cases are 
 few, compared with the numerous instances where the plan 
 will surely create ambiguity, and therefore be highly objec- 
 tionable ; and, at all events, it is a difficulty which there is 
 not the slightest necessity for introducing in any system. 
 There are simple marks enough for use, without having 
 recourse to any such bungling method. 
 
 We will give one more instance of this kind of " simpli- 
 city," which directs, that, " when the order of the double 
 consonants is reversed, as rt, bl, &c, the character for tr, lb, 
 
 are so utterly incapable of writing their own names, that it requires 
 the utmost ingenuity of the most acute decipherer to read their sig- 
 natures. These remarks have been called forth by the fact, that in 
 a clever stenographic pamphlet, very lately published, its author 
 states, that his characters have been objected to, because they con- 
 tain " heavy" strokes as well as light ones ! 
 
 Of course the objection could not come from his own pupils, for 
 every school-boy can distinguish with his pen a down from an up 
 stroke. However, as a side stroke is sometimes wanted in Steno- 
 graphy (and in this system it occurs both heavy and light, particu- 
 larly the swelling line and curve, fine at both ends), the manner of 
 holding the pen, described in page 22, is again recommended as fully 
 answering the purpose. It is nothing more than any free hand- 
 writing occasionally exhibits. 
 
 C 2
 
 28 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 Sec, may be used, only made backward, that is, from right to left* 
 instead of from left to right." Now, if the author of this con- 
 trivance intended the characters merely to be written back- 
 ward, there can be no distinction but a certain awkwardness 
 in doing it ; and if he meant their position to be reversed, 
 then they become other characters in the same system, and 
 must, inevitably, be mistaken for such. 
 
 But enough has been said to show the fallacy of such 
 expedients. They must ever have the effect of discou- 
 raging the use of Stenography. 
 
 The object of this work is, to do away all these difficul- 
 ties and restrictions. Here, the characters may all be 
 written (or struck) up or down, right or left, as may best suit 
 their local combinations, and the hand of the writer. Only 
 one general rule being observed throughout; viz, The 
 characters follow as in common writing — when horizontal, 
 that to the left-hand is &\wa,ys first ,• when over and under, the 
 top one is always first ; and where two or more ways of join- 
 ing the letters present themselves, that which affords the 
 greatest distinctness and facility, and best preserves the 
 lineality of the writing, is to be preferred. 
 
 It will, however, require an experienced writer to unite 
 these properties in the greatest degree. To a beginner, the 
 acute angular mode of joining the letters will appear the 
 most distinct, — but, if too much used, does not dress the 
 line so well, nor is it so swift. The expert writer, who uses 
 the double consonants, will more generally fall into the prac- 
 tice of running the characters into each other, and his 
 writing will have a more curvilinear appearance. 
 
 It is particularly recommended to the student, to make 
 himself perfect in the single characters and their combi- 
 nations, and even to write with them for some time, before 
 he proceeds to learn the double consonants. 
 
 LESSON III. 
 
 We must now draw upon our stenographic bank for a 
 supply of characters, which, like notes of higher value, 
 will greatly increase our power of proceeding both swiftly 
 and commodiously. For this purpose, twenty characters are 
 employed for as many double consonants, and two more are 
 triple. They are all distinct from those of the Alphabet, either 
 in size, form, or position. Seventeen of them are simple 
 marks ; the remaining five are derivative variations, but so
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 29 
 
 little complex that they require no more time to write them 
 than the others do. 
 
 The student should learn these, as perfectly as he is 
 now supposed to have learned those of the Alphabet and 
 their combinations. The same mode of uniting with the 
 vowels, and running into other consonants, applies to these, 
 as to the alphabetic characters, and we thus gain the power 
 of writing from three to six letters with one inflexion of the 
 pen. We have before observed that the different positions 
 of a character are intended to facilitate this union ; and, 
 wherever they occur, are not to be considered as departures 
 from the principle of having one mark for each letter, 
 because they are in no case allowed to take the position of 
 any other character having the same form. For example : 
 three positions are given to c, but there is no other mark, of 
 the same form and size, standing in either of those posi- 
 tions. Again — jt?, and w, are of the same form as c, and 
 they have each two positions ; but both are different from 
 those of c, and from each other. 
 
 Again referring to the " Geometrical Analysis" (Plate 
 2d), these double and triple consonants are explained as 
 they occur alphabetically. (See also Plate 1st.) 
 
 N. B. The extra set of double and triple consonants 
 used by the author, and given in Plate 9th, are intended 
 only for the use of those who have made considerable 
 progress, and intend to qualify themselves for following a 
 speaker ; they do not interfere with these at all, — and it is 
 particularly recommended to the student, not to attempt 
 them until he has perfectly mastered these ; nor even 
 then, unless he wishes to be able to take down speeches, 
 sermons, &c. &c. 
 br. Must always stand at about 70° — the same angle 
 as 6, but twice the length. It might seem more 
 natural to give this mark to bb, but the very fre- 
 quent occurrence of br required that it should 
 have an easily-written, simple mark to express 
 it ; br begins above 300 words, besides its use as 
 a termination, and in the middle of words. It 
 should not stand lower than 70° (see rb). 
 CCi This mark is double the size of c, and has also three 
 positions, corresponding to those of that letter. It 
 is extensively useful. 
 ch. Is a double-sized mark. It is the form of h, stand- 
 ing in the three positions of c, and is even more 
 useful than cc, as it commences about 430* words, 
 
 * The numbers specified here and in other places do not include 
 scriptural and classical names, nor technical terms of art. 
 C 3
 
 30 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 besides those which it terminates, or where it is 
 found in the middle. 
 ff. Stands at the same angle as / (70° to 50°), but is 
 twice the length of that letter ; and, being in the 
 same position, it unites with e. By the use of it the 
 combination effe is written with one stroke. Eff 
 commences about 70 words, many of them in 
 frequent use. 
 
 g"h. As g, and h, are the same form reversed ; gh has that 
 form, in the position of A, but double the size. In 
 abbreviations it is often omitted. It unites with e 
 and o. It occurs more frequently at the end and 
 in the middle of words, than at the beginning. 
 
 mm. This mark has not been used before. It is the line, 
 at an angle of 20° downward to the right, the same 
 length as m. 
 
 nn« Also stands at the angle of 20° downward to the 
 right, and is half the length of m. These two 
 marks were at first given to m and n, when united 
 with e ; but they are more useful as they now stand. 
 
 pp. Is double the size of p. In all other respects it is 
 the same as that letter, and will be found very use- 
 ful wherever it occurs, which is in upwards of 300 
 words. 
 
 ph. Is a double-sized mark, the form of h, but convex 
 downward, like p, and has only that one position. 
 It is a valuable auxiliary in a multitude of words, 
 completely removing the necessity for using / as a 
 substitute. 
 pi. Is, properly, a derivative variation (see Plate 1st), 
 being formed by running p and / into each other, 
 without the angle which they produce when joined 
 alphabetically. It is sufficiently distinct from the 
 alphabetic combination of cl, and is very useful. 
 Although a compound, it is as quickly written as 
 p alone. 
 
 pr. Is also a derivative variation (Plate 1st), formed by 
 running/? and r together, without the angle. It is 
 quite distinct either from pi or cr, — and the great 
 number of words commencing with it (about 1100), 
 renders it an invaluable auxiliary. It unites with 
 o, and that preposition begins about 500 words. 
 
 ppl. The difference between this derivative variation and 
 that of pi, is the double size of pp. The line which 
 forms the / must not be more than the usual length 
 of that character; ppl is much too useful to be 
 omitted. 
 
 ppr. This derivative variation is formed by running pp
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 31 
 
 into r, without the angle. The r must not be too 
 long, as it might then be mistaken for the preced- 
 ing mark, unless the angle is very well kept. (See 
 Plate 1st, ppl, ppr.) 
 
 rb. This mark must always stand at about 45°, — the same 
 angle as r, but twice the length. It has not been 
 introduced before ; it will be quite distinct from br, 
 at 70°, and from /, at 20°. Its great utility renders 
 the use of it almost indispensable. The student 
 will observe, that it cannot be allowed to range 
 down like r, into the direction of /, as that would 
 confound the two characters ; whereas r is in no 
 danger of such confusion, being only half the 
 length of I. 
 
 rd. Is half the size of d, and having the same range as 
 r (45° to 20°), convex side upward to the left, like d. 
 It is useful at the end of many words. 
 
 sh. Is the form of h, but double the size, and at an angle 
 of 20° to 45° downward to the right, convex side 
 upwards. It commences above 300 words, and ter- 
 minates many others. 
 sw. Is the same form and position, but only the size of 
 the single h. It cannot be allowed much range, and 
 must always stand at about 20° downward to the 
 right. It commences above 100 words, and is useful 
 in many others. 
 
 ss The form of s, but double the size. It stands at the 
 same angle 45° to the right upwards, and may also 
 have the same range from 20° to 70°. Its frequent 
 occurrence makes this mark indispensable. 
 
 sp. Is a slight variation (see Plate 1st), being formed by 
 running s and p together without an angle. It 
 should not be used with the mark for pr, — because 
 taking away both angles will confound it with scr. 
 A distinct way of writing spr is given in PI. 5, Ex. 1 : 
 sp commences above 400 words, and is found at the 
 end and in the middle of many others. 
 
 th. This mark is the form of h, in the position of t (per- 
 pendicular), and may have its convex side either to 
 the left or right. When convex to the left, it must 
 be small ; and to the right, a double-sized mark. Its 
 great utility will be constantly felt in practice. 
 
 tt- Is the perpendicular line, twice the length of t. This 
 
 mark will assist us in about 300 words. 
 wh. Is twice the size of tu, but in all other respects it 
 is the same as that letter — having two positions. 
 It begins nearly 200 words, some of them of very 
 frequent occurrence : as who, which, <Scc. &c.
 
 32 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 Several other marks which the Author uses are here 
 omitted, as they are adapted rather for the use of those 
 only who have made considerable progress. For the pre- 
 sent, it is better to avoid inserting a greater number of 
 characters. If the student make himself perfectly master 
 of these, he will possess the power of writing many hun- 
 dreds of words at length, almost as quickly as they can 
 be spoken. All other double consonants are written as 
 in Plate 3d. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 Having arranged our materials so far, we must now make 
 the best use of them, As before observed, the double con- 
 sonants may unite with the vowels, and run into other con- 
 sonants, single or double. That is, by beginning or ending 
 any of the double consonants with a hair-stroke, we add the 
 vowel which stands in that position. And when the end of 
 a double consonant is in the same direction as the next 
 (single or double), they may run into, or join each other 
 without an angle. For example : in the word property, the 
 mark for pr is written twice. The first time, by ending it 
 with a fine stroke, we make it pro ; then adding ty, to the 
 second pr, we only want the dash for e, which may be 
 inserted (in the same way that we cross the t, in com- 
 mon writing) just over the junction of that pr (see PI. 4, 
 Ex. 6): ty is the inverted comma, joined at the bottom 
 of t. 
 
 If we join ye at the top of t, we express yet with one 
 stroke. (Ex. 6.) 
 
 Again. To write chance, the first four letters run into 
 each other at one stroke, and the third position of c, end- 
 ing with a hair-stroke, gives ce ; the six letters requiring 
 only two motions of the pen. (Ex. 7.) 
 
 The word accommodate affords three examples. The first 
 four letters are written at once, by making cc, with a hair- 
 stroke at each end, to express a and o. The mark for mm 
 follows ; then d, with the hair-stroke at each end, in the 
 positions of o and a. If we chuse to mark e final, it may 
 either be joined at the bottom of t, or separate to the right. 
 The eleven letters are expressed by five motions of the pen 
 (PI. 4, Ex. 6). In accommoda^ora, acclamation, &c, the 
 separate termination, tn, will of course be used.
 
 C^pCi /. (///sinew. _ \ ftx*, pe . ^ &,jy . ^ . fv, pi . 
 
 2. 73 (/torn.. I at \et. \it. \ot. \tit. 
 
 __ 3 %^U . _1& -I te J til \6? \6i Lgi 
 
 ^ .J&rnaJul. — fa>. fc. p. fz>. fu. fy . 
 
 tZq&&uz£e . _ Y" V V V V V 
 
 /W^^. V x V V \ V 
 
 ao. /;a. ec. u. vms. 7no. ad. Ja 
 
 6^*. S: a^nem. a^z^/7z^tS. 7it#n./fie. ?rts?zufe . 
 
 &X. cAaxnye . a^c/a/rn rc/tim,- 
 
 /d / feu> /n- ty, ye t a ceo -mm oxta. fe 
 
 0?C:6: IS is yf <- | C ^ r \<*V 
 
 kso\ /rw/ye^^,. i yet, C^sj acc#7to77wt£a&. 
 
 — y. cA &n ce ex, c£ eaae %- to/io *a£, i, cA ' 
 
 v ^~ c V ^ I " ° n >^ 
 
 <S?c<?. r_when,. 'j-tvft&ie. q ter£a£. C\_c sjr^erue 
 
 ( //<?. ( /^. ] ^w. 1 i/wn^. fj thed^X^ more. 
 
 Lc tfresiee. & tfucfo. V tfudtoe. K ^~~^ t?ie#t0a/u. 
 \f cArO^ec. LcnutcA . \ cAcer. (<£ c^?en#fcuy. 
 
 cn<?\ 
 
 tfrvwne, ^^jAg& S~ r rf/^/frfte^c£.
 
 P/t 
 
 U- eri/s. \, en/i . ^^^/in/ . - / /*/?.> . sjt^. fata* 
 
 
 
 o '~ e 
 
 
 ? ^ 
 
 r •— v n , — z *r ^2. ~h u 
 
 \4 
 
 
 LOCtjf- . a/ma. tcvn nut ent S4 t T ^ ^^^ 
 
 da di± turn r "1 ncuu __ c " 
 
 ' e/£e. I «?t^. \ v/^ /V_ #£z .V £!«% . \ acA . Icfur. (ueh+L. 
 C_ oeca,. (^ecee . C a ecu. ^-^/^fw . > — ^ e/>/i . )ct/?f?<
 
 I
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 33 
 
 In the word exchequer, the first eight letters are all 
 expressed by one curvilinear stroke of two motions ; thus, — 
 ex runs into the first position of ch, allowing the third posi- 
 tion of qu to join at the lower end— qu being made with 
 a fine stroke at each end, expresses eque. Adding the r, 
 we write all the nine letters with three motions of the pen. 
 (Ex. 7th.) In common writing it takes fourteen motions, 
 reckoning only the down strokes. 
 
 The second position of wh, made fine at the lower end, 
 gives who, at one stroke. Which is almost as quickly written, 
 by joining wh and ch, adding the dot for i. (Ex. 7th.) 
 
 In this way the double consonants may be used, either 
 together, or with a vowel or single consonant between them, 
 as the word to be written may require. Similar examples 
 are of constant occurrence, and it is hoped those given 
 with the characters separate will render the method clear 
 to every one. The following examples show with what 
 expedition words of the most frequent occurrence may be 
 written at length (PI. 4, Ex. 8) : when, where, this, that,&cc. 
 In these examples every letter is inserted. 
 
 The number and simple forms of the double consonants 
 greatly increase our power of expressing readily the numer- 
 ous triple, quadruple, and even quintuple consonants that 
 abound in our language. Of these but little notice has 
 been taken by former stenographers. The triplets usually 
 given, are — chr, spr, str, and thr. Beyond these they do not 
 penetrate, although there are no less than 16 different 
 combinations of triple consonants to be found at the 
 beginning of words ; 76 others at the end ; and about 336 
 in the middle. 
 
 Of course, the attempt to give separate simple marks for 
 these, or any of them, must always fail. In this system, 
 nearly the whole stock of simple marks has been already 
 worked up ; but the Student will find, that, in so doing, 
 they have been made continually applicable to whatever 
 combination of letters he may want. There is no occasion 
 for arbitrary marks of any kind, — and he has now nothing 
 to do but apply the characters already at his command. 
 
 The triple consonants at the beginning of words are 
 as follow. The figures attached show their comparative 
 importance, by giving nearly the number of words com- 
 mencing with each combination. 
 
 3 chlorine, &c. 
 
 30 school 
 
 28 splendid 
 
 40 chromatic 
 
 3 Sclavonic 
 
 48 spring 
 
 11 phlebotomy 
 
 74 scripture 
 
 150 strength 
 
 10 phrase 
 
 40 shrewd 
 
 60 through 
 
 i pshaw 
 
 2 skreen 
 13 sphere 
 
 4 thwarf.
 
 34 
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 To these must be added the words commencing with 
 ex, followed by two consonants, because that prefix is 
 written by making x with a hair-stroke at the upper end. 
 The following are therefore considered as beginning with 
 triple consonants: 
 
 16 excrescence 1 cxspuition 
 
 26 explain 88 extract. 
 
 14 express 
 
 the words beginning with triple 
 For their respective marks see 
 
 4 exchange 
 12 exclaim 
 
 With this addition, 
 consonants are about 680. 
 PI. 5, Ex. 1. 
 
 The triple consonants 
 following : 
 
 debts 
 
 drachm 
 
 yacht 
 
 rocks 
 
 facts 
 
 odds 
 
 oreadth 
 
 amidst 
 
 cuffs 
 
 fifth 
 
 wafts 
 
 laughs 
 
 thought 
 
 eggs 
 
 signs 
 
 filch 
 
 mulct 
 
 walks 
 
 fields 
 
 at the end of words are the 
 
 walls 
 
 thanks 
 
 burrs 
 
 alms 
 
 inns 
 
 marsh 
 
 wMst 
 
 against 
 
 first 
 
 aealth 
 
 month 
 
 worth 
 
 salts 
 
 saints 
 
 hearts 
 
 waltz 
 
 depth 
 
 auartz 
 
 sylph 
 
 orbs 
 
 pasch 
 
 helps 
 
 arch 
 
 £asks 
 
 crumbs 
 
 words 
 
 chasms 
 
 hymns 
 
 dwarfs 
 
 auests 
 
 nymph 
 
 ourgh 
 
 pesth 
 
 /amps 
 
 works 
 
 sketch 
 
 jjrompt 
 
 world 
 
 r%thm 
 
 fexts 
 
 oirls 
 
 sooths 
 
 sixth 
 
 forms 
 
 butts 
 
 oranch 
 
 learns 
 
 hawks 
 
 distinct 
 
 harps 
 
 /owls 
 
 ends 
 
 excerpt 
 
 aowns 
 
 rings 
 
 catarrh 
 
 Growth. 
 
 the Plate, but are left as an 
 who, in writing them, should 
 
 These are not given in 
 exercise for the student 
 
 employ the double consonants wherever he can. It would 
 exceed our limits to specify the triplets that are found in 
 the middle of words. Where they occur, it will often 
 happen that the first or third consonant may unite with 
 a vowel, or run into the preceding or following conso- 
 nant, with the vowel inserted at their junction. It must 
 be a part of the student's practice to ascertain the rea- 
 diest way of doing this. It is requisite that he should 
 now try to go without leading-strings. If he cannot do 
 so, it is a sure indication that the characters are not yet 
 sufficiently fixed in the memory. A few examples are 
 given, PL 5, Ex. 2, costly, &c. &c. 
 
 Quadruple consonants frequently occur, but only two 
 combinations of them are found at the beginning of words ; 
 viz, phth and chth. At the end there are 21 ; as under, —
 
 I*/.- 6'. 
 
 1 a/>irxe. I ctv&i 
 
 / Y< /rr/jt &&n<J . i z-— clvcv. z_ avfrm. a /vet. 
 
 u CUM1 f. C cwc C accom* . C-^ abcccman. ■ _/\_ culcan 
 
 s ojz. p aWis. r cut . /a#£. \a,%cn. ^Scufdo. v a/ti . 7 vai. 
 
 I bwv. ive/y. iwtC. r recce . r^ca.c. c CMns. c. cswi. 
 
 c/ cwA . <j/ ect . t clfoeusrn . L^cco. c/c/?r. c^-" ceu. 
 
 I C0rn/. (^^es } ?K/n . c c&ns. c-^. ceivn-.L/ CtPis. €±_e<?un.. 
 
 txj cotvrij. tj—cw/nt. iyc<Wfo£. /s/ej. S'tY/j. /?- c/e'tt-cv ft. . 
 {^\ c&jf. g c/f^e.^ . r i/fa . r c&io- \ <'-0 . ^ e$&7 . 7 ent&i. 
 
 ^ <?y9-id. ^ Ctfi-ctc,. -i^. vrrvme. c trtzc&nt . c_^ ottcvntj. ^ cru/e . 
 
 X*r &ne&1/L'. --/l>ndi<5. ^//if-ffr, \. <?i/fa//i'm. ^ i/imc . 
 >_J i/n*j£ . c- 1 ndd~ . , » 6?t fe/c ■ is — ^ ('m.fe<77i/9/' . is- f'n ten> 
 
 /maw. — —mar . - — \onu/'. — ]7?/auie. ^^/;w^'. 
 
 — •— tnvri/. — .J/ftud. — e~ ^nu'7^. zzzf/mtri,. — l^ mti/t/M. 
 
 ' J 
 -~-u_ sTrium^. — '— 7? u/t 1 . J /mud. irtniat. — s/Tny/i . .^f^t 
 
 runt// . _^ — vurm/. *<^/n07v. •*. 41007^. itrwffL. ic&rw 
 
 Owe. ^ <>&"i . \- o&lc . W o/jfjei . ^ <rr/?t . ^ (^^/i4p. 
 \pteft . s- (ft<r/. ~ o%p^n .') )a-ff. i <m.{ . \.ove^. ) oocu.
 
 P/.-7- 
 
 le<m . I flze/sz&i&asid. 
 
 uoAf. .c two,. Cf boo&. *7 ^cens. £-—* i4w&. r bed 
 ^ *UHmctl. J^Ja&is. J /da/. J da?v. yfa&d. j^Jca?i . 
 
 A jdadt. ( tec&. 1— o te>m/*e. I fe* . LJ /%a*zd\_ tnu/iv. 
 
 £ utee^. ^\ u/umcis- *—/ unto*, ^l tuPicc. 'n usna#. 
 
 \^a#ic<??7z?/i.^C~ v/nacmx/'. 1^ ' uneoriau&i. ^rwid£< > r< 
 
 ^AMAawi!S}volu/*t. rh wwid.^watcfi.^-^Ze/m. ~>^~^"Xov/m. 
 
 c/e^minatcCTtd. JaJfe . Jadt^j . -^ aae. ^ af/v. X cones;. 
 r atimv. c^ ea£. c^ca&V/. a c&ntA. <L euwd. 
 6- dam C: (±Sei4&. d_ eu?7t. c^fc/esl. t^c/y. cJ(We. 
 c ootid a, cowled. Cda/sU £ a*&n£ r cfoi. fctfk . 
 fete/. /— dcrrrt . o and. ^ ^n<// a orui. ^ trr?^//. ^ ///?^ 
 
 S e<?z<ie . ~&n£. ^edd. V faf£. safety, v JrtmXftcL. 
 
 \^/u/ov . ~ O£0K'. v_>i aeoad. w^ aloud . - ^yta/jny. 
 
 ^ ^ aAs*/jnic . ^ ^ aiaftn. — "^ anion,-, ^s'nvod. 
 
 'U u'J. *>^ ice . w ona. U onad. iS tde. ±/ idm . ^idn. 
 ■})ird. \iti/. \twe. \ ^, v[Jee£. rf'&Cec&^r&k 
 ^dte^. ^/ktt. ^/L^ns. — o '???^yy?ta / '. — | ane#t£. 
 ^ rurrnf. -c ?uy/?ie^e. -^s/nedd. -< now. ^- ^%^? . j- ^^« 
 
 . ^fr/i&zs. — w^/7^,. Xr/aeoaj. tr^aas'at. oO/Mdt.J^'Ja^it. 
 
 J^ c/^/^/fv^./VA^.^t^. j Jew. itcft. 
 V^ttM/e^. U ^v^. \^£v-encj>. Kcva?. rv (va/iai. *^- j %as7i£.
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 35 
 
 where one word is given in which each combination 
 occurs : 
 
 drachms 
 
 ninths 
 
 sixths 
 
 breadths 
 
 mulcts 
 
 prompts 
 
 eighth 
 
 ourghs 
 
 owrsts 
 
 Noughts 
 
 thousandth 
 
 ncalths 
 
 twelfth. 
 
 amongst 
 
 nymphs 
 
 sylphs 
 
 fourths 
 
 worlds 
 
 strength 
 
 fifths 
 
 catarrhs, 
 
 In the middle of words, there are about 163 combina- 
 tions of four consonants, chiefly occurring in compound 
 words. It is not necessary to specify them, as they pre- 
 sent nothing new for the learner to study, although it is 
 remarkable that, with one exception only, they are all 
 different from those found at the end. In most of them 
 one or other of the marks for double consonants may be 
 used ; sometimes two. And, when that is not the case, the 
 alphabetical combinations (PI. 3d) are always at hand, and 
 often run into each other, so that the four letters may 
 still be written with two motions of the pen. 
 
 The same observations apply to the quintuple conso- 
 nants, of which there are three combinations found at 
 the end of words ; viz, eighths, twelfths, fengths. 
 
 Those in the middle are about 22 in number ; viz. 
 
 ckthr packthread ngstr songstress 
 
 ffspr offspring ngssh kingsship 
 
 ghtfl night fly ngthf lengthful 
 
 ghthl eighthly ngthw lengthways 
 
 ghtsc eightscore rchpr archprelate 
 
 ghtsh nightshade rkscr corkscrew 
 
 ghtsm draughtsman rstfr firstfruits 
 
 lfthl twelfthly rthhr hearthbrush 
 
 lftht twelfthtide rthst northstar 
 
 llspr wellspring tchcr witchcraft 
 
 ndthr spendthrift tchbl snatchblock. 
 
 Some of these are curiosities in their way ; and, though 
 not of frequent use, they may serve as an exercise for the 
 student, and are given for that purpose. 
 
 There cannot be a more useful practice than that of 
 combining the single and double consonants in every possi- 
 ble way. A dictionary will furnish all the examples ; and 
 500 words will be about equal to writing a letter of two pages. 
 
 LESSON V. 
 
 Some attention must now be given to the Prepositions 
 and Terminations already mentioned (page 21). These are
 
 36 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 generally separated from the radical part of the word; 
 being " written small, high up, and disjoined." In this sys- 
 tem, however, they will not always be written " high up ;" 
 for if the preceding character be horizontal, as m, g, A, &c, 
 and it happen to be also high up, the termination must be 
 written close under it. If the m, &c, be low enough down, 
 the termination may be placed over the end of it. And 
 when the preceding character is perpendicular or oblique, 
 the termination, though disjoined, should be close enough 
 to prevent its being mistaken for a separate wor-d. In short, 
 give it always that situation which may not only connect it, 
 but preserve the horizontal line in writing ; and let the 
 Prepositions be treated in the same manner. (See PI. 4, 
 Ex. 5, acc/ama-tion ; and PI. 5, Ex. 2, achromatic. ) 
 
 A general rule has been given in other systems, which 
 says, — " Separated terminations are used only in poly- 
 syllables ; nor must a preposition and termination occur 
 in the same word." — The first part of this rule it is well 
 to observe; but in very long words there appears no ob- 
 jection to the use of both, if the writing can be shortened 
 thereby without making it illegible: for in all cases that 
 object is paramount. . 
 
 Separate prepositions, however, will not be so frequent 
 as terminations. It is, indeed, not worth while to use either 
 for less than three letters. The time lost in taking the pen 
 from the paper is about equal to that of making one letter ; 
 therefore, to gain any thing, we must save the writing of 
 two every time we use them. But, when we can save the 
 writing of two letters, it is not policy to throw away the 
 half of that advantage by using separated prepositions and 
 terminations, without a substantial reason for so doing. 
 Two such reasons present themselves : first, the separated 
 mark indicates that it is a contraction, and represents one 
 or two syllables; secondly, the necessity for preserving the 
 lineality of the writing makes it expedient that we should 
 take those opportunities of dressing the line, by writing the 
 termination higher or lower than it would be if joined. 
 This necessity is common to all short-hand systems ; and, 
 while on this point, it may be remarked, with respect to 
 those perpendicular and oblique double letters which have 
 a tendency to drive the writing out of line, as, tt, ch, th, &c, 
 that the student will find they will not do so if properly 
 written ; but will have nearly the same effect as the ascend- 
 ing and descending loops of our letters in the common small- 
 hand. A sufficient distance between the lines must be pre- 
 served to allow for this ; but it need not be greater than in 
 common writing. 
 
 The Prepositions and Terminations should be as indeli- 
 bly fixed in the memory as the Alphabet, so that the
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 37 
 
 same mark might always be used for the same meaning. 
 It would quicken the progress of Stenography wonderfully 
 if we could be as unanimous in writing its characters 
 as we are with respect to the common hand. 
 
 The marks given in Plates 6 and 7 are all composed of 
 the alphabetic characters and double consonants, already 
 learned by the student, and a few other doubles given 
 further on; and the principle on which they are formed is 
 shown in the diagrams (PI. 5, Ex. 3), where t and n are com- 
 bined in four different relative positions. Each of these 
 form a right angle, and the vowel belonging to each lies in 
 the direction of the h/pothenuse.* (To make this clear to 
 every one, see Ex. 3, where the combination is given on a 
 larger scale). Thus the four combinations of tn give four 
 different words, when written as such. The same method 
 is generally followed when they form part of a word, either 
 at the beginning or end ; also when used as separated ter- 
 minations. For instance, that position of tn which gives 
 ton as a word, expresses tion when written smaller at the 
 end of a word. By this explanation the next diagram 
 will be fully understood. (Ex. 4.) It shows the manner of 
 uniting the vowels with consonants, when they stand in 
 the same direction ; and accords with the general rule be- 
 fore given of reading the characters from left to right, or 
 from top to bottom. See Ex. 5, Double Consonants with 
 Vowels. 
 
 But in all this there is nothing fresh for the student to 
 learn. The prepositions and terminations are set down for 
 him in the Plates, and he has nothing to do but commit 
 them to memory in the same way as the Alphabet and dou- 
 ble letters. The minute explanation which has been given 
 of the method of arranging them, is only to show that they 
 have not been adopted at random, or as mere fancy might 
 suggest, but that a systematic adherence to one principle 
 pervades the whole. The student is now in possession of 
 every material requisite for the common purposes of Steno- 
 graphy. He must depend on his own application for the 
 dexterous use of them. That use of the common characters 
 which we call a running-hand, and which appears so easy 
 to us, is only a development of the mechanical dexterity 
 acquired by continual practice. To give full effect to the 
 great and wonderful powers of Stenography, we must em- 
 ploy the same degree of dexterity that we display in com- 
 mon writing, — and not till then can we duly appreciate the 
 value of such an acquirement. 
 
 The lengthened correspondence of intimate and dear 
 
 * A line connecting the two extreme ends, so as to form a 
 triangle. It subtends or is opposite to the right angle. 
 D 

 
 38 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 friends who are far from each other, can by this means be 
 indulged with more ease, even at a much greater length. 
 Matters of urgent business can be despatched in a few 
 minutes, that must otherwise, of necessity, be deferred, 
 for want of time, till the next post- The beautiful illus- 
 trations of an interesting lecture on science — the overwhelm- 
 ing torrent of eloquence flowing from the patriot — the 
 divine — the pleader at the bar — all are brought within our 
 grasp, by the power of Stenography. 
 
 We embody their ideas, — record, and make them our 
 own, simply by the use of our pocket-book and pencil. In a 
 tour of pleasure or scientific research, our adventures, ob- 
 servations, and discoveries, can be noted down as they occur, 
 without inconvenience or fatigue, and much valuable matter 
 that would otherwise evaporate is secured and brought 
 home. Thus, we not only bring down our bird, but we bag 
 the game. We not only enjoy the sport ourselves, but have 
 something to show and impart to our friends. 
 
 With the aid of so powerful an engine, a thousand other 
 advantages will be constantly at our beck. Is it not worth 
 while, then, to pay so easy a price as an hour each day for a 
 few weeks, for the attainment of so great an accomplish- 
 ment ? An industrious pupil may learn these characters in 
 a week ; — write and read them in a month ; — and have all 
 the powers of Stenography at his command in a quarter 
 of a year. 
 
 The next lesson may perhaps not be unacceptable as 
 an appendage to what has been already offered. 
 
 Those who aspire to the task of reporting public speeches, 
 trials, &c, must also employ the abbreviations explained in 
 the following pages. (Lessons vii. and viii.) 
 
 LESSON VI, 
 
 SHORT ARITHMETIC. 
 
 This department of Stenography has been much neglected. 
 By some it is entirely unnoticed ; some touch upon it very 
 slightly and inefficiently ; and the clumsy methods of others 
 excite a smile. One author says, " Write figures, as usual." 
 Another sets down marks which take more time to write 
 than the old figures themselves. But — enough said.
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 ■S 
 
 6 
 
 c> 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 *) 
 
 ( 
 
 \ 
 
 ) 
 
 I 
 
 h 
 
 \ 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 f\ 
 
 1 
 
 v! 
 
 X 
 
 ■I 
 
 I 
 
 v 
 
 6 /? v<? % 
 
 // 
 
 V 
 
 t<num6eto) 
 
 % Sec 
 
 J 
 
 Y 
 
 
 f 
 
 7 
 
 V 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 & * 3f * # J /. 
 
 •A 
 
 
 FJ 
 
 V 
 
 
 4:: 8 : /<? 
 
 J.-Uf 
 
 ^v</ . 
 
 S£Z}£ V 
 
 A/rJl\\w 
 
 v — 
 
 i\i 
 
 7)\ 
 /V 
 
 <?=//_ J" X c/= <f X 6?=4<S 
 
 K 
 
 uii_)xurxV=Ji 
 
 . ^/Zx. 
 
 J'^ooo \.yo,m409. VnV'U^b^
 
 PI. 
 
 ftwuzfe , and $&t-net£ . 
 
 y-iar^t-ond 
 
 I &6e 
 
 // 
 
 V 
 
 A 
 
 V 
 
 f 
 
 V 
 
 >■ 
 
 A 
 
 1 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 \ 
 
 \J 
 
 J 
 
 \J 
 
 U 
 
 A 
 
 W 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 a 
 
 V 
 
 J 
 
 Y 
 
 A 
 
 / 
 
 A 
 
 Jl 
 
 n 
 
 "i 
 
 ;i 
 
 A 
 
 k 
 
 A 
 
 \ 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 J 
 
 V 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 /) 
 
 \ 
 
 >». 
 
 # » « » # A '- # % 
 
 # V # # # # ^ ^ 
 
 Jl J .Y 1 V V /I \ 
 
 *# *fe |& 
 
 VUncC 
 
 n M u v 
 
 d/<-t<ji<->n . ad 
 
 ■4 
 
 tnetiepn 
 
 (U\) / =l / =l X V 
 
 64 • 
 
 1\trd/\ 'ZS 
 
 r.1 ■<%# 
 
 Cutfed. 
 
 ' [ (3+3)_5] 3 = (/2_<?) W 3 = ^x^a = a 
 [(^-IT (l/-l)W = JxJxJ = fJ 
 
 ComJnbjC, 
 
 
 //?/zy dec uf ten 
 
 A/fJl\\w_ 
 
 \L — 
 I\1 
 N/_ 
 7)\ 
 
 /v 
 
 /?are?if/ze,U<f . 
 
 I. (!W^. I' fuendied. I trunicJanjd 
 I g / ui>nd : <tff£<m. ■ "I -de^c/i^/d/c-. .I 
 
 
 
 
 
 AW,/
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 39 
 
 The figures in common use, including the cipher, take 
 about 24 motions of the pen to write them. The characters 
 here assigned to them require 10 motions — one for each 
 figure. (See Plate 8.) 
 
 Many sets of marks for figures have been worked by the 
 Author; none were found so apposite as that now adopted. 
 It is the only set by which fractions can always be so conve- 
 niently and distinctly expressed; and he is not aware that 
 this has been before attempted. 
 
 To render the development of this property complete, 
 and at the same time to keep the characters sufficiently dis- 
 tinct from each other, it was found necessary to adopt two 
 compound marks to express the figures 4 and 7. This ex- 
 planation must account for a slight departure from the prin- 
 ciple of using none but simple marks : it was unavoidable, 
 without sacrificing other important qualities. 
 
 All the operations of Arithmetic are performed with 
 these marks, in the same manner as with the common 
 figures. The advantage is, that they take but half the time, 
 or less, to write them. Being all of one height, and nearly 
 erect, there is not that inconvenience in the use of them, 
 nor confused appearance, that a mixture of different lengths 
 and positions would create in Arithmetic. 
 
 The cipher being expressed by a dot, is not new ; but the 
 dot is rendered more valuable by a new application of it 
 which will be explained below. 
 
 The signs used in Arithmetic, with a few exceptions, 
 may be the same as in common use. The exceptions are 
 as follow : The dot must be avoided ; therefore the sign of 
 division, instead of a dot over and under the line, has an 
 oblique dash through it. The sign denoting continued geo- 
 metrical proportion or progression, has a double dash instead 
 of four dots. The other proportionals, is to, and as, are re- 
 presented by a single and double horizontal dash, instead of 
 two and four dots. The sign, therefore, instead of three 
 dots, has a small stenographic tf. For the sake of distinc- 
 tion, it may be as well to preserve the small common figures 
 2 and 3, for the signs to be squared and cubed; but if the 
 student prefer it, he can use the marks given in the Plate, 
 viz, a dash in the position of the stenographic figures 2 and 
 3. The parenthesis cannot be admitted ; at least it must be 
 modified, by connecting the two marks with a line drown 
 underneath, as the vinculum is drawn over the figures. The 
 same objection does not exist with respect to crotchets, 
 which are sometimes used with the parenthesis in the same 
 operation. (See Parenthesis, &c, PI. 8.) 
 
 The figures are in general used separately, as in the 
 common character ; but to express fractions, they are joined, 
 
 D 2
 
 40 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 and written smaller (see Simple Fractions, PI. 8), the first 
 or /r/V-hand figure being always the numerator. 
 
 For Mixed Numbers and Complex Fractions, see the 
 same Plate. 
 
 The cipher is always expressed by a dot, therefore the 
 dot must never be used for any other purpose in Arithmetic. 
 (In writing, it is the vowel i.) In long division, for exam- 
 ple, instead of placing a dot under each figure brought down, 
 make a dash through the lower part of them, in any conve- 
 nient direction. These are termed scratched figures. Before 
 proceeding to decimals, the peculiar application of the dot 
 or cipher must be explained. 
 
 The form and position of all the figures admit of the 
 dot being placed in eight relative positions against them : 
 the first position to the right and at the foot of any figure has 
 the usual value of the cipher, expressing tens ; to the right 
 against the middle of a figure, it expresses hundreds; to 
 the right against the top, thousands; over a figure, mil- 
 lions ; to the left against the top, billions ; to the left 
 againt the middle, trillions; to the left at the foot, qua- 
 drillions ; and underneath a figure, quintillions. 
 
 Any higher power is expressed by doubling the dot ; for 
 example, two dots horizontally, in the place of quadrillions, 
 will double the value, and express octillions; but the 
 second dot placed under the first will be one less, or septil- 
 lions; and the same way underneath, nonillions. By this 
 means the odd numbers are expressed without more writing. 
 See Plate 8 for all these. 
 
 Where several figures are required, the same positions 
 are used, to the right and over the last figure, and to the left 
 and under the first (see Ex. 125 Millions, &c.) ; but when 
 the dot comes hetween two figures, it retains its lowest value, 
 although it may stand against the middle or top, in the 
 position of hundreds or thousands. Ex. PI. 8, at bottom. 
 
 By this method, when expressing round numbers, we 
 are not obliged to write all the ciphers, as in the common 
 notation; and the most inconceivably high numbers are 
 clearly expressed in less time than they can be named. As 
 to the amount of the National Debt, to which rueful refer- 
 ence is so often made, it becomes a mere flea-bite. To 
 write down that sum in common arithmetic, requires nine 
 places of figures; here, it is properly and distinctly ex- 
 pressed by a small curved line and two dots. Plate 8. 
 
 It may now become a question for the consideration of 
 Parliament, what reward ought to be voted to the man who 
 has reduced the National Debt to three figures ! 
 
 In decimal fractions, the point before the numerator on 
 the left hand, must be expressed by another mark s that it
 
 P/.-.9. 
 
 \ — fwffvT *^/wi6-t no *4V.- ^^aaU^aitte. ^-j cyAa^n^S 
 ^attftin. ^ai.yiiMi. ^-fnndi Co Curb: ^j fwu,%i. ^^?fxJi 
 
 f\ cUid. \jfat&. Kf/Hfum ^/nnt. \J"frecJc. Kj-tm<n(Ji7? 
 \jti-U?ed . f qjia?r£.p aiiatZ&v. o^ aw/ves. ^_ team. ^ l#f£/fy 
 
 V 7<>c6i. r f/r?id. L_ £md. </ tte/uae . rrr trWidl. n wevJ 
 
 o/r- /?&& e<e//?st . l/-^ fi€fc <2n /uvm<. 
 
 Coc/fcoL abt/Jte, /ffefrj tided' 1H£/ tins (hrtiAiy/. 
 
 • ) _ ^ / / i A A \ ^ 
 
 i/fa/jfsilAe I %of 45 ?e° ?o° 4J* io° 
 
 &-*• \Zt £. (t % L )k )f 7/ 
 
 t£j;»e\ m£ fm */ ffl tit f k 
 
 ^ ^// 6^? ^^ «/^?/ «2?**z> ?// ,^v^ /?y£ /£??, <//W 
 
 J&S? j f ^- > ^ -N ^. ) ( ~ O 
 
 ytf/Z/i L ^?° ^° V" ^° ^° .^' N / 
 
 J { d r cC d J 4w v oe thy /v q 
 
 iri • dt ct nd ?w 
 
 Jfi irru U tcfo k<?v aw
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 41 
 
 may not interfere with the ciphers on the left, which in this 
 ease do not increase their value, a small semi-circular mark 
 is here adopted. In circulating decimals, the repeater and 
 circulate may remain the same as in the common notation. 
 
 Pounds, shillings, and pence, and all the denominations 
 of weight, measure, length, time, and number, used in 
 Arithmetic, are expressed by the stenographic marks given 
 in Plate 9, being only the usual abbreviations transcribed 
 into the alphabetic character of the system. Their compa- 
 rative brevity will be obvious. 
 
 It has been said that the figures are in general written 
 separately, except when expressing fractions. In working 
 arithmetical questions they will always be separate (except 
 in very expert hands); but in many cases they may be joined 
 when expressing whole numbers, and are more rapidly 
 written that way. Two or three figures may likewise be often 
 blended together without losing their identity, and thus the 
 writing is still more accelerated. This will be useful to 
 reporters, in noting financial statements, &c. (See bottom 
 of PI. 8.) When the figures are joined for whole numbers, 
 they must be written full size instead of small, as in frac- 
 tions. Plate 8 exemplifies the joining of figures. 
 
 With algebraical signs it would be useless to interfere. 
 Algebra is, in itself, a kind of arithmetical short-hand, and 
 being only used by mathematicians and others engaged in 
 abstruse w orks, it would be out of place here. Every thing 
 that can be generally useful in Arithmetic has been ex- 
 plained, and only requires a little attention on the part 
 of the student to make it his own ; we therefore conclude 
 this section. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 What has been already advanced, the Author calls ^ab- 
 breviated Short-Hand, because every word is written, only 
 with more or less contraction, and is intended for the pur- 
 poses of business, correspondence between friends, &c ; 
 and, with tolerable readiness of hand, it will always save 
 more than three-fourths of the time at present employed in 
 common writing. But those who desire to follow a speaker 
 must use abbreviations to a considerable extent, which 
 will require transcribing afterwards, when intended for the 
 printer. 
 
 Many are so unreasonable as to imagine that a good sys- 
 
 D 3
 
 42 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 tem of short-hand must, at once, enable them to jump into the 
 situation of a reporter, giving them, in a few days, all the 
 facility of one who has practised the art for years. Nothing 
 can be more absurd. Such vanity can only be equalled by 
 those who think that, by taking six or eight lessons of a 
 first-rate painter or music-master, they can themselves 
 become accomplished artists or musicians. Nevertheless, 
 painters and music-masters have often been condemned as 
 *' utterly incapable ," because they have failed to accomplish 
 this miracle ! 
 
 Every art requires dexterity in the use of the means, 
 whether mental or mechanical, which can only be got at by 
 habit and practice. To follow a speaker in short-hand, 
 requires both mental and mechanical quickness and dexte- 
 rity, and in proportion to the energy of the mental powers 
 will be the student's progress. He must have a quick ear 
 as well as a quick eye and hand. In following a speaker, 
 our business is with sound as much as sight, for we have 
 to translate sounds into visible forms, and that instanta- 
 neously. If we lose a sentence by losing the time, we 
 cannot supply it, but must proceed with what the speaker is 
 uttering, or we shall lose that too. We must never lag be- 
 hind the speaker — always keep along-side of him. Now, 
 how is this to be done ? The answer is, " by first acquir- 
 ing as rapid a use of the short-hand characters as we have 
 of our running-hand in common writing." This, with 
 some abbreviations, will be quite sufficient. But many 
 have not patience to wait for this perfect command of 
 the characters. Almost the first thing we hear from them 
 is, " Can I follow a speaker P" " i" want to take down ser- 
 mons.^ " Will your system do that ?" 
 
 The answer again is, — Yes, it will ; but not in the hands 
 of lazy people. It must be played upon, like Hamlet's 
 pipe. But when Hamlet shows the stops, and says, — " place 
 your fingers thus, — give it breath with your mouth, and it 
 will discourse most eloquent music;" if the courtier 
 answer, " I know no touch of it, my Lord ; I have not the 
 skill;" why then, certes, it is not the pipe's fault. There 
 is not the less music in the pipe " for a' that, an' a' that." 
 
 Let a novice in the art try to follow a speaker by making 
 a dot on the paper, for every syllable uttered ; even that will 
 be a difficult task to him. He must acquire the habit — the 
 knack of catching the words, as it were, on the point of his 
 pen ; so instantaneously do they pass from the speaker, 
 through the writer's mind to the paper, that, like the electric 
 shock, they seem to occupy no time in traversing. 
 
 It is easy enough, sometimes, to follow the speaker in 
 trials, &c, where there is often a pause between a question 
 and its answer — the judge enforcing deliberation ; but when
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 43 
 
 a rapid speaker is sailing on in the full tide of eloquence, 
 crowding his words together to make them keep pace with 
 the overflowing of his mind, excited by his subject, and 
 becoming sometimes indistinct through mere vehemence of 
 speech, the short-hand writer's resource is often in abbre- 
 viation and omission, noting only the principal words in a 
 sentence, or perhaps only the heads of a discourse ; supply- 
 ing the line of argument from memory, afterwards. Those 
 who can do this, are, of course, persons of education, to 
 whom the grammatical construction of the language is no 
 difficulty ; whose clearness of intellect and retentive me- 
 mory can grasp the whole subject, and go over it again with 
 only a word noted down here and there, as a sort of direct- 
 ing-post, to the several points of the argument. These 
 gentlemen know well enough how to make their own abbre- 
 viations ; and it is only for the sake of those who have not 
 already studied the art, that any thing more than a list of the 
 extra double letters, used by the Author in this system, need 
 be added. 
 
 These will wonderfully assist the abbreviating of words, 
 and it is conceived are far preferable to the practice of using 
 so many hundreds of arbitrary marks as are adopted by 
 some writers. Arbitraries are always equivocal, and are, 
 very often, "of no use to any but the owner." They are 
 contrived by himself, for his own private notes, and they die 
 with him. Another stenographer will give the same marks 
 a totally opposite signification : but marks that have a fixed 
 meaning, like those of our common Alphabet, for instance, 
 there is never any dispute or difficulty about them,— they 
 are legible to all, even where single letters are put for whole 
 words, as F.R.S., D.D., M.D., and numerous others ; we 
 never hesitate in deciphering them. The connexion very 
 often points out the proper meaning of this kind of arbi- 
 trary writing: for instance, in A.M. the connexion tells us 
 whether we are to read ante-meridian, anno mundi, or mas- 
 ter of arts ; and this leads to an easy mode of abbreviating 
 our Short-Hand, as explained below. 
 
 Some cynical observer may perhaps say, " I thought we 
 were to have no arbitraries." 
 
 The Author replies, neither shall we, in the strict sense 
 of the word. In short-hand, arbitraries are generally under- 
 stood to be those marks which are different from any of the 
 alphabetic characters, — not forming any initial letter, and 
 having no connexion with the words intended but in the 
 fancy of the writer ; like the marks used in arithmetic to 
 express addition, multiplication, kc. These ale not letters, 
 although they may be expressive of the thing meant : as, 
 equality — represented by two parallel lines of equal length, 
 thus=; division, tv/o dots divided from each other by aline-^,
 
 44 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 &c. These form no letter in our common Alphabet, and 
 are decidedly arbitrary marks. All such are rejected as 
 unnecessary in this system; but it would be fastidious in 
 the extreme to reject the use of initial letters where the 
 words can be so well understood — a method so easy and 
 legitimate, that it has been adopted all over the world from 
 time immemorial, and surely it can nowhere be more ap- 
 propriately used than in Stenography, as far as the con- 
 nexion will render it legible. We shall now proceed to 
 arrange the characters for this purpose. 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 It has been before observed, that the characters may be 
 read occasionally from top to bottom. This will frequently 
 occur in our abbreviations ; therefore, when the characters 
 are to express whole words, write them separately, and place 
 them one under the other. When there are three characters, 
 the first may be over, or the last under, the other two which 
 stand side by side. Ex. For " honourable members" place 
 the initial characters separately, thus ".; — " The noble and 
 learned lord" N i L '; — " The Commons House of Parliament" 
 h C p. ; — " The late Chancellor of the Exchequer" use the cha- 
 racters for ch. and ex., thus ch L kx. : the words omitted are 
 sufficiently understood ; — " Her Majesty's Ministers" H m/' 
 Several abbreviations may follow each other ; thus, — sup- 
 posing the words to be, — " The Speaker then left the Chair ; 
 and the House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole 
 House" Only the words in italics need be written, forming 
 three abbreviations ; and only two connecting words are 
 inserted ; thus L S c. and 2: into w.k (See PI. 10, Ex. 1.) 
 
 Sometimes more than the initials may be written in 
 abbreviations not so commonly understood ; as, "The Phoenix 
 Fire Office." Join the double consonant marks for ph. and 
 nx., and place them at the top, with/r. and off. underneath. 
 Here, the word " office," beginning with a vowel, requires 
 the mark for ff. to be written with it. (Ex. 1.) 
 
 In this way not only all our common abbreviations may 
 be written, but in the several departments of Science, Law, 
 Divinity, Physic, &c, the technical terms and phrases pecu- 
 liar to each may be advantageously represented. Each 
 class will arrange its own abbreviations better than it could 
 be done for them here, even if our limits would permit ;
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 45 
 
 and it is hoped the examples given above will fully illus- 
 trate the general method intended to be pursued. 
 
 Other abbreviations may be used ; such as the initial 
 letter with a termination ; or the first and last letters only, 
 where the writer can depend upon his memory ; still placing 
 the two or three words, as before directed, to show that they 
 are contractions. And, of course, any of the extra double 
 consonant marks may be used for words that either begin 
 or end with them, or both ; in a similar way to the words 
 "Phoenix" — " Chancellor,"— " Exchequer ," given above. 
 
 The extra marks may be used or not, according to the 
 student's views. If he intend to carry out the system to 
 any extent, he will find them to be of great importance. 
 
 In that case, he is supposed to be quite familiar with the 
 angles of 20°, 45°, and 70°, given in the Geometrical Ana- 
 lysis. He will then be able to write any of them correctly, 
 by the figures attached to them in Plate 9, taking care to 
 distinguish those which depend on being written with a 
 thicker stroke throughout their length, from those of the 
 same form and size which are written lightly. 
 
 If we are to have so many simple marks, there is no 
 other way of getting at them but by the modifications here 
 adopted. Those who suppose them difficult because they 
 cannot immediately make them so readily as they could 
 wish, only betray that indolence of disposition before al- 
 luded to. All are not equally dexterous in the use of the 
 pen; which, like any other tool, requires habit and practice 
 to make its free use familiar to us, and give us that complete 
 command over it which banishes all complaints about the 
 badness of the tools or materials, that we so continually 
 hear from beginners in any art. 
 
 The student will perceive, that the extra-double con- 
 sonants cannot be allowed to range materially from their 
 respective angles, like the characters before given. If any 
 of them should appear " dreadfully awkward,'''' they can be 
 omitted ; at least for the present. A time may come, per- 
 haps, when their aid will be acceptable. The Author once 
 thought them " aivkward ,-" but now he not only uses them 
 all, but several more which are not inserted ; although they 
 are as simple in form as those given in Plate 9. The great 
 utility of the double consonants in all abbreviations, or 
 contractions, will be apparent. 
 
 Should punctuation be considered necessary, the best 
 way (for this system) will be to use, for the comma, a light 
 diagonal dash from the level of the writing downwards; 
 for the semi-colon and colon, the same dash above the level ; 
 and for the period, a longer dash through, or above and 
 below the level. These three will be quite sufficient. The 
 Author prefers the shorter method of leaving spaces ; giving
 
 46 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 the widest to the period. N.B. The word level is here used, 
 presuming that the student can write straight without using 
 lines, or ruled paper. 
 
 For the note of' admiration, use the dash above the level, 
 with a dot under it, being nearly the same as the common 
 mark. The note of interrogation may be the mark for qu, s, 
 or question; lightly made. The break, a horizontal dash, 
 very light, and longer than the mark for amna. The paren- 
 thesis, also, lighter and longer than the common mark. For 
 quotations, a small double dash, similar to what is com- 
 monly used for marking seconds. (See PI. 10, No. 2.) 
 Commas are inadmissible, as belonging to the vowel y. 
 
 LESSON' VIII. 
 
 The observations in a preceding page give a general idea 
 of the method of following a speaker. But, previous to 
 venturing on this task, the student should be assured that 
 he can readily apply all the characters to whatever words he 
 may want, without the slightest hesitation ; that is, with as 
 much facility as he can write the common hand. 
 
 The best way to acquire the habit of following a speaker 
 is to get some one to read or speak slowly, making a longer 
 pause than usual between each sentence. As you gain 
 facility, let your reader proceed faster. At intervals, be 
 sure to read off what you have written. Do this several 
 times in each performance : for, unless your reading keeps 
 pace with your writing, you will never become a proficient. 
 To read it often, is the best and quickest way to make the 
 characters familiar to us in all their combinations. The 
 reading, however, of this system will be very much easier 
 than that of others, because the student will not have to 
 contend with a species of orthography so totally different 
 from that which he has been all his life accustomed to. In 
 almost all other systems the established orthography is so 
 much cut up and disfigured, by the introduction of wrong 
 letters substituted for the right ones, that it becomes a most 
 difficult task to learn it at all. What makes it more so is, 
 that in all other things we are continually returning to, and 
 reading, our established system of orthography ; thus keep- 
 ing up, as it were, an inveterate war in our minds between 
 the two, which few heads can bear the confusion of. The 
 consequence is, that Stenography, coming, as it has hereto- 
 fore done, in such barbarous guise, either obtains footing 
 very slowly, or is driven away altogether as an intolerable
 
 STENOGRAPH V. 47 
 
 incubus ; and, although in itself, ready to confer immense 
 benefit on mankind at large, is constrained to hide its head 
 with the few who have sufficient nerve to encounter the 
 strange appearance given to it by its fantastic friends. 
 
 Stripped of this uncouth dress, and presented in a more 
 inviting form, it now comes in peaceful compliance with 
 our established customs ; no longer insisting that we shall 
 spell physician with an /, catspaw with kclsb, and confound 
 all distinction between loving and roving — beer and peer — 
 tart and dirt; but allowing these, and all other well-known 
 articles, to remain in quiet possession of their own proper 
 appellations. 
 
 But to return to our study. Having followed a reader 
 some time, the next step may be to take down the sermon 
 of a very deliberate preacher. You will, perhaps, lose 
 ground at first ; regard not that, but go on. Always keep 
 up to the words uttered at the moment, even if obliged to 
 leave out something in order to do so. Endeavour, in that 
 case, to seize the principal words only ; and, in reading it 
 over afterwards, supply what has been omitted, as far as 
 your memory will serve. Take all opportunities of writing 
 down conversations, arguments, &c. Make short-hand 
 copies of letters. Keep your daily memoranda in this cha- 
 racter. By these, and such-like means, you will make rapid 
 progress ; and need not doubt that "you will ultimately 
 reach the summit of stenographic perfection — following 
 
 A SPEAKER WITH EASE AND CORRECTNESS. 
 
 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 A greater number of explanatory examples have been given, 
 in preference to filling the Plates with extracts from the 
 works of other Stenographers, for the mere purpose of com- 
 parison. The brevity of character in this work speaks for 
 itself, in the numerous examples where two, three, and four 
 letters are expressed in one simple mark. Some additional 
 examples are given, to show that many of the compound 
 characters of other systems expressing only one letter, are 
 here made to represent four and Jive letters each. (See 
 PI. 10, Ex. 3.) This is often effected by the application of 
 the loop, or small circle, which, instead of being thrown 
 away upon single letters, always represents the combination 
 and ; thus requiring only one single or double consonant 
 to form it into many whole words written at length. The 
 double consonant marks, written by themselves, gencrallv
 
 48 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 imply a vowel between ; as, /r, for — nt, not — tn, ten, &c. 
 As a termination, nt is ent — tn, tion. 
 
 Two or more of the short words, if, in, is, it, &c, often 
 come together; sometimes they all follow. They may be 
 contracted by the double marks with a vowel to the left, or 
 over them, often indicating that it belongs to both letters ; as, 
 i st, is it ; i, ts, it is. Written one under the other, each mark 
 may express two words, and the dot belong to all of them ; 
 as, i, {„ : if it is in. If the dot belong only to the top mark, 
 place it near the top; as, u %: it is not. If to both, as in 
 the preceding order of the words, place the dot on the level, 
 near the space between the marks. Sometimes two vowel 
 marks are used, one for each double consonant ; Ex. " f n : as 
 it is in. (PI. 10, Ex. 4.) This last example occurs in the 
 Lord's Prayer, which is here given exactly as spelt in 
 the Plate— 
 
 Or Fther whch rt n heven, hllowd b thy nam ; thy king- 
 dm com, thy wll b don n erth as its n heven. Gve s ths 
 day or daly bred, and forgve us or trspsss as we forgve them 
 tht trspss agnst s. Led s nt into temta 1 ?, but dlvr s frm 
 evl. For thin s the kingdm, the powr, and the glory, for 
 ever and ever. Amen. (See PI. 10, Ex. 5.) 
 
 It is presumed there can be no complaint as to the legi- 
 bility of this example ; and, although this is the longest 
 version of the Lord's Prayer, and many of the words are 
 written at length, the marks used are absolutely fewer in 
 number than in some systems where not only the short 
 version is given, but the words are much more abbreviated, 
 and also obscured by having false letters inserted. 
 
 The words here written at length may be shortened ; and 
 others may have a vowel added, if the student feel it neces- 
 sary : but the Author would recommend nearly this manner 
 of spelling, for the purpose of correspondence between 
 friends, or in any documents not intended for transcription. 
 Such ought always to be sufficiently legible to any reader, 
 even at the expense of a little brevity in the writing ; and, 
 although it is a maxim, that " connexion is the master hey of 
 short-hand," still, in this kind of ^abbreviated writing, the 
 dependence on connexion should be slight. 
 
 Taking notes in public is a very different thing. In that 
 department the proportion becomes reversed: brevity will 
 prevail at the expense of legibility ; and the aid of con- 
 nexion is called in to its full extent. Notes, so taken, may not 
 perhaps be legible to any but the writer ; but that is of no 
 consequence : he may abbreviate them as far as he can depend 
 on his memory to transcribe them afterwards, either into 
 the unabbreviated short -hand, or into the common hand, as 
 may be necessary; and the system will bear him out to any
 
 STENOGRAPHY. 49 
 
 extent. Still, the Author's grand object has been to con- 
 struct it so that the people at large may avail themselves of 
 the benefit of short writing. How he has succeeded, time 
 must determine. 
 
 The following example is given, as spelt in PI. 10, 
 No. 6, where the student will observe, that some of the 
 extra-double consonant marks are used. They are here 
 distinguished by italics — 
 
 " If manknd woud alwas obsrve the swipl, goldn rul of 
 lif, and " do to others as they would hve others do to them," 
 wht a hppy world this would be ! But, alas ! vrj few seem 
 to reflect, or evn to undrstand, how much s comprendd n 
 that one short and most vrftly butifl precept." 
 
 In this example, the word " would" which occurs three 
 times, is written three different ways. Either of the first 
 two may be used ; or it may be written wud, or even wd. 
 The third way, given in the plate, is only to exhibit the 
 Author's mode of writing Id, which reduces the whole word 
 to two marks. It is a double-sized curve, at 20°. By com- 
 mencing with a fine stroke, it is old ; but in this example, 
 being written across the fine end of w, the vowels are trans- 
 posed, and o, being to the left-hand, must be read before u, 
 and these before Id : in accordance with the general rule of 
 the system. 
 
 This mode of crossing the characters may often be used ; 
 as, where a vowel dash crosses a single consonant, that 
 vowel comes both before and after it. 
 
 Where a vowel only touches, either at the junction of 
 single consonants, or the middle of double ones, the vowel 
 then comes between the letters expressed by that mark. If 
 drawn through, or across, a double consonant, it is oo or ee ; 
 as, in noon, seem, the vowel dash o crosses the mark nn, and 
 the vowel e crosses sm. Moon is written with mn, crossed 
 by o, at their junction ; that is, at the length of n from 
 the end. 
 
 The best standard for the size of the characters the 
 Author considers to be as follows : 
 
 Semi-circular marks.— Half size ; as, j, k, q, half a line, 
 or one-twentieth of an inch diameter. — Full size ; as, c, p, 
 w, one line, or one-tenth of an inch diameter. — Double 
 size ; as, cc, pp, one and a half lines, or three-twentieths 
 diameter. — Half-sized lines and curves, one- tenth of an 
 inch long. — Full-sized lines and curves, two-tenths long. — 
 Double-sized lines and curves, three-tenths for the hori- 
 zontal and oblique, and only one-fourth of an inch for the 
 perpendiculars, and 70° angle. — Triple-sized curves, as, phi, 
 graph, &c, four-tenths of an inch. — This scale will be quite 
 large enough to make the necessary distinctions of character, 
 whilst a proper degree of neatness requires that they should 
 
 E
 
 50 STENOGRAPHY. 
 
 not exceed it. There is much difference in the hand-writing 
 of different persons with respect to size ; but, whatever scale 
 is adopted, the relative proportions of the characters to each 
 other must always be preserved. 
 
 Thus, having left no essential point unexplained, the 
 Author takes leave to conclude, — recommending a proper 
 degree of application for the attainment of this art. We 
 cannot do better than finish with an observation or two 
 of Mr. Palmer's, who wrote on this subject sixty -four 
 years ago. He says,— " I have known persons complain 
 greatly of the time supposed requisite for attaining to a 
 tolerable perfection in this art. Who are the persons 
 that make the complaint, — they who have learned short- 
 hand, or they that have little or no knowledge of it? 
 Only the latter ! Indolent people usually ascribe those 
 difficulties and inconveniences to an art or science they 
 attempt to learn, which arise solely from their own lazi- 
 ness, carelessness, and inattention. 
 
 " This should be noticed, that since proficiency in all 
 other arts and sciences requires time and diligence, it is 
 highly unreasonable to expect skill in short-hand to come, 
 as it were, by intuition."
 
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 DIRECTIONS FOR THE BINDER. 
 
 Plate 1. At the end of the Introduction. 
 
 2. To face Lesson I. 
 
 — 3. Ditto Ditto II. 
 
 4. . 
 
 ■Ditto Ditto IV. 
 
 
 5.. 
 
 Ditto Ditto V. 
 
 S. Ditto Ditto VI. 
 
 9. At the beginning of Part IL 
 
 10. To face the last page. 
 
 Printed by Georoe Wood. 
 Parsonage Lane, Bath.
 
 TJNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA 
 
 AT 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 LIBRARY
 
 A 000 634 640 7 

 
 i In m m 
 
 w; 
 
 1 
 
 H 
 
 II 
 
 
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 mm 
 
 '!■:;..'■ ' ; 
 
 
 ■111