LEONARDOS
SHORTHAND
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THE LIBRARY
OF
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.
• • • • • • *
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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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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,
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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.
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( //<?. ( /^. ] ^w. 1 i/wn^. fj thed^X^ more.
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\f cArO^ec. LcnutcA . \ cAcer. (<£ c^?en#fcuy.
cn<?\
tfrvwne, ^^jAg& S~ r rf/^/frfte^c£.
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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'.
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^ ^ aAs*/jnic . ^ ^ aiaftn. — "^ anion,-, ^s'nvod.
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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.
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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.
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\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
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