naturally lead you to make all the vertical characters in an upright or perpendicular position.

2. Let all the looped or twirled letters have their loops made as circular as is consistent with beauty and ease of joining.

3. Spell in the shortest, but neatest and most compact manner possible

4. At first, do not leave out any vowels at the beginning or end of words that are distinctly sounded.

5. Prefixes and terminations must always be placed very near the other parts of those words to which they belong, to prevent their being mistaken for detached and separate words.

6. When the plural number of words is formed by adding s to the singular, it is always distinguished in Short Hand, by writing the s only half its usual length.

7. Never affect too much brevity: common Short Hand is short enough for all common purposes.

8. Do not make a secret of the Art; it is worthy of being universally known and practised.

9. Short-Hand contractions (unless well known) should not be used in epistolary correspondence. The ridiculous affectation of writing every thing by the shortest possible method has hitherto proved the greatest impediment to the general adoption of the Stenographic Art.

Nothing can be more preposterous than the method some authors adopt to demonstrate the superiority of their respective schemes. After writing a few words in the shortest manner possible, he who has chanced to comprise the greatest number in the least room, triumphs in the idea that his system is the best; without recollecting, that this is no criterion either of its expedition or legibility.

+ Lewis's "Historical Account of Short-Hand," published separately, price one guinea, comprises a great deal of curious and valuable information. It contains the Stenographic Alphabets of most of the Systems we have mentioned, with critical remarks on their merits and defects. Many useful observations in our introductory pages have been collected from this work, and we strongly recommend it to the perusal of the inquisitive student.

In the second Edition of this work, Mr. Blair's Alphabet is inserted

DIRECTIONS FOR WRITING IN PUBLIC.

WHEN the student first endeavours to write after a speaker, he must not be discouraged if he finds himself unable to keep pace with him. In his early attempts he will perhaps feel so confused, as to be prevented from writing with half the expedition of which he is really capable. It will be in vain for

Let

him to expect that he can preserve every word. him be content, at first, to take the substance of what is delivered, retaining, as much as possible, whatever is peculiar in the phraseology of the speaker, and by perseverance and practice he will find himself able to write more and more fully, till at length his performance will be quite satisfactory.

The pupil will find it useful, after he has become well acquainted with the foregoing rules and the annexed specimen plates, to employ some friend to read extracts on different subjects, very deliberately, while he writes them down. This will familiarize him to the manner of following a voice, will call his acquirements into active exercise, and will lessen the embarrassment above alluded to.

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When great dispatch is requisite, all stops, except the period, may be omitted, leaving a blank, proportioned in size to the length of the pause required.

The smaller the characters can be written, without becoming indistinct, the more it will promote expedition.

PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS.

In taking down sermons, quotations from scripture frequently occur. It will be sufficient if a few of the first and last words of these be inserted, as the deficiency can afterwards be supplied from memory, or by consulting a concordance.

When a short hand writer is employed to take down proceedings in the courts of law, and it is of consequence to report them as nearly verbatim as possible, it is desirable to make him previously acquainted with the matter in dispute, which is often so complicated as not to be very easily understood. By becoming master of the case beforehand, he will be in less danger of falling into mistakes, and will more readily comprehend the bearing of what is said.

The assistance of a Teacher, when it can be obtained, is of great advantage in the study of this art. Men differ in their genius and preceptions, and every pupil has his own peculiar views and ideas. Difficulties present themselves to some minds which never occur to others, and which no writer on the subject can anticipate. It is impossible, in a public treatise,

to lay down rules and explanations adapted to the capacities, and satisfactory to the understandings of all, who may endeavour to learn it. A master however, has it in his power to give such minute and personal instructions as cannot fail to produce a beneficial result. He can at once explain to the student whatever seems obscure and ambiguous; can solve his difficulties, correct his mistakes, assist his invention, encourage him in his progress, and lead him on to practical proficiency.

CONTENTS OF PLATE III.

(1.) "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."

:

(2.) "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil."

(3.) "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof, than fine gold."

(4.) "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving: and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God: and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are all the corners of the earth and the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands prepared the dry land.