write a copy of the fhort-hand alphabet; ruling his lines according to the dotted lines in the first line of the first lesson in the plate; and writing the fignification of each character at the end of each line, and the letter it reprefents at the beginning of the line; ufing three or four lines of a quarto copy for each letter.

In the alphabet given, I doubt not but the characters will be found as convenient for practice as any extant. I have endeavoured to make it confift of the most fimple, and, at the fame time, the most diftin&t characters. I fhall only obferve, that by the help of this alphabet, and the abbreviations that follow, I have been able to follow the most rapid fpeakers.

This alphabet, though confifting of the characters for fifteen confonants only, will be found quite fufficient. The c being fupplied by either & or s, according as it is pronounced, hard or foft. The may very well be omitted in fhort hand, as it is only an aspiration of the breath; and the found of the word (which is all that is minded in this fpecies of writing) may be discovered without it. The j is fupplied by the g foft, which has the fame found. is alfo fupplied by f being only a coarfer found than that letter. Y is reprefented, if neceffary, by the vowel i, having exactly the fame found; and z by s, from which it differs in found but a little, being of a coarfer nature,

The vowels are seldom used in short hand; but when it is necessary to infert any of them, they are reprefented by points, as will be feen hereafter,

Three of the characters in this alphabet are horizontal figures: viz. d, k, and m; as are alfo the three characters which reprefent the double letters, ch, h, th. Seven of them are vertical or lineal, running dire&ly from the top line to the bottom; viz. f, g, h, n, q, r, and x. The other five, b, p, t, s, and w, are inclined characters.

l,

In forming the fhort-haud characters fingly, the learner may obferve (if he wishes to have his writing look exact),

that the horizontal characters are only half the height of the lineal, and inclined ones. For the two latter ones generally Occupy the whole space between the two lines, as feen in the plate. But this direction is to be strictly adhered to only while the learner is forming the characters fingly: when he comes to join the characters together, to form words, it will be often neceffary to make them lefs or greater than their ufual fize; fometimes for convenience, and at other times from neceffity: as will be fhewn in its proper place.

Of the B.

This letter, in fhort hand, is formed by an inclined curve line, or finall fegment of a circle; it fhould always be formed from the top, which is on the left hand; and univerfally I would advise, that all inclined and horizontal letters be formed from the left hand part, as it is the most natural, and will be found the most expeditious. This letter may alfo be used to exprefs the words, be, by, but, and black; and, with a fhort lateral ftroke joined to the fore part, it represents the word before; and the fame ftroke, when placed in the hinder part, fignifies the word behind; as fhewn in the plate. This Jetter is alfo ufed to denote the infeparable prepofitions be, ob, and ab, when belonging to a word: as, be-have, ob-fcure, &c. It alfo forms the terminations ble, or able, both fingular and plural, and bly: as, remark-able, move-ables, and a-bly.

C.

This letter is not diftinguished by a separate character; for its found (except before h, which is provided for) is either hard, like k; or foft, likes. It is, therefore, reprefented by the one or other of thefe characters, according to its found.

*When the ftroke is drawn through the character, it fignifies the words before and behind; and when the ftroke is set at the left hand point, it stands for the word beginning.

D.

D.

This letter is the fegment of a small circle, with its two points downwards; it is begun at the left hand point, as the laft. When used alone, it reprefents the word and, hand, and end. It alfo ftands for the prepofitions de, di, dis: as, de-bate, di-vide, difpute. And is ufed for the termination ed: as, turn-ed.

F, or V.

This letter is formed by a ftraight, downright or upright ftroke of the pen (for it may be made either upwards or downwards, as is found most convenient to the writer). When it follows a letter that is finished at the bottom, it is formed upwards; but when it fucceeds a letter that is concluded at the top, it is formed downwards, that the pen be taken off the paper as seldom as possible, It alfo ftands for the v, which is a letter of nearly the fame found, being only a little coarfer, and is, therefore, not diftinguished in short hand by a separate character: but if it be necessary to dif- * tinguish it at any time from the f, it is only making the character a little blacker, or fuller. This letter alfo repre fents the words for, if, of, off, and few; and the infeparable prepofition for as, for-get. And the terminations fy, ify, ful, and fulness: as, de-fy, fanct-ify, forgetful, forget-fulness»'

G, or J.

This letter confifts of a fegment of a circle, the fame fize as the d, but formed in a different direction from that letter; this being in a vertical direction, running from the top line to the bottom one. It is also used for the j, which has partly the fame found as the foft g. But, when used for the j, it fhould be written fainter, particularly towards the bottom. This letter may alfo be begun either at the top or the bottom, as is found most convenient to make it join with the foregoing letter. When it ftands alone, and as a g, it represents the words again, againft, great; and as a j, it signifies the words judge, juft, join. Joined to other characters, it repreVOL. I.

N

Lents

די

fents the word grand: as, grand-father; and the terminations gree and join; as, a-gree, con-join.

H.

There is no character to distinguish this letter; for as it is only an afpiration of the breath, its infertion is not neceffary to discover the found of the word; it is, therefore, wholly omitted.

This is reprefented by g; as hath been shewn.

K, or C hard.

This letter is formed in the fame shape and fize as the d,. but in the quite oppofite direction; it is always begun at the left hand. When it ftands alone, it reprefents the words can, could; and with a short stroke drawn under the middle, it fignifies cannot. Ufed as a prepofition, it fignifies com, con, and contra; as, compound, con-ceal, and contra-ry; as a termination, it reprefents acle, ical, and icle: as, fpectacle," period-ical, and art-icle.

1

L.

This letter is formed of a straight lineal stroke, like the f, but turned a little at the top, towards the left hand. It is moftly begun at the top; but, if found neceffary, may be made from the bottom. By itself, it reprefents the words all, always, altogether; joined to other characters, it stands for low, latter, and late; as, low-ly; latter-ly: late-ly, and, as a termination, it fignifies ly: as in low-ly, latter-ly, and late-ly; thus, two of thofe characters reprefent each of thefe words; and when thus ufed, fhould have its vowel point to the first fyllable.

M.

This letter is represented by a straight lateral stroke; and is always begun at the left hand. Alone, it reprefents the words am, amongft, my, mine, me, whom; also, much or many; when made larger than common, it fignifies the word more; with a short stroke across the middle, it ftands for the words

twice as much, or twice the number, or double the quantity; with two fuch ftrokes, it fignifies three times as much, &c.; and with a dot placed under the middle, it stands for half as much, &c.; and with two fuch dots placed under it, it fignifies the word moft. With the negative ftroke under it, it fignifies not me, not fo much, &c. Joined with other characters, it reprefents the prepofitions magni, and mis: as, magni-fy, mis-fortune; and as a termination, it stands for ment or ménts : as, tefta-ment.

N.

This letter is formed of a straight lineal ftroke, with the top a little turned towards the right hand. It is mostly begun at the bottom, but it may be formed from the top, if requifite. When ufed alone, it reprefents the words an, in, under; as a prepofition, it stands for ante, anti, in, inter, under: as, ante-cedent, anti-podes, in-ter, inter-rogation, under-mine. As a termination, it stands for ent and nefs: as, garm-ent, har-ness.

P.

This letter is formed of an inclined curve line, leaning towards the right hand. It is always begun at the bottom. When used alone, it stands for the words upon and poor. As a prepofition, it represents per, pre, and pro: as, per-plex, pre-fage, and pro-long. As a termination, it is feldom or never used in English.

This letter is formed of a straight stroke in a lineal direction, with the top curled quite round towards the left hand. It may be begun either at the top or the bottom, as is found moft convenient. When it fands alone, it fignifies the words queftion and quantity; with a fhort ftroke across the middle, it reprefents the phrafe double the quantity; and with a dot placed under it, it stands for half the quantity; with the negative mark under it, it stands for not the quantity. When joined to other characters, it reprefents the words a quarter, and a quart: as, a quarter of an hour, a quart of water. As a termination, it ftands for quire: as require.