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Lusus naturæ.-A play or freak of nature.

Magna Charta.-The great Charter.

Magna est veritas et prævalebit.-Truth is most powerful, and will ultimately prevail.

Mala fide.-In bad faith.-With a design to deceive.

Malum in se.-A thing evil in itself.

Mandamus.-We order.

Mauvaise honte. Fr.-False shame.
Maximum.-The greatest possible.

Mediocria firma.-The middle station is the safest.
Memento mori.-Remember death.

Memoria in æternâ.-In eternal remembrance.
Minimum.-The smallest possible.
Minutia.-Trifles.-To enter into minutiæ.
Mirabile dictu!-Wonderful to tell!
Mirabile visu!-Wonderful to behold!

Mirum!-Wonderful!

Mirum in modum.-In a wonderful manner.

Misnomer. Fr.-The mistake of a name; or using one name for another. Modus operandi.-The method or manner of operating.

Multum in parvo.-Much in little.-A great deal said in a few words. Necessitas non habet legem.-Necessity has no law.

Ne exeat.-Let him not go out.

Nem. con. for nemine contradicente, and,

Nem. diss. for nemine dissentiente.-No person opposing or disagreeing.-These two phrases are synonymous.

Ne plus ultra.-Nothing more beyond.

Nil debet. He owes nothing.-The usual plea in an action of debt. Nil dicit.-He says nothing.

Nisi prius.-Unless before.

Nolens, volens.-Willing or unwilling.

Noli me tangere.-Do not touch me.

Nolle prosequi.-To be unwilling to proceed.

Non assumpsit.-He did not assume, or take to himself.

Non compas mentis.-Not of sound mind.-In a delirium of lunacy. Non conscire sibi.-Conscious of no fault.

Non constat.-It does not appear.

Non est inventus.-He has not been found.
Non nobis solum.-Not merely for ourselves.
Non obstante.-Notwithstanding.

Non sequitur.-It does not follow.
Nosce teipsum.-Know thyself.
Nota bene.-Mark well.

Nucleus.-The kernel.

Nudum pactum.-A naked agreement.

Nulla bona.-No goods.

Nunc aut nunquam.-Now or never.

On dit. Fr.-It is said.-It is an on dit.-It is merely a loose report.

Onus probandi.-The burden of proving.

Opera pretium est." It is worth while" to hear or to attend.

Ore tenus.-From the mouth.-The testimony was ore tenus.

O tempora! O mores!-Oh the times and the manners.

Pacta conventa.--Conditions agreed upon.

Panacea. From the Greek.-A remedy for all diseases.
Par excellence. Fr.-By way of eminence.

Pari passu. With an equal pace.-By a similar gradation.

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Paritur pax bello. CORN. NEP.-Peace is produced by war.
Particeps criminis.--A partaker in the crime-an accessary
Passim.--Every where.-In various places.

Pater noster.-Our father.

Pater patriæ.-The father of his country.
Penchant. Fr.-Propensity, inclination, desire.
Per annum-Per diem.-By the year-by the day.
Per se.--By itself.--No man likes mustard per se.
Perseverando.-By perseverance.

Pluries. At several times.

Posse comitatûs.-The power of the county.
Posse videor.-The appearance of being able.

Postea.-Afterwards.

Post factum, nullum consilium.-After the deed is done, there is no use in consultation.

Post mortem.-After death.
Postulata.--Things required.

Primum mobile.--The first cause of motion.

Primus inter pares.--The first amongst his equals.

Principia non homines.--Principles--not Men.

Pro bono publico.--For the public good.

Pro confesso. As if conceded.

Pro et con.-For and against.

Pro hac vice.--For this turn.

Pro libertate patriæ.-For the liberty of my country.

Pro patria.--For my country.

Promenade. Fr.-A walk--a fashionable place for walking.

Pro tempore.-For the time.

Quantum.--How much.-The quantum.-The due proportion.

Quantum libet.-As much as you please.

Quantum meruit.-As much as he has deserved.

Quantum sufficit.-A sufficient quantity.

Quid nunc.--What now?-What is the news at present?

Quid pro quo.--What for what.-An equivalent.

Qui facit per alium, facit per se.-What a man does by another, he does by or through himself.

Qui non negat, fatetur.--He who does not deny, virtually confesses. Qui non proficit, deficit.-He who does not advance, goes backward. Qui prior est tempore, potior est jure.-He who is first in point of time, has the advantage in point of law.

Qui tam.-Who as well.

Quoad hoc.--As far as this.-Or, as relates to this matter

Quo animo?-With what mind?

Quo jure. By what right.

Quorum.--Of whom, or-a sufficient number to proceed in business. Quorum pars fui.-Of whom I was one.--In which I have participated. Quota.-How much-how many.

Quo warranto.-By what warrant.

Respondeat superior.-Let the principal answer.
Respublica.-The common-weal.-The general interest.

Salvo jure.--Saving the right.-A clause of exception.
Sanctum Sanctorum.-The Holy of Holies.

Sang froid. Fr.--Cold blood.-Indifference, apathy.
Sans changer. Fr.--Without changing
Scire facias.-Cause it to be known.
Secundum artem.-According to art. "

Secundum formam statuti.--According to the form of the statute.
Seriatim.-In order.-According to place or seniority.

Sic transit gloria mundi.—Thus fades the glory of this world.
Sicut ante.As before.

Sine cura.-Without charge.-A sinecure.

Sine die.-Without a day.-The business was deferred sine die.
Sine dubio.-Without doubt;-assuredly.

Sine invidia.-Without envy.-Not speaking invidiously.
Sine odio.-Without hatred.-I speak sine odio.

Sine qud non.-A thing without which another cannot be.
Soi-disant. Fr.-Self-called.

Sola nobilitas virtus.-Virtue alone is true nobility.
Sub pand.-Under a penalty.

Sub silentio.-In silence.

Succedaneum.-A substitute.--A matter substituted.
Sui generis.-Of its own kind.

Summum bonum.-The chief good.

Supersedeas.-You may remove or set aside.
Super subjectam materiam.-On the matter submitted,
Super visum corporis.-Upon a view of the body.
Tant mieux. Fr.-So much the better.
Tant pis. Fr.-So much the worse.

Te Deum (laudamus.)-Thee, Lord, (we praise.)
Tempus omnia revelat.-Time reveals all things.
Terra incognita.-An unknown land or country.

Tête à tête. Fr.-Head to head.-In close conversation.
Tout bien ou rien. Fr.-The whole or nothing.

Tout ensemble. Fr.-The whole taken together.

Tuebor.-I will defend.

Ubi jus incertum, ibi jus nullum.-Where the law is uncertain, there is no law.

Ubi libertas, ibi patria.-Where liberty dwells, there is my country.
Ult-ultimus.-The last.

Unique. Fr.-Sole, singular, extraordinary.
Vade mecum.-Go with me.

Vedettes. Fr.-Sentinels on horseback.

Venditioni exponas.-You shall expose for sale.

Venire facias.-You shall cause, or order to come.

Veni, vidi, vici.-I came, I saw, I conquered.

Verbatim et literatim.-Word for word, and letter for letter.
Veritas vincit.-Truth conquers.

Versus.-Against.

Veto.-I forbid.

Vice versa.-The terms being exchanged.

Vide.-See.-Vide ut supra. See the preceding statement.

Vide et crede.-See and believe.

Vi et armis.-By force and arms.

Vincit amor patria.-The love of my country overcomes.
Vincit omnia veritas.-Truth conquers all things.

Vincit veritas.-Truth prevails.

Vis inertia. The power of inertness.

Vivat Respublica.-May the Republic long continue.

Viva voce.-By the living voice.

Voir dire. Fr.-A witness is examined upon a voir dire, when he is

worn and examined whether he be not interested in the cause.

Vox populi, vox Dei.-The voice of the people is the voice of God.

SUPPLEMENTARY REMARKS.

When the learner has rendered the preceding theory familiar, by writing the contents of the several plates, his dependance on particular rules will gradually yield to a familiarity resulting from practice, the only medium by which we can approximate perfection in any of the arts. The first great object proposed by short-hand is, to commit words to paper with the least possible time and labour; but by a strange infatuation, surpassing that of the most visionary alchymists in search of the philosopher's stone, a thousand efforts have been made to draw from the regions of fancy some fine spun theory, by which, with crooked marks, to record the language of a public speaker, as fast as delivered, without the aid of previous practice. This, while it served to bewilder and misguide, has sunk the art into contempt and disuse, because it is found to depend, not upon a formidable array of martialled hieroglyphics, but upon the active manœuvring of a few select signs. Such signs have been selected, and their various powers distinctly defined in the preceding pages; and whatever may be said to the contrary, \future experience will prove, that no system of stenography can ever become extensively useful upon any other principle, than that of having at command these simple but significant marks, as in arithmetic, music, common writing, &c.

The compiler of this work having perused about forty publications upon the subject of short-hand writing, and having devoted much time and labour, in the popular field of innovation and visionary reform, as well as in reporting some thousands of pages, was at length coinpelled, by his own experience, to settle down in the belief, that even in short-hand, a right line is the shortest distance between two given points; and to pass from one point to another, there is no way more direct than that which passes through the intermediate space.

The inference from this conviction is, that in theoriz ing, too much has been anticipated and too much done; and that, for the future advancement of this art, greater

advantages will result from clearing away the rubbish, defining, and adhering to the few rational and permanent landmarks, already established, than from erecting any new superstructure, upon the discordant ruins of long forgotten systems, which have crumbled beneath the weight of their own unnecessary lumber.

It has therefore been the aim of this work to adapt the subject to the age in which we live; to lay aside every thing unnecessary, and to express in a few words all that is necessary for a general system of short-hand. In doing this, the design and method of illustration only, are entirely new. Some trifling attempts have been made, under the sanction of reading and experience, to improve the theory of the art; but while the merits of these efforts may be appreciated by few, there are hundreds who will still continue to think all systems incomplete, which do not present a great assemblage of arbitrary characters, and vexatious grammar rules. To such persons we put the following questions.

Would our common writing be more easily acquired, or its execution in any way facilitated, by increasing the number of letters in the English alphabet? Would arithmetic be improved by the introduction of arbitrary marks to represent the numbers 11, 12, 13, and so on to 100 or 1000? Would the art of printing be rendered more simple, easy, and expeditious, by the construction and use, of leaden syllables, words and sentences, instead of the letters of which they are composed?

Till these questions can be answered in the affirmative, the preceding theory will be found, with practice, amply sufficient for the purposes proposed, and without practice the efforts of human invention, as they respect short-hand, will prove abortive.

It must be remembered, that we live in an age of the world, when a few hieroglyphics or arbitrary signs cannot, as in the days of Roman greatness, be made to exhibit the varied lineaments of public speech-but the multiplication of words and ideas, necessarily resulting from the progress of arts, sciences, and general improvement, renders the aid of science absolutely necessary, to the accomplishment of this desirable object.

The learner should not then be discouraged, though he may not be able at once, to record the entire lan

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