INSTRUCTIONS.

THE learner, being supplied with a small blank book, about the size of this work, without ruling, should proceed to write the stenographic alphabet, as exhibited in the opposite plate, No. 2.

1st. Commence with the character standing for s, and write it across the page, from left to right, repeating the letter s-s-s-and in the same manner, write and repeat t, d, r, &c. to the end of the alphabet.

2nd. Proceed to write the whole over again, repeating not only the letters which the characters represent, but also the words standing at their right, till the whole are familiar, and well fixed in the memory-thus, b stands for be, by, been; d, stands for do, did, done; p, for peace, person, power, &c. During this exercise, the learner should endeavour to copy the characters in length, proportion, inclination, &c. beginning and ending, according to rules for making the characters, page 17; at the same time, striving to increase the facility of execution as far as practicable.

3rd. Without ruling, write from left to right the contents of the table of joining, as seen in plates 4 and 5; observing that one letter at the top of the page, and another at the right or left, are properly joined in the angle of meetingthe top letter being always made first. The learner, when joining these characters, should repeat to himself the combination, thus, bb, db, vb, gb, &c. Example. Under m, and against 1, ml are properly joined—under 1, and against m, Im are joined; and so of the other characters.

4th. After reading with attention the rules for spelling and writing, go on to copy the contents of the several plates in their regular order, carefully comparing every doubtful character, with the rules and explanations, till the whole system is familiar, which will probably be in the course of half a dozen lessons. From this time, the theory being familiar, short-hand will be an amusement and convenience; and the learner may, without other instruction or study, obtain, by occasional practice, almost any degree of facility which he may desire,

PSALM LXXXVI.

A Prayer of David.-See plate 8.

1. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy.

2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt

answer me.

8. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

9. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

10. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

12. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

13. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

14. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

15. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. 17. Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.-CHAP. XXVI.

See plates 9 and 10.

1. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 2. I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3. Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

6. And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7. Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9. I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.