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When the memory is thus properly exercised, it cannot fail to be improved; and the mind, being released from the unnecessary incumbrance of words, will find more time to grow and expand, by reflecting, or comparing and analyzing the ideas which words may have infused; for the memory should be rather the repository of ideas than of words, which are the mere vehicles of thought, and always at hand.

Although the following system is in itself complete, so far as intended for correspondence and general use, yet, for the gratification of those who may wish to make other abridgments, and particularly those of the learned professions, who may think proper to engraft upon the established system, certain technical or other abbreviations, adapted to their own respective professions, the following hints may be useful.

The lawyer or judge may, with much propriety, even if writing short-hand, substitute in place of certain words which occur very frequently, the initial common hand letter, as P. for plaintiff, D. for defendant, W. for witness, C. for court, T. for testimony, V. for verdict, J. for judgment, &c.

The physician may, with like propriety, use P. for patient, pulse, or perspiration, F. for fever, I. for inflammation, R. for respiration, &c.

The clergyman may find it convenient to use H. for heart or heaven, S. for sinner or salvation, R. for redemption or resurrection, J. for judgment, C. for conscience, condemnation, &c.

Young gentlemen who attend lectures on chemistry, anatomy, or other subjects, may save much labour and time, by using the initials of certain technical terms, which occur frequently in the course of their study.

It is a source of no small gratification to the author of this work, that his labours have been extensively

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#patronized, that his system is now used in the Pulpit, at the Bar, and in the Legislative Hall, by many gentlemen who do honour to their respective professionsthat it is introduced into numerous Academies and Colleges throughout the United States, and that its practice serves to enrich the common place book of thousands, who would not descend to the drudgery of 1 writing by long hand in hours, what they now record in minutes.

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Although the value of short-hand can never be duly appreciated, except by those who have acquired it, still they must be wilfully blind who do not discover its utility, as a labour and time-saving art; especially when the time necessary to its acquisition is reduced to a few hours, and the expense is brought within the ability of all. It is not, however, to be supposed, that every individual who acquires a knowledge of the theory, will be able to report the language of the most rapid speaker. Nor is there one in ten thousand, who will ever be called to the station of a Gurney, or a Gales; still, most persons may find it pleasant and convenient, to write two, three, or four times as fast as they are enabled to, by the common method. And such degrees of facility may be easly obtained, in the course of a few hours or days.

With these introductory remarks, this edition is submitted to the American public,

By their humble servant,

MARCUS T. C. GOULD.

Philadelphia, Nov. 1831.

AN ADDITIONAL WORD TO THE READER.

In all the former editions of this work, to the number of more than a dozen, some three or four pages were appropriated to recommendations and encomiums, from those who had acquired this system, or were acquainted with its character-the ease with which the writing may be acquired, and its practicability for the purposes proposed. These testimonials, if ever necessary, are now no longer needed.

When this work first made its appearance, there were, perhaps, twenty other systems in use in the United States; but this has completely superseded all othersand though in the year 1820, the sale of every description lid not exceed 100 copies a year, the sale of this single work is now about 10,000 a year, and rapidly increasing. Instead, therefore, of printed certificates for the satisfaction of those who are in doubt, I respectfully refer them to the thousands who have attended my personal instruction, in the several cities and colleges of the United States-to thousands who have acquired the art from the former editions of this work, and more particularly to a class of several hundred persons in different parts of the United States, who received from me, in the year 1830, a series of periodical lectures upon stenography, and the best method of teaching and acquiring useful knowledge. These lectures were published in the first volume of the "AMERICAN REPERTORY of Arts, Sciences, and useful Literature." The last mentioned work is still published by me, in monthly numbers, of 24 pages each, at $1 a year. The first volume, embraces not only all that is contained in this system, but 10 additional lectures, explaining more fully the art of stenography, and its peculiar adaptation to the acquirement of useful knowlege in general, by analysing, condensing, and arranging, whatever is worthy of preservation or future inspection; and adapting the whole to a general index table, upon a plan similar to that of Dr. Locke's common place book.

M. T. C. GOULD.

INSTRUCTIONS.

THE learner, being supplied with a small blank ɔok, 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.

Alphabet and most common words 72.

Letters Characters

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S

fv

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Words represented by Single Characters

is, as, us, his.

into, unto, it.

do, did, done.

are, our, or.

of, off, if.

know, knew, known.
and, an, in.

such, chance, church,
God, good, give.

me, my, many.

peace, person, power.

have, be, had.

be, by, been.

lord, all, love.

with, which, who.
example, except, accept

shall, shalt, should."

the, they, that.

you, your, year.

conscious, judicious.

The vowels aciony, are represented by a dor

These are the only characters which may ever be inverted aza

Hand shortened see Page 70.

taese only for convenience in joining or in Short

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