On Short-hand Writing. 27 
per lao a res 
Alone; or Subse- - Totals. 
incipient. quent. 
Choncts Dicuss BBw.dsse Ade iCh hues represented 
by K when so 
sounded, as in 
“© chymist.” 
FA be - 
bir ced DBL oi BY tage ye 
ees —eEeEeeee 
2636 3782 6418 
Arrancement in the order of frequency. 
N, T, 8, R, D, L, Th, F, M,P, K, B, V, G, W, H, Wh, Y, Thr, 
Ch, Sh, X, Q, J; Z. 
Note. The average number of words attachable to the fore- 
going table; or, in other terms, the average number of words 
expressed by 6413 short-hand consonants, is 2743, which is 
‘almost fractionally equal to 25* such consonants for every indi- 
vidual word. Arbitraries, it is true, may provide for some of 
these ; but comparatively for so few that this table must serve, 
with sufficient accuracy, as the basis of any intended calculation. 
Suppose that, for example’s sake, I were to start a question, 
Let the descending oblique right line 7 ve excluded as an inde- 
pendent letter; and the writer be privileged to exchange, when 
desirable, the perpendicular line | for the foregoing oblique 
one ....thus obviating many difficult angles: What loss, then, 
shall be sustained by adopting, for the letter L, the looped cha- 
racter 4 in place of the relinquished line 7; taking it for 
granted that looped characters, except in the beginning of words, 
are nearly equal to simples +;—but that in the beginning of words, 
or when alone, a loss equal to 1} right line is sustained by every 
looped character ? | 
In my opinion, this question may be solved by the judicious 
application of our table, thus : 
Let the aggregate of our consonants, 6418, be rated on the 
average, as equal to 1} right line each [near enough for our 
* This average does not hold good with vulgar composition, which almost 
constantly takes but two short-hand characters, or thereabout, to every 
word. 
+ When the license of turning the loop in the requisite direction is given 
to the writer—as thus @ in place of Q_ ° 
D2 purpose | : 
