SHORT-HAND. 
many enigmas, because we can refer to no 
otlier copies to ascertain the true reading, 
and because the authors are no longer in 
existence. “But,” continues Lambinet, 
“ by the present system of stenography, the 
writers follow the words of the public ora- 
tors, take down their speeches, the motions, 
the debates of the tribune, or the lectures 
of the professors at the Lyceum, and pro- 
duce a literal translation at last, in the usual 
characters, and in print.” What the im- 
proved short-hand is, to which this French 
writer alludes, we are not informed. 
The ingenious attempt of the late learn- 
ed Bishop Wilkins, towards a real charac- 
ter and philosophical language, has much 
the appearance of some short-hands now in 
use. How far this attempt might have been 
successful we know not ; had the contri- 
vance been carried to that degree of per- 
fection of whi’ch the Bishop thought it ca- 
pable. The reader may find a specimen 
of this philosophic character in Stowers’ 
Printer’s Grammar. 
The shortest and most curious mode of 
writing, not professedly stenographic, which 
we have hitherto seen, is the specimen of 
ancient Welsh, by the ingenious Mr. W. 
Owen. This also may be seen in Mr. 
Stowers’ Grammar, p. 294. 
The art of short-writing was first attempt- 
ed to be published in this country in the 
year 1588, in a treatise entitled “ Charac- 
terie, or the Art of Short, .Swift, and Se- 
cret Writing, by Character, by Timothy 
Bright, M. D.” Two years after the ap- 
pearance of Dr. Bright’s treatise, Mr. Pe- 
ter Bale published his “ Writing School- 
master,” which he divided into three parts, 
the first of which he entitled “ Brachygra- 
phy,” containing rules to write as fast as a 
man can speak, with propriety and distinc- 
tion. In 1618, appeared Willis’s “ Steno- 
graphy ; or Short-hand Writing, by spelling 
Characterics.” This system consisted of 
ten alphabets, denominated words of sort ; 
seven of which were composed of the initial 
letters of words ; the rest, principally by 
the omission of unnecessary letters, and by 
symbolical figures. This system was at- 
tempted to be improved upon by Henry 
Dix’s “ Brachygraphy.” Omitting the men- 
tion of numerous other methods of Short- 
hand writing, that soon followed these seve- 
ral schemes, we must proceed to lay before 
the reader such a system of stenography, 
as, if generally known, would supersede the 
necessity of every other system ; having 
been the result of great labour and inge- 
nuity, as well as recommended, and its 
practical utility sufficiently demonstrated, 
by the practice of some of the fiist literary 
characters of our age, and the best judges 
of the art. This system is that invented by 
the late ingenious and worthy Mr. John 
Byrom, M. A. F. R. S. commonly known 
by the appellation of Doctor ; availing our- 
selves, at the same time, of the very judi- 
cious improvements introduced by Mr. Mo- 
lineux, uf IVJaccIesfield, whose Introduc- 
tion to Byroin’s Short hand is certainly 
the most beautiful and complete work on 
the subject ever yet produced to the pub- 
lic. It is published, for the author, by 
Longman and Co. London. 
The short-hand alphabet, as exhibited in 
the annexed plate, consists of the shortest 
and simplest marks in nature ; and on the 
proper formation and combination of these 
characters, depend the beauty and accuracy 
of the writing. We will endeavour to lay 
down such directions, as appear necessary 
to acquire a general knowledge of the art ; 
referring our readers to Mr. Molineux’s 
Treatise, for more ample instructions on 
the subject. 
Tlie great end of short-writing being to 
convey the sounds of words, by the fewest, 
as well as the most simple characters, all 
those letters wliich are not distinctly sound- 
ed in pronunciation are to be omitted ; ex- 
cept in a few cases, wliere either the word 
w'onld be rendered ambiguous, or present 
an unsightly appearance, without certain 
of its quiescent letters: for instance, it is 
evident that the letters wakd, properly 
joined together, might be allowed to repre- 
sent'walked, provided the reader could al- 
ways remember to sound the a broad, as 
in wall; but as the word, so contracted, 
might easily be mistaken for the word wak- 
ed; it is always best to spell it with the let- 
ter 1; thus, walkd. This example will suf- 
fice for other words of the like nature. The 
omission of vowels, especially in the middle 
of words, has been a fault too common with 
writers on the present subject: yet it must 
generally be observed, that in short-writing 
it is proper to insert those vowels only 
which are absolutely necessary in the pro- 
nunciation, w'hich is a great saving of time, 
as well as conducive to the beauty of the 
writing. It is sometimes convenient, for the 
sake of facility in joining, to substitute one 
letter for another : as k for g, ks for x, &c, 
yet this should never be resorted to, but 
for some obvious advantage of beauty or 
brevity. 
