SHORT-HAND. 
The short-hand alphabet, as some sup- 
pose concerning the Hebrew, consists of 
consonants only, the vowels being supplied 
by dots differently placed. These conso- 
nants, running neatly into each other, will 
form the marks for words, never lifting the 
pen in writing a word, except in a very few 
instances, and for the sake of preserving 
the beauty of the writing, which will always 
be attended with a correspondent degree 
of brevity and legibility ; a circumstance, 
perhaps, peculiar to the method of Mr. By- 
rom, where beauty, brevity, and legibility 
are happily combined. 
The twenty-one consonants which com- 
pose the short-hand alphabet, are formed 
out of simple lines, to some of which are at- 
tached small loops or twirls. These lines 
derive their respective powers and proper- 
ties by their difference of position, and by 
some of them being made curviiineal. 
The horizontal characters are always to 
be written from left to right ; the peipen- 
dicular ones are invariably written down- 
wards; and with respect to the oblique 
characters, it is to be observed, that those 
which lean to the left are generally written 
upw.ards, while those having their inclina- 
tion to the right hand, are always written 
downwards. Not any of the twirled letters 
(the duplicate characters denoting h, j, w, 
■and sh, which are never joined to any other 
letters ; but simply stand for the words had, 
just, would, and should, excepted) ought 
never to be written so as to end with the 
loop. This observation must not be for- 
gotten by the learner, and he will never be 
at a loss about the manner of Joining the 
looped characters to other letters. 
It will be observed, that some of the let- 
ters are denoted by two, and the letter I 
even by three diflFerent characters ; but as 
these characters are formed in the same 
manner, having only a simple change of 
position, and as they will be found to be of 
singular advantage in the joining of them to 
some letters, no ambiguity can possibly 
arise by their occasional use. The little 
mark, denoting the abbreviation for the 
two Latin words et ceterea, is formed out of 
the letters t and s, and is well calculated 
for the purpose to which it is applied. It' is 
the only eharacter (if we except the little 
mark for the very common termination 
o ing) which has the appearance of an ar- 
bitrary mark in the whole system ; and even 
this is foimed not strictly upon an arbi- 
trary, but an alphabetical principle. 
We have already observed that the vowels 
are expressed in short hand by means of 
dots, distinguished by their relative situa- 
tions with respect to the consonants to 
which they are 'supposed to be joined. 
Although it is proper, in the spelling of 
words, to use no raoie vowels than are 
strielly necessary to convey the sound:; yet 
as all writing must be rendered extremely 
illegible by their total omission in the mid- 
dle of words, we will here lay down proper 
directions for their use and application. 
Whenever a vowel constitutes a perfect 
syllable in any word, whether that syllable 
be incipient, radical, or terminative, it must 
always be inserted ; unless in the case of 
following a veiy rapid speaker; and the 
vowels which are then unavoidably omitted, 
should be inserted as soon as convenient 
afterwards, while the subject is fresh in the 
writer’s memory ; by which means the legi- 
bility of the writing will be elfectually se- 
cured and preserved. 
The manner of placing the vowels in this 
system is, of all others, the most natural, 
and the freest from ambiguity. A simple 
stroke, however placed, will naturally sug- 
gest the idea of supplying five different 
places for the five vowel points: viz. the 
top, the middle, the bottom, and the cen- > 
ties of the halves when so divided. Care, 
however, must be taken not to place the 
dot for the vowel a, over the perpendicular 
or oblique characters ; nor the same vowel 
point before the horizontal ones. By a very 
slight attention, it will be observed that in 
this plan of short-w'riting the same general 
method is to b^ observed as in common 
writing; i.e. not to write perpendicular 
letters from the b9ttom upwards, nor any 
letters from the right to the left; conse- 
quently all the vowel points belonging to 
upright consonants are to be placed imme- 
diately before or after the consonant, as the 
case may require; those connected with 
the horizontal characters, exactly ovei', 
when they precede, and under, when they 
follow the consonant. 
The vowels are always reckoned from 
the beginning of the consonant. 'When, 
therefore, any inclined consonant is begun 
at the bottom of the short-hand line, and 
written upwards, the vowels -are always 
counted from the bottom, on each side of 
the character, upwards. A due attention 
to the manner of placing the vowel points, 
in the cases of curved or semi-circiilar let- 
ters, as it is exhibited in the annexed plate, 
will explain the matter beyond the possi- 
bility of misconception or embarrassment. 
