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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 16

Shorthand Writing

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Shorthand Writing,

No. 5.] [2d. per dozen.

Based on the sounds, in Preference to the Letters, of the English Language, and practically applicable not only to Verbatim Reporting, but to the general purposes of ordinary Longhand Writing.

"Who that is much in the habit of writing has not often wished for some means of expressing, by two or three dashes of the pen, that which, as things are, it requires such an expenditure of time and labor to commit to paper? Our present mode of communication must be felt to be cumbersome in the last degree, unworthy of these days of invention. We require some means of bringing the operations of the Mind and of the Hand into closer correspondence.

English Review.

"Shorthand, on account of its great and general utility merits a much higher rank among the Arts and Sciences than is generally allotted to it. Its usefulness is not confined to any particular science or profession, but is universal."

Dr Samuel Johnson.

The above extract is, perhaps, a sufficient apology for introducing a system of Shorthand which the experience of twenty-nine years, and the practice of thousands of persons in England and America, embracing both private and professional circles, have shown to be eminently successful in "bringing the operations of the mind and of the hand into closer correspondence."

That system is known as Phonography, or Phonetic Shorthand, the invention of Mr Isaac Pitman. Its peculiarity is, that by shorthand characters it represents the sounds rather than the letters of the English language,—the characters themselves having at the same time a direct relation to the sounds, according to a just and philosophical analysis of the English tongue.

In one sense, then, Phonetic Shorthand may be said to present on paper a picture of the sounds by which, in conversation, we communicate our wishes, wants, or ideas, one to another. The result of this is obvious,—we read sounds, not letters, out of which we should have to try and elicit sounds.

Thus, by a well-considered and harmonious arrangement, perfect in all its parts, and discarding altogether the use of arbitrary characters, a Phonographic writer transfers to paper analogical signs or symbols of the very utterances which the speaker offers to the ear; and he effects this by an alphabet far less complex in its forms, and by the ease with which its straight and curved lines are struck, allowing greater freedom of hand, and yielding more graceful results, than any other system at present in use.

While in principle it satisfies even the critical, the adoption of sound for a basis (as developed in the Corresponding and Reporting styles of Phonetic Shorthand) has the following advantages:—

Simplicity.—By which the mind is saved from being burdened with a variety of signs and characters.

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Brevity.—Enabling a practised writer to follow the swiftest distinct articulations of a speaker, at the rate of from 120 to 200 words per minute.

Legibility.—By which whatever is thus written can be read with the same ease as manuscript longhand, written at a corresponding rate of speed.

Universality.—By reason of its suitableness for the general purposes of our present system of longhand writing, quite independently of its proved excellence for professional reporting.

It is worthy of observation that Phonography is the only system of shorthand which has ever yet achieved a literature.

Various monthly magazines are lithographed in the shorthand characters, and circulate widely. To the initiated they are as legible as common print to ordinary readers. This circumstance, once estimated and considered, renders further comment superfluous.

To literary writers Phonography holds out advantages, the value of which can hardly be estimated. Thoughts and ideas are never perfected until they are clothed in words; but when so clothed, they should be secured. The more brilliant and beautiful a thought, the more fleeting and evanescent is its nature. The thoughts of genius are oftentimes like the spires of auroral light—they shoot up, and while you gaze, they fade and disappear. To secure them, if they are secured at all, we must catch them at the moment they spring into being. If they are obliged to dribble from the nib of a slow, struggling, longhand pen, most of them die and become cold, and many are entirely lost. All this great waste of intellectual wealth would be checked if our literary writers availed themselves of Phonography. They would also save a vast amount of time now consumed in making memoranda and extracts.

Physicians, too, would find the art of shorthand of great value in making a full and exact record of the diagnosis of each case immediately on leaving the sick room. Oftentimes a physican is constantly engaged through the day, and sometimes far into the night, in making visits to his patients, so that he scarcely has time to make as full a record as he would like By using shorthand this might easily be done; and thus benefit would accrue to the public, and the cause of medical knowledge be advanced.

Again, clergymen would be entirely relieved from the drudgery of the pen if they could write their sermons in Phonography, and deliver them from the phonographic notes. This, however, has already been done so often that it no longer requires demonstration.

To Ladies, Phonography is recommended as a pleasing, useful, and improving accomplishment. The facility with which it may be written, renders it a most delightful medium for correspondence; page 3 while for noting down the numerous ideas which daily present themselves to the mind, or for transcribing the thoughts of others, when reading, it is truly invaluable.

Like most other systems, however, when involving principles entirely new, it has met, and will perhaps yet meet, with some who, without investigation, will at first think lightly of its claims (and from among these, conviction has gained, and will yet gain, more than one apostle for the cause); but, once fairly studied, its excellence becomes apparent, and the beauty of its pervading principle delights, while its practical application confirms all the hopes which so true a theory at first excited.

Educational Purposes.

Of the utility of shorthand for educational purposes, little need be said, so evident have at all times been its tendencies "in improving the memory, exciting invention, maturing the judgment, inculcating habits of regularity and order, and training the mind and hand to precision, vigilance, and perseverance."

Such are the benefits which observant minds beheld even in the imperfect systems of former days. How much more extensively may we not hope to see them developed and applied in a system, the superior excellence of which has for a considerable time been permanently established! Here again the words of Mr Moat may not be out of place. Though in his system he concentrated the result of five and thirty years' attention to the subject, he nevertheless looked forward to a time when the Art would arrive at a much higher degree of perfection than it could then pretend to. He says:—

"When such a system shall appear, it will be the nation's honor (as it must be its pride,) which gave it birth, to foster it with parental care, and make it generally useful by introducing it as a necessary branch of modern education."

Professional Reporting.

Of its value, in a public point of view, each day is in itself a sufficient record. A morning paper, with the parliamentary debates of the night before continued down to, perhaps, an early hour on that same morning, is a fact too plain and palpable to require many words in proof of the assertion that "Shorthand, like a generous benefactor, bestows blessings indiscriminately on the world at large." We need only add, with Mr Gawtress:—

"Were the operations of those who are professionally engaged in exercising this art to be suspended but for a single week, a blank would be left in the political and judicial history of our country, an impulse would be wanting to the public mind, and the nation would be taught to feel and acknowledge the important purposes it answers in the great business of life."

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The Reading, Writing and Spelling Reform.

The Reading and Writing Reform consists in the introduction of a phonetic alphabet of thirty-eight letters, to represent all the sounds of the English language. This alphabet is adapted to Shorthand and Longhand Writing, and to Printing. Phonetic Shorthand is as legible as common writing; while it is written in one-fourth of the time, and with half the labour. By means of Phonetic Printing, children and ignorant adults may be taught to read accurately in phonetic books, in from twenty to fifty hours' instruction; and a few lessons will then render them capable of reading books printed in the common spelling. The education of the poor is thus rendered not only possible, but easy.

Phonetic Publications.

Phonetic Shorthand.

  • Phonographic Teacher, or First Book of Instruction in Phonetic Shorthand, 6d.
  • Phonographic Copy Book, 3d.
  • Phonographic Reader, 6d.
  • Manual of Phonography, 1s. 6d.; cloth 2s; roan, gilt, 2s. 6d.
  • A Compend of Phonography, giving the Alphabet, Grammalogues, and principal Rules for Writing, 1d.
  • Exercises in Phonography, 1d.
  • Phonographic Reporter, 2s.6d.; cl, 3s.
  • Reporting Exercises, 6d.
  • Phonographic Phrase Book, containing above three thousand useful phrases, 1s., cloth, 1s. 6d.
  • List of Phonetic Society for the current year, 2d.
  • The members of this Society correct the Exercises of phonographic students through the post, gratuitously.
  • Phonetic Alphabet, containing the Shorthand, Longhand, and Printing Letters, 1s. per gross.

In Phonetic Shorthand.

  • John Halifax, Gentleman, 2 vols., 5s.
  • The Reporting Magazine for 1864, with Key; vol. 2, cloth, 1s.
  • The Psalms, 6d., cloth 9d.
  • History of Shorthand, 1s.
  • Æsop's Fables, 6d.
  • Selections from the Best Authors, 4d.
  • Prize Essay on the Best Method of teaching Phonography, 8d.y cl. 1s.

In Phonetic Printing.

  • Phonetic Journal, published weekly, 1d.; monthly, in wrapper, 5d. Each number contains four columns of shorthand, in the Learner's, Corresponding, and Reporting Styles, Intelligence of the progress or the Phonetic Reform printed in the usual spelling, and articles of general interest printed phonetically.
  • Chart of the Phonetic Alphabet, containing the Shorthand and Printing Letters, 23 inches by 35, 4d.
  • Tablets, or the letters of the Phonetic Alphabet, printed on card-board; Small 3d., Medium ls. 6d., Large 4s.
  • Sheet Lessons, (16,) for classes, 1s.
  • First Book in Phonetic Reading, 1d
  • Second Book, 2d. Third Book, 3d.
  • Fourth Book (Transition), 4d.
  • Edward's Dream, or Good for Evil, 1d,
  • Parables, from the Testament, 1d.
  • Miracles, ditto, 1d. Discourses, 1d.
  • A Persuasive to the Study and Practice of Phonography, ½d.; 4d. per dozen; 3s. per gross. (In the common spelling.)
  • A Recommendation of Phonetic Shorthand, by the Rev. D. D. Whedon, ½d.; 4d. per doz., 3s. per gross. (In the common spelling.)
  • A Glance at Phonotypy, or Phonetic Printing, ½d.; 4d. per dozen; 3s. per gross. (In the common spelling with a specimen of phonotypy.)
  • History of Phonography—how it came about, 1d.

Books of the value of 1s. and upwards are sent post free: on books under 1s., postage is charged at the rate of ½d. for 2oz.

The books recommended to the student on commencing the study of Phonetic Shorthand, are the Phonographic Teacher and Copy Book.

See Pitman's Complete Catalogue of Phonetic Publications.

London: Fred. Pitman, 20 Paternoster row, E.C.

Bath: Isaac Pitman, Phonetic Institute.