New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-12
PhOnO9raphy.


arms OF Morpheus J. n.
Photography.
Horace Greel.y. Esq Editor Of The Tribune
DEAR SIR VIII you permit a friend Of Photography
fill small space in your columns in reply to series
of articles which have just appeared there upon this i'm
porsnt subect-a subject that lie Justly beginning TO
attract general attention both in this country and
Europe
The critic who signs himsef II w. under the veil OF
an impartial review, ondeavors 70 asten real or msg
nary faults upon the truly scientific and beautiful system
Of Photography and Phonetic shorthand invented by Mr.
Isaac Pitman OF Bath England and the object Of this
course is finally disclosed in concluding number name
IT, TO open the way for the Introduction of rival sys-
tenn We do not propose to reply in detail to a series of
extremely superficial objections thus hunted up for an
occasion but az one of those who take deep interest,
no, only in the writing" but also in the printing
formation" which is now progressing so rapidly In
England under the enterprsing lead of Mr.. Pitman az
sisted By learned coadjuors and for the extension OF
which National Society has lately been formed in this
country We should regret the public prejudced
against that reform by interested and halesrned crit
csms or selfish empricism.
The way in which H. ". refers 10 Nj Piimans
Book reminds US OF an anecGOe related OF General
jackson and Miss Marneau, with what truth, We do not
know is said that when this celebrated suthoress
was presented TO the General wishing 10 make her
compliment: he assured her he had read her book with
great pleasure The lady had too much discretion 10
create embarrassment by asking, ~hioh bookr Our
critic seems about as familiar with the very numerous
publications Of the Photographic Institution OF Bath Of
all Of which Mir Piiman Is the author and OF the sui
more learned and labored productions Of Mr.. Ellie Eel
low Of the Cambridge Philosophical Society upon the
same system the good old General with the nu-
merous works of his fair visiter.
fiji w had known Of the existence Of these works
and read or sfDd them especially the honoypic Jour
nal for lsl2-4-5 which is chiefly devoted 10 the dis
cussion Of Photography. he would have known that
every objection he has urged has been shown 10 be
eroundef and that every point he has mooed has fully
occupied the attention OF the friends OF the Writing and
Printing Reformation that they had proceeded in ig
noraace had been done 10y others in ihesprt
Of blind adhesion any system but with the most sn
larged hberality have sought suggestions from every
quarter and given due weight 10 every consideration sind
that nothing has been adopted settled on but upon the
most mature detcraiion and consultation ofthe Phonet
ic Council. (oi the English Photographic Society and
after fully determining the balance Of advantages.
The attempt 10 show tina, Mr.. Piimsn's Photography
is deficient in sgbiy, can only create smile upon the
taC
srspher feels while reading the labored effort the gal
ant commander OF the Sirius must have felt If he had
CHANGED on the day Of his first triumphant ARRIVAL in New
York to have in the papers the profound demonsrs
tons of the British PHILOSOPHER that steamer could not
by any possibility be propelled the Atlantic
one hall hour spent in a schools loom where Phono
eraphy taught aa regal lar branch OF instruction. will
do more to remove, The scepcism upon this pon, than
volumes of argn neni and we therefore commend our
critic the scho ol he really desires satisfaction
with the single statement matters Of fact that Phone
graphy PiimMis Photography. which Is the only seno
photography or phonetic short IN existence H.
either ia q fullest its most contracted forms.
as legible Roman riri. and threeiold more
leeible IL an the leng-hsnd now in use. tven
without the vowel signs. and without the disiine'
lion Of light and heavy lines being preserved al all
it Il still 80 legibic ~ the common hand writing
and in respect 10 any known system OF tenosrspny 20
co nsrson can be made as all sienography notorious
IN scble except TO the writer; and 10 HIM capable VI
fYaf Station only with the aid OF memory ms soinira
Ae Eligibility of Photography Is the result OF adhesion 10
trtcr seoe,rica forms the straight line the arc OF
the circle &c for signs and the analysis and nat;
urs order OF sounds. The relative brevity OF Promo
ecsphy il abundsny established by comparison with va
yious systems of sienogrsphy as exhibited IN the col
,urs az Tho Corr. spondenf sni Reporter" and other
periodicals published 81 Bath and by -ctusl trsis Win
distinguished shorI hand writers IN London ana ese
where ia England, in ali Of winch fhonosrspAy mas "a
unphed un. the question there has ceased we oene'e
IN le inoo.d Us about ffths shorter than iHyors
or HRrdpgs systems. which are generally enpioyed y
the Parliamentary Reporters with modhcsilons OF their
own; and the imaginary difficulties Of H. w IN writing
1t rapidly are urged by those only who do not under
stand H. and by those who do In fact these Gl
cues do not exist excep, in The sncies OF critics VINO
are themselves practically ignorant upon the ,uoleet
We do not know. however. that Mr.. fifmsns fno
norsphy has ever had the honor of Trial OF speed WIN
Mons Constant Provost Of the Paris Noniieur and un
that august event happens We beg me word 10 WAX pa
tienlly The result Of so terrific an encounter
BUTT is Justly admitted that Photography IA such -
Infinitely more important than the StenoSraph'e orsne
of the ART tho.igh the two intimately combined
by Mr. p,,,nsn il is difficult consider them separately
and IL !. remai ksble here that u w should have Gnu
csed hupde precisely those inventions oil MI Il'
his sys~m all other methods OF writing ana shoud
have proposed remedies for supposed dciects re
~ old errors which have hitherto prevented ana
mus. always prevent If admitted shorthand writing
from becoming general Such is the IN regard 10
,Ae Of hight and heavy lines which Stenogrsphcrs
have found Il nearly impossible 10 employ with adven
iagc simply from unscentifc Of them To Mr.
fi,man belongs the distinguished honor an honor which
oil future raons VIII confer upon him OF discover
ing the natural method Of applying this difference in
nearly dent cal ihsf mistake In writing the lines
heavy or light scarcely mpss the legiby Of the wri
ting in the slightest degree The principle upon which
th, invaluable discovery rests IS one Of great beauty
which commands the admiration Of every one % whom II
Is explained it applies al the pure sounds OF the hu.
man voice exhibiting them In parallel couples through
out nearly all the languages Of the earth except only IN
the mother tongue we believe OF our critic. regards
its disagree able nasas This principle may be seen IN
the folio xins Illustration II in writing the WORD -nasss
chssta the writer should throughout SUBSTITUTE hesy
signs for hight although he would make mistakes IN
ak Of the consonsns the word would be nearly or quito
as easly understood Thua he would write II dat'c't-
-. oh N he "a