Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-08-17

a correspondence with each other in
the ordinary: or in phonetic long hand.
The sure and simple reason is, that
photography would save three. .iourths
at least Of their time. and perhaps the
same proportion In ink and paper, and
be at least as rapidly and as as clearly
legible. When these advantages are
sufficiently understood. what ambitious
young man will not wish TO master
photography? Especially. what young
man who expects to write much?-I
What young man who expects to lis
ten TO the lectures Of a professor which
he would like TO record? Or who ex-
poets, as a lawyer. to take down utter
ed evidence? Or who expects, as a
minister. to read or at any rate. TO pre-
pare sermons? What literary man
who expects to write volumes for the
press, would not choose 10 do il at
railroad speed? What merchant that
now writes fifty letters aday wouldnol
rejoice 10 do il in fraction Of the
time? OF two railroads, thousand
miles each in length. that one will take
all the custom. other things being
equal, will. save, one hours time
Much more Of two hand writings,
which may ocuupy our whole lives,
that will gain all preference, which
being equal in all else, will save four
tiiths ofour time. 1t will take years
to make the advantage known. 1t will
take other years to bring the advan-
tageous method into general practice.
Yet the inevitable result is secured by
unmistan-able and unfailing laws OF
nature and Of mind. There is in the
thing itself an element, namely, an in
trinsic VALUE, great. self evidencing,
indestruclible, which insures its own
absolute triumph. What is advania-
tageous for one or two. is advantage
Gus for many and for all. The value
to the few is immensely enhanced by
its general adoption. SO that interest
promotes propagandism. When il
begins to become general, no one can,
without serious inconvenience, remain
in ignorance; they must learn in self
defenre. ltmay seem visionary; bu,
as visionary conjectures have proved
true, that the ordinary long-hand, nay,
all long.hand. will gradually grow in
to disuse, be utterly superseded, and
handed as thoroughly over 10 the an
tiquarian MS the hieroglyphics OF
Thebes.
And why ought no, this ortho-
graphic reform to triumyh? Its tn
umph is the acccleration Of human i'm
proyement Its success Is not merely
u mechanical advantage. or simply an
Intellectual but a great moral progress
sion. If il abolish large mass OF stu
pefying barbarism from our primary
education; If IL accelerate the spread OF
popular education, even through the
humblest aud poorest classes OF society;
If il tend 10 the predominance Of our
own great language. and to harmonizc
into unity the languages and the ma
tons Of the earth into one great family;
and finally. il il give to the world the
power Of writing that language with
the rapidity Of uttered speech. then il
has right to the very proudest men,
ton among the proudest achievements
with which mordern science has
frightened the hopes ofhuman emo.
Elements.
With the history Of phonetics in this
country, we do not profess to be well
acquainted, not having had any inter-
course whatever with the friends OF
the art. Some years since Andrews
and Boyle issued several very yalua-
Bile publications. from the press Of Jno.
+ Trow, both in phonoypy and pho
biography. Their photographic works
were printed in clear. strong charac-
ter. Their photographic instruction
book (from which. mainly. came our
little knowledge of the art was a
masterpiece Of analysis. Some two
years since. Mr.. 4. Webster published,
under the auspices Of the Fowlers, a
monthly photographic periodical, in u
character Of ofuasurpassed clearness and
beauty. Mr.. Webster has also pub.
lisheds Photographic instructor. a
work Of high value TO thcleaner, with
or without n teacher. Mr.. Webster
has been succeeded, within few
months past. by Mr.. Al. Graham.
who now publishes 1.-The Cosmotype."
a monthly journal devoted measurably
to phonetics; "The Universal Phono
grapher." published chiefly in the
photographic character; and other
works Of that class.