New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-14

Shorthand IS sometimes mentioned modern
invention. and the art would indeed seem to be
product of the present time. which i'm every way
that ingenuity contrive takes short cut.
where men OF preceding ages walked around. In
this era Of two minute trOtters and two mile a
minute motors, OF wireless teegraphy and flying
machines. the hurryinE citizen IS likely 10 con-
clude that every time saving device belongs TO his
own day.
stenography. however. as was again shown
Gently by archaeological investigation in Egypt,
practised in tho classic age much It IS to-
day. Together with papyrt bearing new sayings -
Jesus Christ this hunter after ancient relics found
q contract by which a slave boy was be taught
shorthand Tuition was fixed at led drachnas
SIS, and the first payment OF 40 drachmas 10
be made at the beginning O. the course. 40 more
the lad showed satisfactory evidence
Of progress. and the remainder on his attainment
OF proficiency.
Students OF the Egyptian. the Hebraic. the Greek
and the Roman civilizations say that each Of these
races had method OF stenosraphy which was
used by scribes in taking down words rapidly.
There IS good evidence to prove that none OF these
systems were rapid the phonetic systems en-
ployed by modern sterographers. and that even the
Roman notariUs. who Of all the auCieuts the
most expert. could not keep up with rapid speakers
Yet each Of these peoples found that the usual
'1onghand' methods OF writing were too slow for
recording speeches. and that time was saved by
symbols and signs authorizations and contractions.
The Egyptians had three forms OF expressing their
the hieroglyphic. The first was the ordinary long
hand. and used by the common people who had
learned to write The heratic. however. was flow
ing cursive hand used by the priests and was abbre-
waited frequently to enable scribe take down
the inspired rawlings Of a priest The hierogyphic
characters were more elaborate and were intended
chiefly for monumental epitaphs. Herodotus says
that the Persians also employed methods OF short
hand.
The Hebrew priests had a way Of contracting
Theirs could hardly be called system. for the
priests OF city. oflentimes OF one syna-
gogue. would have a distinct method OF their own
Their chief method was 10 abbreviats words by
dropping the voweIs or simply using the initials
Mention OF these nimbls writer's Is made IN the
Bible. as for example in Jeremiah. Chapter 1xxvf
which tells how the people marvelled at the skill
OF the scribe Baruch. and which contains these
words:
And they asked Barucl. saying. tell Us now.
how ddst thou write all these words at his mouth
Then Baruch answered them. He pronounced
all these words with his mouth. and wrote them
with ink IN the book"
And also the frst verse OF Psalms xiv.
MY heart IS indlting good matter: speak Of
the things which I have made touching the king:
my tongue IS the pen OK the ready writer
The earliest books Of Jewish writer's full Of
Authorizations. which have often sorely baf1ed
modern trauslators. Frequently. in addition TO
using the initials OF letters. Hebrew scribe would
combine initials into sort OF monogram.
which IN q rough way corresponded with the code
system Of the modern teeErapher
nearer. approach 70 modern shorthand was used
BY tho Greeks. who called a man proficient IN the
are a stenographos. or short writer and also
s.meographos. or sign writer. Evidences % short
hand systems made their appearance among the
HeIsnes not long after Introduction Of writing
Xsnophon is said 70 have taken down tbs dis
courses OF Socrates IN shorthand Yet the Greeks
aid not seem 70 make the same hsadway with the
art that the Romans dd. and their method % re-
porting speeches 20 abbreviats long words
and represent common short words with various
symbols. Another word which the Greeks used
for stenoErapher was photographer swift
writer, and brachygraphos or brief writer.
Here are a few examples OF Greek stsnographo
signs: