STENOGRAPHY (A).

CHAP. I.

The art of stenography, or short writing, was known and practised by most of the ancient civilized nations. The Egyptians, who were distinguished for learning at an early period, at first expressed their words by a delineation of figures called hieroglyphics. A more concise mode of writing seems to have been afterwards introduced, in which only a part of the symbol or picture was drawn. This answered the purpose of shorthand in some degree. After them the Hebrews, the Greeks, and the Romans*, adopted different methods of abbreviating their words and sentences, suited to their respective languages. The initials, the finals, or radicals, often served for whole words; and various combinations of these sometimes formed a sentence. Arbitrary marks were likewise employed to determine the meaning, and to assist legibility; and it seems probable that every writer, and every author of antiquity, had some peculiar method of abbreviation, calculated to facilitate the expression of his own sentiments, and intelligible only to himself.

It is also probable, that some might by these means take down the heads of a discourse or oration; but few, very few, it is presumed, could have followed a speaker through all the meanders of rhetoric, and noted with precision every syllable, as it dropt from his mouth, in a manner legible even to themselves.

To arrive at such consummate perfection in the art was reserved for more modern times, and is still an acquisition by no means general.

In every language of Europe, till about the close of the 16th century, the Roman plan of abbreviating (viz. substituting the initials or radicals, with the help of arbitraries, for words) appears to have been employed. Till then no regular alphabet had been invented expressly for stenography, when an English gentleman of the name of Willis invented and published one (B). His plan was soon altered and improved, or at least pretended to be so. One alteration succeeded another; and at intervals, for a series of years past, some men of ingenuity and application have composed and published systems of stenography, and doubtless have themselves reaped all the advantages that attend it. But among the various methods that have been proposed, and the different plans that have been adopted by individuals, none has yet appeared fortunate enough to gain general approbation; or proved sufficiently simple, clear, and concise, to be universally studied and practised.

Some systems are replete with unmeaning symbols, perplexing arbitraries, and ill-judged contractions; which render them so difficult to be attained by a common capacity, or ordinary application, that it is not to be wondered at if they have sunk into neglect, and are now no longer known (c). Other systems, by being too prolix, by containing a multiplicity of characters, and those characters not simple or easily remembered, become ineffectual to the purpose of expedition, and are only superior in obscurity to a common hand. Some, again, not only reject all arbitraries and contractions, but even prepositions and terminations; which last, if not too lavishly employed and badly devised, highly contribute to promote both expedition and legibility; and though they reduce their characters to fewer than can possibly express the various modifications of sound, yet they make nearly one half of them complex. In the disposition of the vowels, there is the greatest perplexity in most systems. A dot is sometimes substituted for all the vowels indiscriminately, and the judgement is left to determine which letter out of any dot is intended to express; or a minute space is allotted them; so that unless they be arranged with mathematical precision they cannot be distinguished from one another; but such a minute attention is inconsistent with the nature of short-hand, which should teach us to write down in a short time, as well as in small bounds, what we wish to preserve of what we hear. Nor is the plan of lifting the pen and putting the next consonant in the vowel's place, in the middle of words, less liable to objections; or that of representing all the vowels by distinct characters, being obviously ill calculated for facility and dispatch.

(A) The value of stenography is not unknown to the learned; and the care and success with which it has been lately cultivated in these kingdoms will, in all probability, soon render it an object of general attention. No one, however, appears to us to have simplified and improved the art so much as Dr Mavor, author of Universal Stenography, who has liberally permitted us to present our readers with a complete view of his scheme. To those who wish to become proficient in Short-writing, we earnestly recommend his entire publication (printed for Cadell and Davis, Strand, London), which in many schools of the first reputation now forms a deserved clasbook.

(B) Mr Locke says, a regular method of short-writing seems to be known and practised only in Britain. This is not now the case; and indeed there is no reason to doubt whether characters may not be invented to express the various sounds, or letters, employed in any language, either ancient or modern.

(C) A list of writers on stenography. Mr Addy, Alridge, Angell, Annet, Blandemore, Blissett, Botley, Bridges, Byrom, Coles, Crofs, Dix, Everardt, Ewen, Facey, Farthing, Gibbs, Graeme, Gurney, Heath, Holdsworth, Hopkins, Jeake, Labourer, Lane, Lyle, Macauley, Macon, Mavor, Metcalfe, Nicholas, Palmer, Rich, Ridpath, Shelton, Steele, Tanner, Taylor, Thicknesse, Tiffen, Webster, Weston, Williamson, Willis, B. D. and Willis, &c. dispatch, and consequently inadmissible into any useful system.

It is to be confessed, that the person who first proposed the omission of vowels in the middle of words (D), which it is obvious are not wanted, and invented letters, which could be connected as in a running hand without lifting the pen in the middle of the word, made a real improvement on the works of his predecessors. But, in fine, most systems, either in their plan or execution, labour under some capital defect, attended with circumstances highly discouraging to the learner, and which in a great measure defeat the end of their invention, by being too complicated to be learned with ease and remembered with accuracy, or to be practised with the expedition which is requisite; and so difficult to be deciphered, that a man can scarcely read what he has just written.

To obviate these defects; to provide against prolixity and conciseness, which might occasion obscurity; to exhibit a system founded on the simplest principles, which might be easily learned and read, and yet be capable of the utmost expedition—were the motives that gave rise to the present attempt.

This method will be found different from any yet published, and superior to all in the disposition of the vowels and the facility of arranging them; the confusion in placing which seems to detract from the merit of the best performances on the subject; and it may be affirmed, without ostentation, that characters simpler in their form, and more perfect in their union, have not been applied to the art of stenography.

As well as it could be determined, the simplest characters are appropriated to the letters most usually employed: indeed, as far as possible, those which are complex have been rejected; but as it was an object always kept in view that the writing should be on a line, a few are admitted into the alphabet for that reason.

The characters for the double and triple consonants are the easiest that could be invented, consistent with perspicuity (E); for care has been taken to provide against all obscurity which might arise by adopting letters too similar in their formation; and with respect to the prepositions and terminations, those which occur most frequently are expressed by the simplest characters, which will be found perfectly easy in their application.

The arbitrariness are few in number (F), and the arbitrary abbreviations, as they are entirely from the letters of the alphabet, and chosen from some thousands of words in common use, will well repay the learner for an hour's trouble in committing them to memory.

The last chapter lays down a scheme of abbreviation, comprised in a few rules, perfectly easy to be understood and practised by proficient in this art, which we hope will answer the expectation of the author, and will be found free from the perplexity complained of in many systems where abbreviation is admitted. The principal rules are new, are so easy, so extensive in their use, and so consistent with expedition and legibility, if applied with judgment, that they alone might suffice. The learner is however advised by no means to adopt any of them, till experience has convinced him that they may be used without error or injury to legibility. All abbreviating rules are suited to those only who have made some progress in the stenographic art; for although they certainly promote expedition in a wonderful manner, and afford the greatest ease to a proficient, yet a learner, as expedition is not his first, though his ultimate view, should admit of nothing that in the least renders the reading difficult.

CHAP. II.

The English alphabet consists of twenty-five letters; the first of which are vowels, a, e, i, o, u, and y; and the other twenty consonants, b, c, d, f, g, h, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x, and z.

This alphabet, as is observed by the best grammarians that have written on the language, is both defective and redundant in expressing the various modifications of sound.

Custom or prejudice has assigned some letters a place, when others would with much more propriety express the same sound: and to this may be added, that several letters, sometimes in one word, seem to be admitted for no other reason than to perplex a young beginner or a foreigner, as an obstruction to true pronunciation, and to add to the apparent length of the word, when they are entirely quiescent and useless. That this is the genius of the orthography of our language must be perceived by the most superficial observer; but no modern tongue is absolutely free from the same exceptions. In particular, the French has a great number of dormant letters, which, it is obvious, render the pronunciation more difficult and perplexing to learners (G).

But as it is neither our business nor our intention to propose a mode of spelling different from that in common use, when applied to printing or long-hand writing (since several innovators in orthography have fallen into contempt, and their plans have been only preserved as beacons to warn others of the folly of endeavouring to subvert established principles); we shall only observe,† Preface that in stenography, where the most expeditious and concise dictionary. concise method is the best, if consistent with perspicuity, the following simple rules are studiously to be regarded and practised.

Rule I. All quiescent consonants in words are to be dropped; and the orthography to be directed only by the pronunciation: which being known to all, will render this art attainable by those who cannot spell with precision in long hand.

Rule II. When the absence of consonants, not entirely dormant, can be easily known, they may often be omitted without the least obscurity.

Rule III. Two or sometimes more consonants may, to promote greater expedition, be exchanged for a single one of nearly similar sound; and no ambiguity as to the meaning ensue (H).

Rule IV. When two consonants of the same kind or same sound come together, without any vowel between them, only one is to be expressed; but if a vowel or vowels intervene, both are to be written: only observe, if they are perpendicular, horizontal, or oblique lines, they must only be drawn a size longer than usual; and characters with loops must have the size of their heads doubled.

Might is to be written mit, fight fit, machine maishin, enough enuf, laugh laf, prophet profet, physics fisiks, through thro', foreign foron, sovereign soveren, palm jam, receipt recpt, write rite, wright rit, island island, knavery nevvy, temptation tentation, knife nife, stick flk, thigh thi, honour honur, indictment indiment, acquaint aquaint, chaos knos, &c.

Strength strenth, length lenth, friendship frenship, connect conekt, commandment comament, conjunct conjunt, humble humle, lumber lumer, slumber slumer, number numer, exemplary examlary, &c.

Rocks rox, acts akt or akt, facts faks or fax, districts distrixs, or distrix, affects afeks or afex, afflicts affiks or affix, conquer konkr, &c.

Letter leter, little little, command comand, error eror, terror teror, &c. But in remember, moment, miter, and such like words, where two consonants of the same name have an intervening vowel, both of them must be written.

These four rules, with their examples, being carefully considered by the learner, will leave him in no doubt concerning the disposition and management of the consonants in this scheme of short-writing; we shall therefore proceed to lay down rules for the application of the vowels with ease and expedition.

Rule I. Vowels, being only simple articulate sounds, though they are the connectives of consonants, and employed in every word and every syllable, are not necessary to be inserted in the middle of words; because the consonants, if fully pronounced, with the assistance of connection, will always discover the meaning of a word, and make the writing perfectly legible.

Rule II. If a vowel is not strongly accented in the incipient syllable of a word, or if it is mute in the final, it is likewise to be omitted; because the sound of the incipient vowel is often implied in that of the first consonant, which will consequently supply its place.

Rule III. But if the vowel constitutes the first or last syllable of a word, or is strongly accented at its beginning or end, that vowel is continually to be written.

Rule IV. If a word begins or ends with two or more vowels though separated, or when there is a coalition of vowels, as in diphthongs and triphthongs; only one of them is to be expressed, which must be that which agrees best with the pronunciation.

Rule V. In monosyllables, if they begin or end with a vowel, it is always to be inferred, unless the vowel be mute at the end of a word.

Such are the general principles of this art; in vindication and support of which it will be needless to offer any arguments, when it is considered that brevity and expedition are the chief objects, if consistent with legibility; and the subsequent specimens in the orthography recommended will, we hope, be sufficient to show that there is no real deficiency in the last mentioned particular.

He who md us mst be etnrl, grt, nd mntnt. It is Specimen or dry, as rfnl bngs, to frv, lv, nd oby km.—A mn tht of the mode wd avd blm, thb frkrmfpk in al hs axns, nd ndvr wth in tenogra-al hs mt to pls evry bdy.—I wd nt frm any knxns wt phy. A mn who nd no rgrd fr hmslf; nthr wd l bly a mn who hd ons td me a li.—Onr is of al things the mst dfklt to prfrv ntnshld; nd whn one mpchd, lk the chfty of a wmn, nvr fhns with its wntd lftwr.—Wth gd mnr, kmplfnls ndn ef ey plt adrs, mnk my ngr in the wrl, whs mnbl ablls wd skrfly hv rsl thm aby the rnk of a fmm.—Idlns is the prnt of a thnd msfrms, wch ar nvr flt by the ndfrs: it is a pn nd a prfsmnt of itself, nd brings wnt nd bgry in its tn.—Vrtu is the frst thng tht flhd be rgd; it is a rwrd of itslf; mks a mn rpxtibl hr, nd wl mk hm etrnly hpy hrfr.—Prd is a mtr prfns psn, wch yt ws plntd by hvn in ur ntr, to rs ur emsn to imtt grt nd wrthy krktrs or axns, to xt in us a sl fr wth is rt nd gt, nd a jbl ndgnfn gnst oprfnd wrks of any kind nf kytys; in flrt, to mk us st a prpr vlu upu urvfls, nd dfps a wrthls flo, hu evr xlted. Ths fr prd is a vrtu, nd my gfly be kld a grtns of fl. Bt prd, lk othr prns, gnry fxs upon rng obgks, or is apld in rng prprrfs. Hu kmn is it to fe a rch whm evry vs hs rnrdr mrfbl, nd evry fy knmtbl, wlng hmlf on hs brth, nd bflng ths llfrs nfrts, of whm he nhrt nthing bt the nm or ttl! nfrts who if thy nu hm, wd dfn th dfndnt wth knmt. But al prd of ths frt is fl, nd evr to be avdd.

CHAP. III.

As the whole of this art depends upon a regular method and a simple alphabet, we have not only endeavoured to establish the former on satisfactory principles, but have been careful to appropriate, according to the comparative frequency of their occurrence, such charac-

(H) By this rule likewise q and v in the middle of words, but never in the beginning, may be exchanged for k and f, when they admit of an easier connecting with the following character, or will make the writing appear neater. ters for the letters as, after repeated trials and alterations, were conceived to be the best adapted for dispatch.

The stenographic alphabet consists of 18 distinct characters (viz. two for the vowels and the rest for the consonants), taken from lines and semicircular curves; the formation and application of which we shall now explain, beginning with the vowels.

For the three first vowels, a, e, and i, a comma is appropriated in different positions; and for the other three, o, u, and y, a point. The comma and point, when applied to a, and o, is to be placed, as in the Plate DVII. at the top of the next character; when for e and u, opposite to the middle; and when for i and y, at the bottom.

This arrangement of the vowels is the most simple and distinct that can easily be imagined. Places at the top, the middle, and the bottom of characters, which make three different positions, are as easily distinguished from one another as any three separate characters could be; and a comma is made with the same facility as a point.

Simple lines may be drawn four different ways; perpendicular, horizontal, and with an angle of about 45 degrees to the right and left. An ascending oblique line to the right, which will be perfectly distinct from the rest when joined to any other character, may likewise be admitted. These characters being the simplest in nature, are assigned to those five consonants which most frequently occur, viz. l, r, t, c hard or k, and c soft or s.

Every circle may be divided with a perpendicular and horizontal line, so as to form likewise four distinct characters. These being the next to lines in the simplicity of their formation, we have appropriated them for b, d, n, and m.

The characters expressing nine of the consonants are all perfectly distinct from one another; eight only remain which are needful, viz. f, g or j, h, p, q, v, w, and x; to find characters for which we must have recourse to mixed curves and lines. The characters which we have adopted are the simplest in nature after those already applied, admit of the easiest joining, and tend to preserve lineality and beauty in the writing.

It must be observed that we have no character for c when it has a hard sound, as in castle; or soft, as in city; for it naturally takes the sound of k or s, which in all cases will be sufficient to supply its place.

R likewise is represented by the same character as l; only with this difference, r is written with an ascending stroke (i), and l with a descending; which is always to be known from the manner of its union with the following character; but in a few monosyllables where r is the only consonant in the word, and consequently stands alone, it is to be made as is shown in the alphabet for distinction's sake.

Z, as it is a letter seldom employed in the English language, and only a coarser and harsher expression of s, must be supplied by s whenever it occurs; as for Zedekiah write Sedekiah, &c.

CHAP. IV.

The prepositions and terminations in this scheme are so simple, that the greatest benefit may be reaped from them, and very little trouble required to attain them; and terms as the incipient letter or the incipient consonant of all nations, the prepositions and of several of the terminations is used to express the whole. But although in Plate DVII. sufficient specimens are given of the manner of their application, that the learner of less ingenuity or more slow perception may have every assistance, we have subjoined the following directions.

Rule I. The preposition is always to be written without joining, yet so near as plainly to show what word it belongs to; and the best way is to observe the same order as if the whole was to be connected.

Rule II. A preposition, though the same letters that constitute it may be met with in the middle or end of a word, is never to be used, because it would expose to obscurity.

Rule III. Observe that the preposition omni is expressed by the vowel e in its proper position; and for anti, anta, ante, by the vowel a, which the radical part of the word will easily distinguish from being only simple vowels.

The first rule for the prepositions is (allowing such exceptions as may be seen in the Plate) to be observed for the terminations; and also the second, mutatis mutandis; except that whenever sis, fis, fys, cious, tius, and ces occur, they are to be expressed as directed in the fourth rule for the consonants, whether in the beginning, middle, or end of words (k).

Rule IV. The terminative character for tion, sion, cion, cian, tian, is to be expressed by a small circle joined to the nearest letter, and turned to the right; and the plurals tions, sions, cions, cians, tians, tience, by a dot on the same side.

Rule V. The terminative character for ing, is to be expressed likewise by a small circle, but drawn to the left hand; and its plural ings by a dot (i).

Rule VI. The plural sign s is to be added to the terminative characters when necessary.

Rule VII. The separated terminations are never to be used but in polysyllables or words of more syllables than one.

These rules duly observed will point out a method as concise and elegant as can be desired, for expressing the most

(1) The character for h, when lineality requires it, may be made from the bottom and inverted (see Plate DVII.). And often h may be omitted entirely, or a vowel may be substituted in its stead, without any injury to legibility, it being rather a breathing than letter.

(k) But in a few words where three horizontal characters meet, it will be better to express the fis, &c. by the semieliptical character in Plate DVII., opposite tious.

(i) In horizontal characters, by the left hand is meant the top, and by the right the space below the letter (i.e. ing joined, Plate DVII.). In all other characters the right and left positions will naturally be known. most frequent and longest prepositions and terminations in the English language. If it should be thought necessary to increase their number by the addition of others, it will be an easy matter for any one of the least discernment to do so, by proceeding on the principles before laid down.

CHAP. V.

Though a more concise method of writing, or more numerous abbreviations, may not be indispensably necessary, if the foregoing directions be practised for a considerable time, yet contractions will be found extremely useful and convenient to those who have attained a proper knowledge of the subject, and lead to a greater degree of expedition, at the same time that they diminish the labour of writing. It has been observed in the introduction, that abbreviations are only to be employed by proficient in this art; because expedition is not the first, though the ultimate, object in view; and that an easy legibility is of the utmost consequence to the learner; which, however, cannot be preserved, if he adopts too soon those very rules which in time will afford him the greatest ease when applied with judgment.

The following short and practical rules will be found, we hope, fully adequate to every purpose for which they were intended, and are far superior in the facility of their application to any which we have seen.

RULE I. The usual abbreviations in long hand are always to be followed; as Mr for Master, M.D. for Doctor of Physic, and Abp. for Archbishop, &c.

RULE II. Substantives, adjectives, verbs, and participles, when the sense will direct to the meaning, are to be expressed by their initial consonant with the distinguishing marks exhibited in Plate DVII. viz. a substantive must have the dot exactly over its initial consonant; an adjective must have a dot under it; a verb is to be expressed by a comma over its initial consonant; and a participle by a comma under (M). These being the four principal parts of speech will be sufficient; and an adept will never be at a loss to know when he can with safety apply this rule to them.

RULE III. To render the writing more legible, the last letter of the word may be joined to the first, and the proper mark applied.

RULE IV. The constituent or radical part of words, especially if they are long, will often serve for the whole, or sometimes the first syllable: as, we ought to moderate our ex. by our circum.; a man's man. commonly shape his for.

RULE V. All long words without exception may have their prepositions or terminations expressed by the incipient consonant of such preposition or termination.

RULE VI. When there is a great dependence between the parts of a sentence, the initial letter will often suffice; as L. is the capital of Great B.; the eldest S. of the king of Great B. is styled prince of W. Every one, it is presumed, will allow this to be perfectly legible in long-hand, then why may it not in stenography?

RULE VII. The terminations nos and less may be omitted; as faithfulness is only to be written faithful; forwardness, forward; headless, heed; stubborness, stubborn, &c.

RULE VIII. The second and third persons of verbs, ending in eth and eth, may be expressed by s; as, he loves, thou teachest; instead of he loveth, thou teachest; or even without s; as, he love, &c.

RULE IX. Words may often be entirely omitted, and yet no ambiguity ensue; as, In beginning God created heaven and earth, for In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

RULE X. When there is an immediate repetition of a sentence or word, a line is to be drawn under the sentence or word to be repeated; as, Amen, Amen, Amen, is to be written Amen; but if any words intervene before a word or sentence is to be repeated, the line must be drawn as before, and a or mark of omission placed where the repetition should begin; as, Is it just the innocents should be condemned a reviled?

The CONTENTS of the STENOGRAPHIC PLATES.

Fabricius's Reply to Pyrrhus.

As to my poverty, you have indeed, Sir, been rightly informed. My whole estate consists in a house of but mean appearance, and a little spot of ground, from which by my own labour I draw my support. But if by any means you have been persuaded to think, that this poverty makes me less considered in my country, or in any degree unhappy, you are extremely deceived. I have no reason to complain of fortune, she supplies me with all that nature requires; and if I am without luxuries, I am also free from the desire of them. With these I confess I should be more able to succour the necessitous, the only advantage for which the wealthy are to be envied; but as small as my possessions are, I can still contribute something to the support of the state and the affluence of my friends. With regard to honours, my country places me, poor as I am, upon a level with the richest: for Rome knows no qualifications for great employments but virtue and ability. She appoints me to officiate in the most august ceremonies of religion; she entrusts me with the command of her armies; she confides to my care the most important negotiations. My poverty does not lessen the weight and influence of my counsels in the senate; the Roman people honour me for that very poverty which you consider as a disgrace; they know the many opportunities I have had in war to enrich myself without incurring censure; they are convinced of my disinterested zeal for their prosperity; and if I have any thing to complain of in the return they make, it is only the excess of their applause. What value then can I set upon your gold and silver! What king can add anything to my fortune! Always attentive to discharge the duties incumbent

(M) The dot or comma being placed thus will never occasion them to be mistaken for vowels, because they should always be on one side or other; whereas the mark for parts of speech may constantly be placed exactly over or under. incumbent on me, I have a mind free from self-reproach, and I have an honest fame. Dodley's Preceptor.

Letter to a Friend against waste of Time.

Converse often with yourself, and neither lavish your time, nor suffer others to rob you of it. Many of our hours are stolen from us, and others pass insensibly away; but of both these losses the most shameful is that which happens through our own neglect. If we take the trouble to observe, we shall find that one considerable part of our life is spent in doing evil, and the other in doing nothing, or in doing what we should not do. We don't seem to know the value of time, nor how precious a day is; nor do we consider that every moment brings us nearer our end. Reflect upon this, I entreat you, and keep a strict account of time. Procrastination is the most dangerous thing in life. Nothing is properly ours but the instant we breathe in, and all the rest is nothing; it is the only good we possess; but then it is fleeting, and the first comer robs us of it. Men are so weak, that they think they oblige by giving of trifles, and yet reckon that time as nothing for which the most grateful person in the world can never make amends. Let us therefore consider time as the most valuable of all things; and every moment spent, without some improvement in virtue or some advancement in goodness, as the greatest sublunary loss.

St Paul's Speech before Agrippa and Festus.

I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all things whereof I am accused of the Jews: especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews, wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning (if they would testify), that, after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come; for which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead, when God himself has given assurance of it unto all men, in that he hath raised Christ from the dead? As for my own part, most noble Festus, I own I once verily thought that even I myself ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem. I punished the saints oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. In pursuit of which, as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests: At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining about me, and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: but thowed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. This is the real truth: Believe me, I am no pestilent fellow, nor mover of sedition; but always endeavour all that lies in me to preserve a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man: nor can the Jews prove the things whereof they now accuse me. Neither am I, Festus, besides myself; but I speak thus freely before the king, because he knows these things to be fact; yea, I am fully persuaded the king knows them all to be fact; for they were not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. And would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were altogether such as I am except these bonds. Holmes's Rhetoric.

Pope to Atterbury.

Once more I write to you as I promised, and this once I fear will be the last; the curtain will soon be drawn between my friend and me, and nothing left but to wish you a long good night; may you enjoy a state of repose in this life not unlike that sleep of the soul which some have believed is to succeed it, where we lie utterly forgetful of that world from which we are gone, and ripening for that to which we are to go. If you retain any memory of the past, let it only image to you what has pleased you best; sometimes present a dream of an absent friend, or bring you back an agreeable conversation. But, upon the whole, I hope you will think less of the time past than the future; as the former has been less kind to you than the latter infallibly will be. Do not envy the world your studies: They will tend to the benefit of men, against whom you can have no complaint; I mean, of all posterity: and, perhaps, at your time of life, nothing else is worth your care. What is every year of a wise man's life but a centurion or critic on the past? Those whose date is the shortest, live long enough to laugh at one half of it: The boy despises the infant, the man the body, the philosopher both, and the Christian all. You may now begin to think your manhood was too much a puerility; and you will never suffer your age to be but a second infancy. The toys and baubles of your childhood are hardly now more below you than those toys of our riper and our declining years; the drums and rattles of ambition, and the dirt and bubbles of avarice. At this time, when you are cut off from a little society, and made a citizen of the world at large, you should bend your talents not to serve a party, or a few, but all mankind. Your genius should mount above that mist, in which its participation and neighbourhood with earth hath long involved it: To shine abroad, and to heaven, ought ought to be the business and the glory of your present situation. Remember it was at such a time that the greatest lights of antiquity dazzled and blazed the most in their retreat, in their exile, or in their death. But why do I talk of dazzling or blazing? it was then that they did good, that they gave light, and that they became guides to mankind. Those aims alone are worthy of spirits truly great, and such I therefore hope will be yours. Resentment indeed may remain, perhaps cannot be quite extinguished, in the noblest minds; but revenge will never harbour there: Higher principles than those of the first, and better principles than those of the latter, will infallibly influence men whose thoughts and whose hearts are enlarged, and cause them to prefer the whole to any part of mankind, especially to so small a part as one's single self. Believe me, my Lord, I look upon you as a spirit entered into another life, as one just upon the edge of immortality, where the passions and affections must be much more exalted, and where you ought to despise all little views and all mean retropects. Nothing is worth your looking back; and therefore look forward, and make (as you can) the world look after you; but take care it be not with pity, but with esteem and admiration. I am, with the greatest sincerity and passion for your fame as well as happiness, your, &c.

The above most charming and most affectionate letter was written about a month before Atterbury bishop of Rochester was sent into banishment, and is universally admired.