Beginning with signs 205, 206, 207 and 240 in this Exercise, and ending with sign 307, are given a number of phrase combinations, sometimes made up of word-abbreviations, joined often with unimportant words omitted, and sometimes abbreviated in an apparently arbitrary manner, the object being to gain an outline the most serviceable for speed with legibility, they representing, as a rule, phrases which are uttered very rapidly, and whose outlines in any other shape could not be written rapidly. They cover the entire field of political orations, sermons, legal arguments, and work where the utmost rapidity is absolutely essential, and, as they represent also the most readable forms, their position and outlines are strictly observed by all professional writers of importance, and should be learned as thoroughly and religiously as any principle in these lessons, or the word-abbreviations. Be sure, however, to make that portion of them halved which is shown as halved, keeping full-sized portions full-size where herein shown, observing carefully their position, as well as the size of their hooks, circles and loops. They are the best outlines for these combinations of words, look like nothing else than what they are, if correctly written, and thus furnish exact distinctions between each other, and between outlines which are not illustrated in any lessons, but which may happen unawares in actual work. They are of vast importance, both to speed and legibility.

Lest students should imagine that it is necessary for professional phonographers to allow a speaker to be a few words in advance of them, in order to write in their proper position the kind of phrases referred to in the preceding paragraphs on phrasing, the author would state that such a condition is not necessary. With a rapid speaker, such is natur.

ally the case, and then, it is by means of these beautiful phrase methods and abbreviations that a lagging shorthand writer is enabled to catch up with a speaker momentarily excited.

To further illustrate the explanation in last lesson respecting how, for purposes of phrasing, joined words are often written out of position, the student is referred to the phrase I am glad, sign 42 in Exercise to last lesson, wherein the word glad, although properly, according to its vowel, belonging on the line, is written, in such combination, above the line, because its position when joined is not important, and the word am must have the first position or it will clash with may, in most instances. This will explain why the word course, in the phrase of course, is written above the line in sign 47 in the Exercise to last lesson, it being necessary for the word of to have proper position. Signs 48, 56 and 64 of Exercise to last lesson, and which occur immediately under each other in that Exercise, illustrate this rule still more plainly. In each of those phrases the word cases occurs, and each time in a different position. In the first instance, cases is written above the line, because the word in, of that phrase in all cases, must have first position. In the third instance, sign 64 of the Exercise to last lesson, cases is in the third position because the word some of that phrase in some cases, must be written under the line or it will clash with same, sign 56, Exercise to last lesson.

Similar instances will be found in this lesson, as in sign 244, Exercise to this lesson, wherein, in the phrase Son of God, the word God which when alone is written in first position, is, in sign 244 of this lesson, written in the third position under the line, because the word Son, to be read, must have that position.