The favor with which the first edition has been received, in spite of many imperfections, is a gratifying assurance that we have secured, in a great measure, that practicability in short-hand that so many thousands have been seeking for. Facilities, not attainable when the first edition appeared, enable us to present the work in a better, and, we trust, a still more acceptable, form. Through the skill and inventive genius of Mr. Otis M. Brewer, of this city, we are able to illustrate this edition in such a way as to aid the student of the art materially.

We have spared no pains or expense to render the work as complete a guide to the Common Style as is possible within the limits of so small a work. New chapters have been added, and the difference between the common orthography and the phonetic more clearly pointed out.

We have also added a series of Writing Exercises, selected with the double design of illustrating both the principles of Tachygraphy and those features of our orthography which need the most attention. We are indebted for some of those illustrations to a work by Rev. J. C. Zachos, - "The Phonic Primer," - which presents the irregularities of our common orthography in such a manner that they may be mastered with the least difficulty. The new phonic plan of teaching reading presented in this primer is far superior to any other with which we are acquainted.

The reading lessons of the following work present a white letter on a black ground. While this may, at first, seem strange to those who have been in the habit of wandering "where jet black flowers by thousands grow," yet it would seem to us to be the true and natural method of printing, since the white letter forms a picture; the black letter, a blank. The dark page is certainly better for the eye.

To the many friends who have aided us in the spread of this noble art, we send this second edition with greeting, hoping that they will find in it a much more perfect instrument for carrying on the reform, - that it is better adapted to the use of their classes.

Should the student wish further instruction in the details of the art, he will find it in the Rapid Writer and Tachygrapher, which will be published as frequently as demanded.

Boston, Sept. sth., 1865.

Tachygraphy. - Greek (Tachus), - swift, and to write.

1. Rapid writing. 2. A style of phonetic short-hand, adapted to all business and literary purposes, as well as to verbatim reporting, the common style of which is given in this work.

Letters in the beginning of a word are called initial; in the middle, medial; and in the end, final or terminal.

Short-hand characters are called signs, to distinguish them from the common letters. A letter is often silent; a sign, never.

The terms word-outline or word-form are used to designate that conformation which the letters of a word present when written in short-hand characters.

PENS, PAPER, AND THE MANNER OF HOLDING THE PEN.

Steel pens of medium fineness are best for writing Tachygraphy. Paper may be ruled or plain; but paper ruled with double lines is never needed.

The pen should be held between the fore and middle fingers, the penholder pointing considerably to the right, so that horizontal and left-oblique lines can be struck conveniently. The pen should be held square on the paper, so that both limbs press equally. A pencil may be used occasionally; but a pen is preferable.

Exercises for correction should be written on every third line, so that, when corrected on the second, they may be rewritten by the pupil on the third. The student should copy his exercises into a blank book for preservation when sufficiently advanced.