Buy this book on-line

Macaulay, Aulay : POLYGRAPHY; or, Short-Hand Made Easy to the Meanest Capacity: Being an Universal Character fitted to all languages: which may be learned by this Book without the help of a Master

Printed for the Author, London, 1747

8vo., contemporary crushed burgundy morocco, nicely gilt decorated on the covers and spine, worn but sound; a.e.g.Second edition (the first appeared the previous year), the book is ENTIRELY ENGRAVED by its author who signed a notice on the verso of the title, designed to frighten off prospective pirates. This is followed by a 14-year license of publication in the name of George II, a List of Subscribers, Publisher's Advertisement, To the Reader, Introduction, and finally eleven pages of basic, "how to," instructions. The balance of the book consists of quotations from the Bible. Macaulay first demonstrates his system using excerpts from the Psalms and Genesis in "the long Short-hand." He then demonstrates the flexibility of his method by inscribing Psalm CXVII in Welsh, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. This is followed by a repetition of the earlier quotations from Psalms and Genesis applying "abbreviating rules," which "renders the Method very swift, and yet leaves it quite legible."This UNUSUAL AND ATTRACTIVE BOOK conveys Macaulay's new method of short-hand, which he describes as less obscure and easier to learn. The first shorthand system worthy of the name appeared in England and went through a total of 14 editions from 1602-1647 under the title Art of Stenographie by John Willis. Darlow and Moule [Historical Catalogue of the Printed Editions of the Holy Scripture] records just four Short-hand editions of the Bible: [1660?], 1687, [1700?], 1849, AND DOES NOT INCLUDE OURS.

EXTENSIVE BIBLE QUOTATIONS IN 18TH C. SHORTHAND

Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints.