The system best known as that of Jeremiah Rich, who appears to have copied it from his uncle, William Cartwright, was one that seems to have been favoured by the divines of the seventeenth century. It was modified by Dr. Doddridge, and taught in his academy for the training of Nonconformist ministers, and then came into use in most of the older dissenting colleges, so that twenty years ago there were many who had thus been trained and conned the dumpty little bibles and psalm books that were engraved in Rich's system. That system has had many names attached to it. Let us take that which bears the impress of "Botley's learned hand." One of his eulogists tells us "Sermons this art transfers, its oft known The countrey reaps what's in the City sowne; The sacred pulpit is not its confine The general good is this art's main designe." Botley's "Maximum in Minimo," which appeared in 1659, is avowedly Jeremiah Rich's "Pen's dexterity compleated." The theological uses of the system are further asserted by ingenious devices for indicating such phrases as "to be joyned in love to those that are not of the people of God," "to embrace the cross of Christ," etc. This character = [symbol] signifies "to be miserable as the world is miserable," whilst [symbol] meant "a saint is a 1000 times better than the world." So in Noah Bridge's "Stenographie," issued in the same year, there are phraseograms for "in the name of the Lord," "wherefore said the psalmist," etc. The "New Method of Short and Swift Writing," which was given away to purchasers of Dr. Chamberlen's "anodyne necklace for children's teeth," is declared to be "necessary for all Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Lawyers, Divines, Students, Tradesmen, Shopkeepers, Travellers, and in fine, all sorts of persons from the highest to the lowest quality, degree, rank, station, and condition whatsoever, and write down presently whatever they hear or see done." The theologian here is somewhat lost in an indiscriminate crowd. That shorthand was used for the purpose of obtaining copies both of plays and of sermons in the seventeenth century is sufficiently well-known. There is a curious tract which professes to be a shorthand report of a discourse, by no less a person than our "Cromwell, chief of men," and although it is but a satire, its curious titlepage is nevertheless evidence of the common belief,--founded doubtless on the common practice,--that stenography could secure verbatim reports of the exhortations of preachers, whether clerical or lay. The tract professes to be,--