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exasperating new Simplified Corruptions accepted and running
smoothly。 And we sha'n't be any better off then than we are now；
for in that day we shall still have the privilege the Simplifiers
are exercising now： ANYBODY can change the spelling that wants
to。
BUT YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE PHONOGRAPHIC SPELLING； THERE ISN'T
ANY WAY。 It will always follow the SOUND。 If you want to change
the spelling； you have to change the sound first。
Mind； I myself am a Simplified Speller； I belong to that
unhappy guild that is patiently and hopefully trying to reform
our drunken old alphabet by reducing his whiskey。 Well； it will
improve him。 When they get through and have reformed him all
they can by their system he will be only HALF drunk。 Above that
condition their system can never lift him。 There is no
competent； and lasting； and real reform for him but to take away
his whiskey entirely； and fill up his jug with Pitman's wholesome
and undiseased alphabet。
One great drawback to Simplified Spelling is； that in print
a simplified word looks so like the very nation！ and when you
bunch a whole squadron of the Simplified together the spectacle
is very nearly unendurable。
The da ma ov koars kum when the publik ma be expektd to get
rekonsyled to the bezair asspekt of the Simplified Kombynashuns；
butif I may be allowed the expressionis it worth the wasted
time？ ＇Figure 7＇
To see our letters put together in ways to which we are not accustomed
offends the eye； and also takes the EXPRESSION out of the words。
La on； Makduf； and damd be he hoo furst krys hold； enuf！
It doesn't thrill you as it used to do。 The simplifications
have sucked the thrill all out of it。
But a written character with which we are NOT ACQUAINTED
does not offend usGreek； Hebrew； Russian； Arabic； and the
othersthey have an interesting look； and we see beauty in them；
too。 And this is true of hieroglyphics； as well。 There is
something pleasant and engaging about the mathematical signs when
we do not understand them。 The mystery hidden in these things
has a fascination for us： we can't come across a printed page of
shorthand without being impressed by it and wishing we could read
it。
Very well； what I am offering for acceptance and adopting is
not shorthand； but longhand； written with the SHORTHAND ALPHABET
UNREACHED。 You can write three times as many words in a minute
with it as you can write with our alphabet。 And so； in a way； it
IS properly a shorthand。 It has a pleasant look； too； a
beguiling look； an inviting look。 I will write something in it；
in my rude and untaught way： ＇Figure 8＇
Even when _I_ do it it comes out prettier than it does in
Simplified Spelling。 Yes； and in the Simplified it costs one
hundred and twenty…three pen…strokes to write it； whereas in the
phonographic it costs only twenty…nine。
＇Figure 9＇ is probably ＇Figure 10＇。
Let us hope so； anyway。