to your honorable house. Mr. Winfield Success of this city, who visits Chicago for the purpose of procuring a situation, as canvassing agent. for Hills Manual. From a knowledge of his honesty, industry. and steadiness of purpose. I think him such a person as you will be pleased to employ if you need more canvassers. I therefore take great pleasure in recommending him to your favorable acquaintance. Yours Very Respectfully. EREWITH are shown, in contrast, the correct and incorrect positions for sitting while writing; the upright figure representing the youth who sits erect, graceful and easy, ding the paper at right angles with the arm, adying the same with the left hand. As will be perceived, the correct position, re represented is at once conducive to health ed comfort, being free from labored effort and Teariness. On the opposite side of the table sits a youth Those legs are tired, whose hands are wearied, and whose head and back ache from his ruggles at writing. This boy will be liable become, ere long, near-sighted, from keeping is eyes so close to his work. He will be round shouldered, will have weak lungs, and will probably early die of consumption, caused from sitting in a cramped, contracted and unhealthy posture. The bad positions liable to be assumed in writing, are, first, the one here shown; second, lying down and sprawling both elbows on the table; third, rolling the body upon one side, turning the eyes, and swinging the head, at the same time protruding and twisting the tongue every time a letter is made. An earnest, determined effort should be made, when writing, to bring the body into an easy, graceful attitude, until the habit becomes thoroughly established. This illustration should be carefully studied by youth when learning to write; and all writers should give the matter attention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES. | proportion and shades, as applied in the making of capital letters. VERY Copy on Plates Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 should be written with care by all students desirous of improving their penmanship. Ladies can, if they wish, terminate with the finer hand, while gentlemen will end with the bolder penmanship. Plate I. Copy I is a free, off-hand exercise, calculated to give freedom and ease in writing. Observe to make an angle, top and bottom. A sufficient amount of practice on this copy, with pen or pencil, will break up all stiffness in the writing. Copy 2 is the contraction of copy No. 1 into the letter 22, giving a free, open, bold, business hand. Copy 3 is composed of words of greater length, which should be written, if possible, by the student, from the beginning to the end of the word, without removing the pen from the paper until the word is finished. The words are composed principally of the letter 2, which should be written with much care. Copies 4 and 5 are the small letters of the alphabet. Carefully observe the shades, and the uniformity in slope of letters. Copy 6 exhibits the figures, which are twice the height of small letters. The 7 and 9, in script, extend one-half their length below the line. Copies 7 and 8 are the capital letters of the alphabet, which are of the same height as the small letter. There is usually but one shade in a letter. Observe the directions, given elsewhere, for the making of capitals, and guard against the probable faults, as there expressed. Study also, carefully, the principles of curves, The remainder of copies on Plates 1 and 2 should be written with the greatest care, "Perseverance" being the motto. Do not leave these copies until they are thoroughly mastered. Plate III. This plate is composed of copies similar to the others, the same principles being applicable in the making of the letters. As will be seen, this is a much more delicate hand, and is especially adapted to fine epistolary writing. Plate IV. Plate IV illustrates the form of writing a letter of introduction, and may be copied by the student as a specimen business letter. Plate V. This plate exhibits the off-hand capitals, which should be made purely with the arm movement, the hand resting lightly on the two lower fingers. Practice, at first, in making them with a lead-pencil on waste paper, will be found quite beneficial. Plate VI. The copies of Round Hand on this plate should be written with especial care, being the style suitable for headings, etc. Observe in the small letters that each is round, and every down mark shaded. The alphabet of German Text on this page will be found useful for ornamental work. Plate VII. Plate VII exhibits a variety of pen work, containing both fine and bold penmanship, and will be found a superior copy in which the student can display a knowledge of penmanship and flourishing. Plate VIII. Plate VIII is an original off-hand specimen of flourishing, the curves, proportion and shades in which should be carefully observed. (See view of holding pen in flourishing, page 27.) |