IV. — ABBREVIATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE LETTERS.

The following is perhaps the largest list of miscellaneous abbreviations that has yet been published; but its chief value consists in affording to writers and printers an opportunity of selecting those modes of abbreviating words which seem best fitted for the purposes they may have in view. To further this object, the compiler has presented the various forms in which any given word or phrase has been employed, where more than one has been in use; appending a dagger (†) to such as appear unsuitable, either in consequence of their being already employed for other words, because they are less intelligible than they should be, or have but slight authority for their adoption. But the mark is not intended to imply, that these should never be preferred; for cases will arise, where, from the connection or the narrowness of the printed line, it may be desirable to use them. To those abbreviations, however, which are regarded as unfit to appear under any circumstances, but which are used by some writers, he has put a double dagger ().

It need scarcely be said, that only a few of the abbreviations here exhibited should appear in ordinary composition. But they are very serviceable in catalogues, directories, tabular lists of articles, and family registers; and in works on grammar, lexicography,

arithmetic, geography, &c.; where certain terms often occur, and their full spelling would impede the course of a reader, or swell the size of a book. There are also some words and phrases, which, wherever they may occur, whether in works relating to science and art or to general literature, are commonly written as abbreviations. These are either mostly a few Latin words, which, without being Anglicized, are found useful in supplying the place of circumlocutions in the language; as, &c., instead of " and other persons" or "things: or they are titles prefixed to proper names; as, "Mr. Richardson, Dr. Finlay, Capt. Jameson," &c.: or are terms made use of in reference to passages in books; as, "See pp. 500, seq.; and comp. sect. 6."

When referring, in notes or at the beginning or end of extracts, to works that are well known, it is usual to abbreviate the longer words in their titles; as, "Gibbon's Hist. of the Dec. and Fall of the Rom. Emp., vol. ii. p. 288." In the list will be found abbreviations of only some American and British periodicals; for it would be a vain attempt to give more than a few specimens of the abbreviations adopted in the names of such publications, and altogether impossible to exhibit those used in the names of books in general. Indeed, such abbreviations are quite too much in vogue; and it is recommended, that, in all cases where the common reader is supposed to be unacquainted with the works to which reference is made, the titles be printed in full, or at least such portions as will clearly indicate what the writer intends. In treatises, however, addressed merely to the learned professions, it may be sufficient generally to indicate authorities by

the first letter or letters in each word. Copious lists of those relating to botany, law, and organic remains, will be found in Savage's "Dictionary of the Art of Printing," pp. 59-81, 430-37, and 548.

When the names of the books of Scripture are specified with chapter and verse, they should, except those of but one syllable, be given in their abbreviated forms; "Gen. xlix. 26. Matt. vii. 28." When spoken of without reference to any particular passage, the names should be spelled out; as, "The Gospel of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament."

as,

The more common baptismal names, if put in lists where the saving of room is an object, should be printed with such portions as will lead to a true knowledge of them. They may all, indeed, be severally abbreviated with only the initial letter, when the persons whom they represent are so well known that no mistake can readily take place, or when it is deemed of little importance whether they be known or not. But in books in which elegance of composition, intelligibility of sense, or uniformity of printing, is desirable, the names of persons, at least those by which they are commonly designated, ought to appear in full. Names of ladies should, if possible, be so given.

Titles of eminent men, when put immediately after their names, are almost universally abbreviated; as, "Walter Kinderhook, D.D." But, when the titles are predicated of persons, they are better written in full; as, "The Rev. Joshua Rankin is a Doctor of Divinity; and Matthew Finlayson, Bachelor of Arts.”

To preclude mistakes, the names of cities, towns, and other places, should not, if avoidable, be abbreviated.

as,

The names of states and kingdoms should also be written or printed in full, unless they occur in tabular matter or in geographical books where the abbreviations have been previously explained; or unless they are placed immediately after the names of cities, &c.; "There being a Boston in England as well as in Massachusetts, besides several others in the United States, be careful that, in addressing any letter to a place bearing that name, you state its proper destination, and say either Boston, Eng.;''Boston, Mass. ;' Boston, N. Y.;' or 'Boston, O.;' as the case may require."

With the exception of May, June, and July, and perhaps also March and April, the names of the months should be abbreviated when they stand in connection with the day of the month; as, "Dec. 25, 1854." In all other instances, they should, if possible, be spelled out; as, "Robert Burns was born in the month of January, 1759."

All words which, when abbreviated, are shortened only by one letter, should be written or printed in full. Jb. for "Job," Jno. for "John," and dy. for " day," are, obviously, improper and unnecessary.

The usual abbreviations made use of in works on chemistry and in medical prescriptions, &c., will be found inserted in the following table; but a more complete list appears in Savage's "Dictionary of Printing," pp. 237-44, 481-84.

Some abbreviations are used only in the middle of sentences, and begun with small characters; others, as the initials of titles, are always printed in capitals; while others, again, appear sometimes with initial capi

tals, and sometimes with initial small letters.

When there are two modes of printing them, both will be found exhibited in the table, that the eye may be accustomed to both forms; but the mode of using them will depend on the principles laid down in the article on capitals, pp. 257-68.

To an author who finds it necessary to adopt abbreviations not in common use, it is recommended that he present, at the beginning of his treatise, a list of all that may be required for his purpose, with the requisite explanations; and that, if at all practicable, he preserve the same forms throughout the work.

Contractions formed by the insertion of apostrophesas, Sup't for "Superintendent," or Veg'ta's for "Vegetables " are altogether excluded from the following list, because deemed fit to be used only in cases of extreme necessity. So, also, those contractions which sometimes appear at the foot of advertisements, but which are not meant to be read by the public; as, "isF&Tu&osMWTh Sattf;' a direction which would have a more common-sense-like appearance, if it stood thus: "i.F.&Tu. & o.M.W.Th.S. t.f.;" and be better adapted to express the meaning, "To be inserted inside on Friday and Tuesday, and outside on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, till forbidden."

As the exhibiting of Latin abbreviations, unless used in English composition, falls not within the scope of the present work, it will be sufficient merely to refer to the Latin dictionaries for those pertaining to the classics; and to Savage's book, already mentioned, pp. 204 and 689-700, for such as are used in Domesday-Book and in the old Public Records.