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Charles Dickens's shorthand notebook 'Part 6: Examples'

A sheet of paper mounted in a large book. Five lines of Brachygraphy shorthand characters are handwritten in blue ink with annotations in between. Some words and phrases in the annotated explanations of the characters are underlined.

A page from Dickens's shorthand teaching notebook, explaining how to use the Brachygraphy system. This page provides a range of example phrases.

Tags: Charles Dickens, notebook, shorthand learning

Charles Dickens's shorthand notebook 'Part 3: Dots on Vowels'

A sheet of paper mounted in a large book. Handwritten in blue ink the heading reads 'Part 3, Dots on Vowels'. Notes and three lines of Brachygraphy shorthand explain the concept.

A page from Dickens's shorthand teaching notebook, explaining how to use the Brachygraphy system. This page explores rules concerning dots on vowels.

Tags: Charles Dickens, notebook, shorthand learning

Charles Dickens's shorthand notebook 'Part 2: Dots'

A sheet of paper mounted in a large book. Half a page of notes written in blue ink interspersed with Brachygraphy shorthand characters. The heading reads 'Part 2, Dots'.

A page from Dickens's shorthand teaching notebook, explaining how to use the Brachygraphy system. This page explores rules concerning the use of dots.

Tags: Charles Dickens, notebook, shorthand learning

Page of Henry Fielding Dickens's Transcribed Shorthand Characters

A framed page. Handwritten in ink a narrow column of twenty Brachygraphy shorthand characters to the left. The meanings of the characters are written in English to the right. Brachygraphy characters in pencil appear faintly after some of the English words.

List of transcribed shorthand characters from Henry Fielding Dickens's lessons with his father

Tags: Henry Fielding Dickens, shorthand learning

Traddles Makes A Figure in Parliament and I Report Him

A black and white illustration on a book page. A room decorated with framed pictures, busts, and birdcages, lit by two candles. One candle sits on the mantlepiece and another on a table next to which, to the left of the illustration, is seated a young, smartly dressed man. He has a pencil in his mouth and is writing with another pencil in a notepad he holds in his hand. His legs are crossed and he leans toward the candle as if to work by its light. A pile of books are on the floor by his chair. Centrally seated is an older lady, her face framed by a frilled cap. Her hands are clasped together in her lap and an open book has been placed pages down on her knees. A cat occupies a chair to her right and then an older man is seated, hands clasped in a pointing motion, a cloth lying over one knee. A hat and cane are propped on another chair next to him. Another man with hair pulled up by the roots stands before the table, one arm raised emphatically, the other hand holding a book. One foot is leaving the ground as if the man is pacing. A pile of books and papers topped with a top hat are on the floor in the foreground of the illustration.

Illustration by Phiz of David learning shorthand from chapter 38 of David Copperfield

Tags: Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Hablot K. Browne, illustration, Phiz, shorthand learning, Tommy Traddles

Steerforth and Mr Mell

A black and white illustration from a book. The page shows age markings. A boisterous classroom full of more than forty boys in identical dress and with similar haircuts. A stern, slender man stands behind the raised teacher's desk at the front left leaving his stool vacant. A young man who appears older than all the other boys stands in the centre of the chaotic classroom, adopting a proud pose. Two large men are entering the scene from a door on the right. At the front a boy has lifted his bench to slide another boy onto the floor. Books, marbles and other items litter the floor.

Illustration of Steerforth and Mr Mell from David Copperfield

Tags: Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Hablot K. Browne, illustration, Mr Mell, Phiz, shorthand learning, Steerforth

Audio recording: Henry Fielding Dickens reminisces about learning shorthand with his father

Reading of an extract in which Dickens's son recalls lessons with his father

Tags: shorthand, shorthand learning

Audio recording: Traddles helps David improve his shorthand dictation skills

Reading of a passage from chapter 38 of David Copperfield, in which David's friend Tommy Traddles helps him to practice writing shorthand by dictating speeches

Tags: brachygraphy, David Copperfield, dictation, shorthand, shorthand learning

Audio recording: David learns shorthand

Reading of a passage from chapter 38 of David Copperfield, in which David struggles to learn Brachygraphy shorthand

Tags: brachygraphy, David Copperfield, shorthand, shorthand learning

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