literary hackwork, or possibly keeping sheep in Australia, and doing odd jobs for an employer who very likely can neither read nor write? (hear hear). Now the moral I wish you to draw is this,do-not any of you be disheartened because you think yourselves slow or stupid, even though you may really at-present appear to-have good grounds for the belief, and do not, on-the other hand, any of you be confident of-the future merely because you know or believe yourself to-have what is called cleverness. If I was to-tell-you that in my belief that particular quality of intellectual quickness and sharpness is by no means the first qualification for a successful career, many people would consider, in these days of competitive examinations, that was wilfully indulging in a paradox. But I believe it-is-the truth. Talent is the edge (of the) knife that makes it penetrate easily, but whether it penetrates deeply or not depends quite as much on-the force applied to it as on-the sharpness (of the) blade, (hear, hear), what a man really takes a keen interest in he is seldom too dull to understand and to do well; and, conversely, when a man does not care to-put the best of his brains into a thing, no amount of mere cleverness will enable him to-do-it well if it-is a thing of any real difficulty or unless it-is one which he has trained himself to-do easily by much previous practice, in which the latter cases he-is really reaping in present ease, the fruit of past exertions.Living, so to speak, upon the capital which he has accumulated by early industry. (applause). I-do-notknow who it was-that said "That genius consisted in a enormous capacity for taking trouble," but who. ever he-was, and though his definition may not-be quite wide enough, it-is-not to my mind very far fromthe mark. (hear, hear and cheers.)

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS.

From Mr. JOSEPH HUCKNALL, Wisbech.

"Will you kindly send me another Copy of your valuable Shorthand, it is the best ever introduced. I am more than ever interested in it-it is a pleasure to write."

From GEO. NEALE, ESQ., San Diego, California, U.S.

"I am the Official Reporter of the Eighteenth Dis-, trict Court of California, and use your system in my reporting. When I was in London in 1866, I took some few Lessons from Mr. Frederick Pitman,-I never obtained much proficiency (doubtless my own fault); but about a year ago I studied Munson's, (an American) system, and in about six months could use it with a good amount of facility. However two or three months before my examination I saw your advertisement 'Edeography' in the Gospel Standard. I obtained the Manual and again commenced the study of Shorthand. In a few weeks I became quite expert, I feel under sufficiently so to pass my examination. great obligation to you, and think your system simplicity itself. I shall take every opportunity to spread your fame in California."

REV. T. W. RICHARDSON, Liverpool.

"All to whom I have shown your book admire it very much, and if it were only better known I am sure it would be adopted in preference to Pitman's."

Mr. THOMAS A. REDWAY, Exmouth.

"I can safely say, that, for so nominal a sum, it is the most complete work I ever saw. Who would not know Shorthand when it can be practically learnt in so little time for the small amount of 6d.? I have only one fault to find with you in the publication of this work, viz-it is by far too cheap."

From E. ANDERSON, ESQ., Walsall.

"I take a great interest in Shorthand, and write Pitman's corresponding style, also have a collection of some 25 or 30 systems, old and modern. My experience is that ninetenths of the Shorthand books brought out in the present day are either plagiarisms of Taylor's and other approved old day systems, or else if original are crude and undeveloped with the internal arrange: ment of parts ill-considered and badly adapted-How ever I am pleased to find that your Manual is far removed from either of these classes, and apparently possesses a well chosen alphabet, and a good adapta. tion and arrangement of the important abbreviations for R. L. T. NS."

Mr. J. GILMORE, Inland Revenue Officer, Drogheda. [Letter written in Edeography.]

"I may say the fact of my being able in the short period of one month to express myself as you see in Shorthand without the aid of a Teacher, and solely