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If the pupil has mastered the Figure Alphabet he will proceed with the greatest satisfaction and profit. If he has not mastered it, let him carefully review the foregoing pages of this chapter, and then he can advance with the assurance of meeting no difficulties.
1. Write the Figure Alphabet from memory. 2. If the pupil has not thoroughly mastered this alphabet, what is required of him? 3. If the pupil must review the foregoing six pages, let him find words himself which spell the figures. 4. Is not such a course much better than merely to read over the examples and illustrations which I give? 5. Is it easy to find words with which to translate dates and numbers?
HOW TO FIND WORDS WITH WHICH TO TRANSLATE DATES AND NUMBERS.
It is a simple and easy process; knowing exactly what consonants are used to represent each of the numbers, you simply write at the side of the numbers to be turned into words the consonants which stand for them; and using any vowels you please, you find out by experimenting what words can translate the figures. Suppose you wish to find out what words will translate the date of the settlement of Jamestown, Va., 1607. You place the figures under each other as below, and then you place at the right hand of each figure the consonants which translate it.
1 = t, th, d. 6 = sh, j, ch, g soft (as in gem), 0 = s, z, c soft (as in cease). 7 = g hard, k, c hard, q, and ng.
By experimenting you soon find the following phrases will represent 1607; as, "A {D}u{tch} {S}o{ng}," "{D}a{sh} a {S}a{ck}," "{T}o wa{sh} a {S}o{ck}," "{Th}e {Ch}oo{s}i{ng}," "{Th}e {Ch}a{s}i{ng}," "{T}ou{ch}e{s} a {K}ey," &c.
Try the date of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, 1787. Writing down the numbers as before, you place t, th, d, opposite 1; g hard, k, c hard, q, ng, opposite 7; f and v, opposite 8; g hard, k, c hard, q, and ng, opposite 7; and then you soon find translating words, as follows: "{T}o {g}i{v}e a {K}ey," "{T