沈學(Shen Hsueh, 1873-1900)江蘇吳縣人，流寓上海，就讀於聖約翰學堂(St. John's College)，專攻醫學，卒業後受聘於上海虹口同仁醫院為醫師。 沈氏雖年方弱冠，而學通中西，十九歲以英文著書，經五年而成Universal System，稱之為 《天下公字》，1895年著成，隨即自譯成中文，命名《盛世元音》，此書實為改良語文之簡易，便於推廣新知，創意宗旨俱在教育普及，謀國家富強。 沈氏熟諳醫術，富有科學知識，其於研治語言，自人體解剖學入手。於發聲、受聲部位、耳喉內部傳聲結構，判定音域、振波、高低強弱，以區別字詞、切音，與一切語音之元素，再分判語言基礎之所有母音、子音，以各能成音之數量，俱有一定數字成算。表現其本之於科學原理，極其完備。亦自原音基礎，特創切音簡字十八筆字母，期以一日之內（八句鐘）教熟學者，此即沈氏語文書之大致要點。其書在當日第一代語言改良思想家中，應是最科學、最精要、最博通之作。 沈學又在1897年在《知新報》分期刊布其所擬《俠會章程》(Rules of the Society on the Generosities)七十款，其內涵與同時代自1896年中國各地創生之學會多不相同，尤近於西方之會社組織，近似於Y.M.C.A。且其所具之宗旨、組織、成員、職司，以至活動、款項、開會運作、會費捐款、場所建築、會所格局、會議布置等等，均有詳細規定，極具今時西方結社規模，充分表現民主會議運作實況。其在十九世紀末之中國各地實是首見，可謂領先全國。 可惜沈學在上海同仁醫院被院方解僱驅逐，潦倒流浪，不幸於1900年死於上海。先知英才，碩學通人，竟至早逝，令人悼惜。

Shen Hsueh (1873-1900), a native of Wu District, Jiangsu Province, studied medicine at St. John's College, and started his doctor career at Tongjen Hospital in Shanghai. When he was nineteen, Shen began to write ”Universal System”, which was completed in 1895, then translated into Chinese by himself. He aimed at improving Chinese language in order to expand new knowledge and popularize education and bring wealth as well strength for the country. As an erudite scholar in Chinese and Western learning and an expert in medicine, Shen's study of language took an approach of human anatomy. He used the concepts of articulation, places of articulation, and the vocal structure inside the ear and throat to identify pitch, amplitude, and tenseness in order to differentiate words, phrases, articulation, as well as all other elements of speech. He invented a set of simplified 18 strokes in order to facilitate quick learning of Chinese language. In a word, his writing stands out as the most scientific, elementary and erudite among the works of his contemporaries. The ”Rules of the Society on the Generosities” he formulated totaled 70 articles published in the newspaper ”Aware of New Knowledge”. The Society on the Generosities is similar to the association organization in the west as YMCA. Its purpose, organization, member, duty, activity, item, operation, donation, building, plan and arrangement etc., were all stipulated in details. Therefore, this Society founded by Shen may be titled as the first democratic meeting in modern China, similar to that in the West. However, it is a pity that Shen was expelled by Tongjen Hospital, which caused the early and unfortunate death in Shanghai of this pioneer-scholar.