Letters and Lettering

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LETTERS &
LETTERING

A TREATISE WITH 200 EXAMPLES

FRANK CHOUTEAU BROWN

[Illustration]

BOSTON

BATES & GUILD COMPANY

MCMXXI

* * * * *

_Copyright, 1921, by_
BATES & GUILD COMPANY

Printed by
PERRY & ELLIOTT CO
LYNN BOSTON

Printed in the U. S. A.

* * * * *

NOTE

This book is intended for those who have felt the need of a varied
collection of alphabets of standard forms, arranged for convenient use.

The alphabets illustrated, while primarily intended to exhibit the letter
shapes, have in most cases been so arranged as to show also how the letters
compose into words, except in those instances where they are intended to be
used only as initials. The application of classic and medieval letters to
modern usages has been, as far as possible, suggested by showing modern
designs in which similar forms are employed.

In view of the practical aim of this treatise it has been deemed advisable
to include a larger number of illustrative examples rather than to devote
space to the historical evolution of the letter forms.

To the artists, American and European, who have so kindly furnished him
with drawings of their characteristic letters--and without whose cordial
assistance this book would hardly have been possible--to the
master-printers who have allowed him to show types specially designed for
them, and to the publishers who have given him permission to borrow from
their books and magazines, the author wishes to express his sincere
obligations.

F. C. B.

* * * * *

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1 AND 2 ALPHABET AFTER SEBASTIAN SERLIO (1473-1554). Reconstructed by
Albert R. Ross.

3 WIDTH PROPORTIONS OF MODERN ROMAN CAPITALS. F. C. B.

4 DRAWING FOR INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS. For cutting in granite. Letter forms
based upon those shown in figures 1 and 2. F. C. B.

5 PHOTOGRAPH OF INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS. Cut in granite from drawing shown
in figure 4

6 INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS. From the Arch of Constantine, Rome. 315 A.D. From
a photograph

7 MODEL FOR INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS. Used for inscriptions cut in granite on
Boston Public Library. McKim, Mead & White, Architects. Photographed from a
cast

8 ROMAN INCISED CAPITALS. From fragments in marble. National Museum,
Naples. Rubbing

9 ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION. Museo Civico, Bologna. From a photograph

10 ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION. Museo Civico, Bologna. From a photograph

11 DETAIL FROM A ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION. Showing composition. Redrawn
from a rubbing. F. C. B.

12 "RUSTIC" ROMAN CAPITALS. Of pen forms, but cut in stone. Redrawn from a
rubbing. From fragment in the National Museum, Naples. F. C. B.

13 ROMAN CAPITALS FROM FRAGMENTS OF INSCRIPTIONS. Showing various
characteristic letter forms. Redrawn from rubbings. F. C. B.

14 MODERN ROMAN INCISED CAPITALS. Executed in sandstone. From the Harvard
Architectural Building, Cambridge, Mass. McKim, Mead & White, Architects

15 LETTERS SHOWN IN ALPHABET 1 AND 2, IN COMPOSITION. By Albert R. Ross

16 and 17 CLASSIC ROMAN CAPITALS. Cut in marble. Redrawn from rubbings made
in the Forum, Rome. F. C. B.-21

18 and 19 CLASSIC ROMAN CAPITALS. Late period. Cut in marble. Redrawn from
rubbings. F. C. B.

20 PORTION OF ROMAN INSCRIPTION. With supplied letters. Redrawn from a
rubbing. F. C. B.

21 CLASSIC ROMAN INSCRIPTION. Incised in marble. Redrawn from a rubbing.
F. C. B.

22 CLASSIC ROMAN INSCRIPTION. In stone. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.

23 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE INSCRIPTION. Square-sunk in marble. From a
photograph of a mortuary slab

24 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE MEDAL. By Vittore Pisano. 15th Century. From a
photograph

25 MODERN FRENCH MEDAL. By Oscar Roty. From a photograph of the original in
the Luxembourg, Paris

26 CAPITALS ADAPTED FROM RENAISSANCE MEDALS. F. C. B.

27 SPANISH RENAISSANCE ALPHABET. By Juan de Yciar. From "Arte por la qual
se ese[=n]a a escrevir perfectamente." (Saragossa, 1550)

28 RENAISSANCE INLAID MEDALLION. From a floor-slab in Santa Croce,
Florence. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.

29 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. From an inlaid floor-slab in Santa Croce,
Florence. (Compare figure 28.) Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.

30 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE PANEL. From Raphael's tomb, Pantheon, Rome. From a
photograph

31 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE INCISED INSCRIPTION. From the Marsuppini Tomb, Santa
Croce, Florence, 1455. Rubbing

32 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE INCISED INSCRIPTION. From a floor-slab in Santa
Croce, Florence. Early 15th Century. Rubbing

33 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. Redrawn from inscription on the Marsuppini
Tomb, Santa Croce, Florence, 1455. (Compare figure 31.) F. C. B.

34 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. Redrawn from rubbings of inscriptions in
Santa Croce, Florence. F. C. B.

35 and 36 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. By G. A. Tagliente. From 'La vera
arte dello eccellento scrivere.' (Venice, 1524)

37 and 38 GERMAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. By Albrecht Duerer. Adapted from
'Underweyssung der messung, mit dem zirckel, [u]n richtscheyt, in Linien,
etc.' (Nuremberg, 1525)

39 and 40 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. By Sebastian Serlio. (1473-1554.)
Compare figures 1 and 2

41 GERMAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS. By Urbain Wyss. From 'Libellus valde doctus
... scribendarum literarum genera complectens.' (Zurich, 1549)

42 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE PANEL. Above the door of the Badia, Florence.
Redrawn by Claude Fayette Bragdon. From 'Minor Italian Palaces.' (Cutler
Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N.Y., 1898)

43 MODERN TITLE IN ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS. By Bertram G. Goodhue. (Compare
figure 46.) From 'The Quest of Merlin.' (Small, Maynard & Co., Boston,
1891)

44 MODERN TITLE WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF 16TH CENTURY ENGLISH CAPITALS. By
Walter Crane. (Compare figure 49.) From 'The Story of Don Quixote.' (John
Lane, New York, 1900)

45 TITLE IN EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS. By W. Eden Nesfield. From 'Specimens of
Medieval Architecture.' (Day & Sons, London, 1862)

46 ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS. 6TH CENTURY. From 'The Rule of St. Benedict.'
Bodleian Library, Oxford

47 ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS. 7TH CENTURY. From 'The Gospels of St. Cuthbert'

48 ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS. EARLY 10TH CENTURY. From an Anglo-Saxon Bible

49 EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS. 16th Century. From tomb of Henry VII,
Westminster Abbey, London

50 and 51 SCHEME FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROMAN SMALL LETTERS. F. C. B.

52 SPANISH ROMAN PEN DRAWN LETTERS. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de
Escr[=e]virde.' (Madrid, 1577)

53 SPANISH ROMAN PEN DRAWN LETTERS. Showing use of above. By Francisco
Lucas. From 'Arte de Escr[=e]virde.' (Madrid, 1577)

54 SPANISH ITALIC PEN DRAWN LETTERS. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de
Escr[=e]virde.' (Madrid, 1577)

55 SPANISH ITALIC PEN DRAWN LETTERS. Showing use of above. By Francisco
Lucas. From 'Arte de Escr[=e]virde.' (Madrid, 1577)

56 ITALIAN SMALL LETTERS. By J. F. Cresci. From 'Perfetto Scrittore.'
(Rome, 1560)

57 ENGLISH 17TH CENTURY LETTERS. Incised in slate. From tombstones

58 MODERN SMALL LETTERS. After C. Hrachowina's 'Initialen Alphabete und
Randleisten verschiedener Kunstepochen.' (Vienna, 1883)

59 MODERN SMALL LETTERS. By Claude Fayette Bragdon. Based on Venetian types
cut by Nicholas Jenson, 1471-81

60 INSCRIPTION FROM ENGLISH 17TH CENTURY TOMBSTONE. From slate tombstone at
Chippenham, England. 1691. F. C. B.

61 ROMAN AND ITALIC TYPE. Designed by William Caslon. From his Specimen
Book. (London, 1734)

62 MODERN ROMAN TYPE, "MONTAIGNE." Designed by Bruce Rogers for The
Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass.

63 MODERN ROMAN TYPE, "RENNER." Designed by Theo. L. De Vinne for The De
Vinne Press, New York

64 MODERN ROMAN TYPE, "MERRYMOUNT." Designed by Bertram G. Goodhue for The
Merrymount Press, Boston, Mass.

65 MODERN ROMAN TYPE, "CHELTENHAM OLD STYLE." Designed by Bertram G.
Goodhue for The Cheltenham Press, New York. (Owned by American Type
Founders Company and Linotype Company)

66 MODERN GREEK TYPE. Designed by Selwyn Image for The Macmillan Company,
London

67 MODERN ROMAN TYPE. Designed by C. R. Ashbee for a Prayerbook for the
King of England

68 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. After lettering by J. M. Olbrich

69 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. By Gustave Lemmen. From 'Beispiele Kunstlerische
Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

70 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Alois Ludwig

71 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Otto Eckmann

72 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. By Otto Hupp. From 'Beispiele Kunstlerische
Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

73 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. By Joseph Plecnik. From 'Beispiele Kunstlerische
Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

74 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Franz Stuck

75 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. Arranged from originals. F. C. B.

76 MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Bernhard Pankok

77 MODERN FRENCH POSTER. 'La Libre Esthetique.' By Theo. van Rysselberghe

78 MODERN FRENCH BOOK-COVER. By M. P. Verneuil. From 'L'Animal dans la
decoration.' (E. Levy, Paris)

79 MODERN FRENCH LETTERS. After lettering by M. P. Verneuil

80 MODERN FRENCH POSTER. 'La Revue Blanche.' By P. Bonnard

81 MODERN FRENCH MAGAZINE COVER DESIGN. By George Auriol. From 'L'Image.'
(Floury, Paris, 1897)

82 MODERN FRENCH CAPITALS. By Alphons M. Mucha. From 'Beispiele
Kunstlerischer Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

83 MODERN FRENCH LETTERED PAGE IN "CURSIVE." By George Auriol. From 'Le
Premier Livre des Cachets, etc.' (Librairie Centrale des Beaux-Arts, Paris,
1901)

84 MODERN FRENCH LETTERS, "CURSIVE." By George Auriol

85 MODERN FRENCH COVER DESIGN. By Eugene Grasset. From 'Art et Decoration.'
(Paris)

86 MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. By Walter Crane. From 'Beispiele Kunstlerischer
Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

87 MODERN ENGLISH THEATRICAL POSTER. By Walter Crane

88 MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. By Walter Crane. From 'Alphabets Old and New.'
(B. T. Batsford, London, 1899)

89 MODERN ENGLISH LETTERS. By Walter Crane. From 'Beispiele Kunsterischer
Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co., Vienna)

90 MODERN ENGLISH TITLE. By Joseph W. Simpson. From 'The Book of
Book-plates.' (Williams & Norgate, Edinburgh)

91 MODERN ENGLISH POSTER. By Joseph W. Simpson

92 MODERN ENGLISH BOOK-COVER. By William Nicholson. From 'London Types.'
(R. H. Russell, New York, 1898)

93 MODERN ENGLISH MAGAZINE COVER. By Lewis F. Day. From 'The Art Journal.'
(H. Virtue & Co., London)

94 MODERN ENGLISH TITLE. By Gordon Craig. From 'The Page' (The Sign of the
Rose, Hackbridge, Surrey)

95 MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. By Lewis F. Day. From 'Alphabets Old and New.'
(B. T. Batsford, London, 1899)

96 MODERN ENGLISH TITLE PAGE. By Robert Anning Bell. From 'Poems by John
Keats.' (George Bell & Sons, London, 1897)

97 MODERN ENGLISH BOOK-COVER. By Edmund H. New. From 'The Natural History
of Selborne.' (John Lane, London, 1900)

98 MODERN ENGLISH BOOK-COVER. By Selwyn Image. From 'Representative
Painters of the 19th Century.' (Sampson, Low, Marston & Co., London, 1899)

99 MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. Anonymous. From an advertisement

100 MODERN ENGLISH TITLE. By Charles Ricketts. From 'Nimphidia and the
Muses Elizium.' (The Vale Press, London)

101 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Edwin A. Abbey. From 'Selections from the
Poetry of Robert Herrick.' (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1899)

102 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. Anonymous. From 'Harper's Weekly.' (New York)

103 MODERN AMERICAN MAGAZINE COVER. By Edward Penfield. From 'Harper's
Weekly.' (New York)

104 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By Edward Penfield

105 MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS. By Edward Penfield

106 MODERN AMERICAN COVER DESIGN. By H. Van Buren Magonigle

107 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By H. Van Buren Magonigle

108 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By Bertram G. Goodhue. From 'Masters in Art.'
(Boston, 1900)

109 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Will Bradley. From 'The Book List of Dodd,
Mead & Co.' (New York, 1899)

110 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS AND SMALL LETTERS. By Will Bradley. From
'Bradley, His Book.' (The Wayside Press, Springfield, Mass., 1896)

111 MODERN AMERICAN MAGAZINE COVER. By Will Bradley. From 'The
International Studio.' (New York)

112 MODERN AMERICAN TICKET. By A. J. Iorio

113 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Will Bradley

114 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By Maxfield Parrish

115 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Maxfield Parrish. From 'Knickerbocker's
History of New York.' (R. H. Russell, New York, 1900)

116 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Addison B. Le Boutillier

117 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By Addison B. Le Boutillier

118 MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS. By Addison B. Le Boutillier

119 MODERN AMERICAN POSTER. By Addison B. Le Boutillier

120 MODERN AMERICAN BOOK-PLATE. By Claude Fayette Bragdon

121 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Claude Fayette Bragdon. From 'Literature.'
(New York)

122 MODERN AMERICAN LETTER-HEADING. By Claude Fayette Bragdon

123 MODERN AMERICAN ADVERTISEMENT. By H. L. Bridwell. (Strowbridge
Lithographic Co., Cincinnati)

124 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By H. L. Bridwell

125 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. By Frank Hazenplug

126 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS, "HEAVY FACE." By Frank Hazenplug

127 MODERN AMERICAN BOOK-COVER. By Frank Hazenplug. From ''Ickery Ann and
other Girls and Boys.' (Herbert S. Stone & Co., Chicago, 1899)

128 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Edward Edwards. From 'Harper's Pictorial
History of the War with Spain.' (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1899)

129 MODERN AMERICAN CATALOGUE COVER. By Frank Hazenplug. From the Catalogue
of the Chicago Arts and Crafts Society. (Chicago)

130 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Guernsey Moore. From 'The Saturday Evening
Post.' (Philadelphia)

131 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Harry Everett Townsend. From 'The Blue Sky.'
(Langworthy & Stevens, Chicago, 1901)

132 MODERN AMERICAN HEADING. By Howard Pyle. From 'Harper's Magazine.' (New
York)

133 MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS. Compiled from various sources. F. C. B.

134 MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS. After lettering by Orson Lowell

135 MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS. F. C. B.

136 MODERN AMERICAN TITLES. By Orson Lowell. From 'Truth.' (New York)

137 MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. By Orson Lowell. From 'Truth.' (New York)

138 MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS. For rapid use. F. C. B.

139 MODERN AMERICAN ITALIC. For use in lettering architects' plans, etc. By
Claude Fayette Bragdon

140 MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS, "CURSIVE." For rapid use. By Maxfield Parrish

141 ITALIAN ROUND GOTHIC SMALL LETTERS. After Lucantonii Giunta. Redrawn
from 'Graduale Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae.' (Venice, 1500)

142 ITALIAN ROUND GOTHIC SMALL LETTERS. 16th Century. Redrawn from Italian
originals

143 SPANISH ROUND GOTHIC LETTERS. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de
Escr[=e]virde.' (Madrid, 1577)

144 GERMAN BLACKLETTER CONSTRUCTION. By Albrecht Duerer. From 'Underweyssung
der messung, mit dem zirckel, [=u]n richtscheyt, in Linien, etc.'
(Nuremberg, 1525)

145 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. Redrawn from manuscripts

146 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. With rounded angles. Redrawn from manuscripts

147 ITALIAN BLACKLETTER TITLE-PAGE. By Jacopus Philippus Foresti
(Bergomensis). From 'De Claris Mulieribus, etc.' (Ferrara, 1497)

148 GERMAN BLACKLETTER PAGE. By Albrecht Duerer. From the Prayerbook
designed by him for the Emperor Maximilian. (Nuremberg, 1515)

149 GERMAN MEMORIAL BRASS WITH BLACKLETTER INSCRIPTION. Ascribed to
Albrecht Duerer. Cathedral of Meissen, 1510. From 'Fac-similes of Monumental
Brasses on the Continent of Europe.' (W. F. Creeney, Norwich, 1884)

150 MODERN AMERICAN CALENDAR COVER IN BLACKLETTER. By Bertram G. Goodhue.
From 'Every Day's Date Calendar.' (Fleming, Schiller & Carnrick, New York,
1897)

151 MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. By Walter Puttner. From 'Jugend.' (Munich)

152 MODERN GERMAN TITLE IN BLACKLETTER. By Otto Hupp. From 'Muenchener
Kalendar.' (Munich, 1900)

153 MODERN AMERICAN PAGE IN ENGLISH BLACKLETTER. By Edwin A. Abbey. From
'Scribner's Magazine.' (New York)

154 UNCIAL GOTHIC INITIALS. Redrawn from 12th Century examples. F. C. B.

155 UNCIAL GOTHIC INITIALS. Redrawn from 13th Century examples. F. C. B.

156 UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS. Redrawn from 14th Century examples. F. C. B.

157 UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS. 14th Century. After J. Weale. Redrawn from
'Portfolio of Ancient Capital Letters.' (London, 1838-9)

158 ITALIAN UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS, IN THE "PAPAL" HAND. From a Florentine
manuscript of 1315. British Museum, London. F. C. B.

159 SPANISH UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS. By Juan de Yciar. Adapted from 'Arte
por la qual se ese[=n]a escrevir perfectamente.' (Saragossa, 1550)

160 VENETIAN WALL PANEL, of Marble, Inscribed with Uncial Gothic Letters.
15th Century. From the Church of S. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice. Rubbing

161 VENETIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. 15th Century. Redrawn from the rubbing shown
in figure 160. F. C. B.

162 GERMAN UNCIAL CAPITALS. 1341. Redrawn from a memorial brass in the
Cathedral of Luebeck

163 FRENCH AND SPANISH GOTHIC CAPITALS. 14th Century. After W. S.
Weatherley

164 and 165 ITALIAN GOTHIC INITIALS. After G. A. Tagliente, in 'La vera
arte dello eccellento scrivere.' (Venice, 1524)

166 ITALIAN GOTHIC INITIALS. By Giovanni Battista Palatino. From 'Libro nel
qual s'insegna a scrivere.' (Rome, 1548)

167, 168 and 169 GERMAN GOTHIC INITIALS. By P. Frank. Nuremberg, 1601. From
Petzendorfer's 'Schriften-Atlas.' (Stuttgart, 1889)

170 ITALIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. 16th Century. Redrawn from old examples

171 GOTHIC CAPITALS OF ENGLISH FORM. 16th Century. Redrawn from old
examples

172 ITALIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. 17th Century. Redrawn from various examples

173 GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. 17th Century. Redrawn from various manuscripts

174 GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. From manuscripts

175 GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. From manuscripts

176 GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS, HEAVY FACED

177 ENGLISH GOTHIC "TEXT," INITIALS AND BLACKLETTERS. 15th Century. From
manuscripts

178 ENGLISH GOTHIC UNCIALS AND BLACKLETTERS. 15th Century. From Queen
Eleanor's tomb. F. C. B.

179 ENGLISH GOTHIC CAPITALS AND BLACKLETTERS. 15th Century. From tomb of
Richard II, Westminster Abbey, London. F. C. B.

180 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. From a brass. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.

181 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. With Albrecht Duerer's initials. 16th Century.
F. C. B.

182 ITALIAN BLACKLETTERS. By G. A. Tagliente. From 'La vera arte dello
eccellento scrivere.' (Venice, 1524)

183 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. After lettering by Albrecht Duerer. 16th Century

184 GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. After lettering by Albrecht Duerer. 16th Century

185 GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS. By Albrecht Duerer. 16th Century

186 ENGLISH GOTHIC BLACKLETTERS. Late 15th Century. Redrawn from a brass.
F. C. B.

187 ITALIAN INLAID BLACKLETTERS. From a marble slab in Santa Croce,
Florence. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.

188 and 189 MODERN AMERICAN BLACKLETTERS WITH GOTHIC CAPITALS. By Bertram
G. Goodhue

190 MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTERS. After lettering by Julius Diez

191 MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTERS, FLOURISHED. F. C. B.

192 GERMAN ITALIC. By Gottlieb Muench. From 'Ordnung der Schrift.' (Munich,
1744)

193 SPANISH SCRIPT. By Torquato Torio. From 'Arte de Escribir.' (Madrid,
1802)

194 SPANISH SCRIPTS. By Torquato Torio. From 'Arte de Escribir.' (Madrid,
1802)

195 SPANISH SCRIPT. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de Escr[=e]virde.'
(Madrid, 1577)

196 SPANISH CURSIVE. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de Escr[=e]virde.'
(Madrid, 1577)

197 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT TITLE. By Claude Fayette Bragdon. From an
advertisement

198 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT TITLE. By George Wharton Edwards. From
'Collier's Weekly.' (New York)

199 FRENCH SCRIPT CAPITALS. 18th Century. F. C. B.

200 GERMAN SCRIPT. 18th Century forms. Adapted from C. Hrachowina's
'Initialen, Alphabete und Randleisten verschiedener Kunstepochen.' (Vienna,
1883)

201 SPANISH SCRIPT CAPITALS. Early 18th Century. Adapted from a Spanish
Writing-book. F. C. B.

202 SPANISH SCRIPT ALPHABETS. Late 17th Century. Adapted from Spanish
Writing-books. F. C. B.

203 ENGLISH INCISED SCRIPT. Redrawn from inscriptions in slate and stone in
Westminster Abbey, London. F. C. B.

204 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT BOOK TITLE. By Bruce Rogers. From cover design
of 'The House of the Seven Gables.' (Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1899)

205 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT. By Bruce Rogers

206 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT CAPITALS. After lettering by Frank Hazenplug

207 MODERN AMERICAN ITALIC CAPITALS. F. C. B.

208 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT TITLE. Anonymous. From 'Harper's Weekly.' (New
York)

209 MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT TITLE. By Edward Penfield. From 'Harper's
Weekly.' (New York)

210 DIAGRAM TO SHOW METHOD OF ENLARGING A PANEL, from upper left corner

211 DIAGRAM TO SHOW METHOD OF ENLARGING A PANEL, from perpendicular center
line

END PAPERS. From an embroidered Altar-cloth. 17th Century. Church of St.
Mary, Soest, Westphalia, Germany.

* * * * *

CONTENTS

I. ROMAN CAPITALS 1
II. MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 52
III. GOTHIC LETTERS 127
IV. ITALIC AND SCRIPT 182
V. TO THE BEGINNER 199

[1]

* * * * *

CHAPTER I

ROMAN CAPITALS

In speaking of the "Roman" letter throughout this chapter its capital
form--the form in monumental use among the Romans--will always be implied.
The small or "minuscule" letters, which present nomenclature includes under
the general title of "Roman" letters, and which will be considered in the
following chapter, were of later formation than the capitals; and indeed
only attained their definitive and modern form after the invention of
printing from movable types.

The first point to be observed in regard to the general form of the Roman
capital is its characteristic squareness. Although the letter as used
to-day varies somewhat in proportions from its classic prototype, its
skeleton is still based on the square.

Next to this typical squareness of outline, the observer should note that
the Roman letter is composed of thick and thin lines. At first sight it may
seem that no systematic rules determine which of these lines should be
thick and which thin; but closer investigation will discover that the
alternate widths of line were evolved quite methodically, and that they
exactly fulfil the functions of making the letters both more legible and
more decorative. Arbitrary rearrangements of these thick and thin lines,
differing from the arrangement of them in the classic examples, have, [2]
indeed, been often attempted; but such rearrangements have never resulted
in improvement, and, except in eccentric lettering, have fallen into
complete disuse.

The original thickening and thinning of the lines of the classic Roman
capitals was partly due to the imitation in stone inscriptions of the
letter forms as they were written on parchment with the pen. The early
Latin scribes held their stiff-nibbed reed pens almost directly upright and
at right angles to the writing surface, so that a down stroke from left to
right and slanted at an angle of about forty-five degrees would bring the
nib across the surface broadwise, resulting in the widest line possible to
the pen. On the other hand, a stroke drawn at right angles to this, the pen
being still held upright, would be made with the thin edge of the nib, and
would result in the narrowest possible line. From this method of handling
the pen the variations of line width in the standard Roman forms arose; and
we may therefore deduce three logical rules, based upon pen use, which will
determine the proper distribution of the thick and thin lines:

I, Never accent horizontal lines. II, Always accent the sloping down
strokes which run from left to right, including the so-called "swash"
lines, or flying tails, of Q and R; but never weight those which,
contrariwise, slope up from left to right, with a single exception in the
case of the letter Z, in which, if rule I be followed, the sloping line (in
this case made with a down stroke) will be the only one possible to accent.
III, Always accent the directly perpendicular lines, except in the N, where
these lines seem originally to have been made with an up stroke of the pen;
and the first line of the M, where the perpendiculars originally sloped in
towards the top of the letter (see 2). On the round letters [3] the accents
should occur at the sides of the circle, as virtually provided in rule III,
or on the upper right and lower left quarters (see 1-2), where in pen-drawn
letters the accent of the down sloping stroke would naturally occur, as
virtually determined in rule II.

The "serif"--a cross-stroke or tick--finishes the free ends of all lines
used in making a Roman capital. The value of the serif in stone-cut letters
seems obvious. To define the end of a free line a sharp cut was made across
it with the chisel, and as the chisel was usually wider than the thin line
this cut extended beyond it. Serifs were added to the ends of the thick
lines either for the sake of uniformity, or may have been suggested by the
chisel-marked guide lines themselves. Indeed in late stone-cut Roman work
the scratched guide lines along the top and bottom of each line of the
inscription are distinctly marked and merge into the serifs, which extend
farther than in earlier examples. The serif was adopted in pen letters
probably from the same reasons that caused it to be added to the stone-cut
letters, namely, that it definitely finished the free lines and enhanced
the general squareness and finish of the letter's aspect.

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