42

Art in the Alphabet.

in the exceptional instance of the word " et." The
" amperzand," as the printer calls it (225, 226), still
lingers in his founts of type, and is used even more
habitually by the ordinary penman of to-day.

To what does all this investigation of the
alphabet lead ? It is of no use trying to evolve
brand-new alphabets out of our inner conscious¬
ness. No one would understand us, and we want
to be read. Originality is what we all desire ; but
it is scarcely the thing to seek consciously, least of
all in lettering ; it comes of its own accord if ever
it comes. We are original or we are not.

While the alphabet is alive there will be changes
in it, but they must inevitably be gradual ; we can
only creep on to new forms. Practically, what we
have to do is to take an alphabet and modify it
according to our wants or inclinations, without, as
a rule, interfering much with its legibility. A man
may, if he knows what he is about, make it more
legible, as well as in other ways bettering it. But
to do that intelligently, he should know something
of the descent of the lettering on which he founds
himself. That is why it has been thought worth
while to discuss the subject at such length here.

An important consideration in the design of an
alphabet—if design be not too pretentious a word
to use in speaking of what can scarcely be much
more than a variation upon orthodox forms—is
that the letters should be systematically treated.

Art in the Alphabet.

43

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43- APPLIED LETTERS. SILVER.

44. CARVED IN STONE. FROM BISHOP WEST'S CHAPEL, ELY
CATHEDRAL. CA. I534.