The Roman
Alphabet
& its
Derivatives

or more or less decorative (fig. 168), subject to the
general rule that the fewer the number of letters or the
more ornamental their office, the more elaborate and
fanciful may be the forms employed (see p. 294).

ABCDE6

FGHILM
NOPQVR

RSTW.

Simple ^Mitten Capitals : muohly
copied from Platejcvill. "

Fig. 168.

A freely used pen naturally produces occasional
varieties for special or ornamental purposes: these
tend to elegance and drawn out flourished strokes
(p. 295); they vary chiefly in being extra large.1

1 Increasing the size of letter affects the form as though the nib
were narrowed (see p. 288).

262

Several of these may be used with fine effect in
a page of plain Capitals, their “ weight” (and gener¬
ally their colour) being the same as that of the text
(see Plate V, and p. 292).

Whole Books or Pages written in Capitals.—A very
grand effect may be produced by these at the expense
of a little more time and material than a Small-letter
MS. entails. The lines of writing are commonly
made one-letter-height apart: this requires ordinary
simple ruling—the capitals being written between
every alternate pair of lines (see p. 374).

Such writing may conveniently be treated as
“Fine Writing” (p. 226). It justifies the use of
wider margins. It is generally more difficult (and
less necessary) to keep the right-hand edge as straight
as a small text permits. The irregularities of this
edge may be balanced by setting out in the left
margin the first letters of sentences, verses, and the
like (see p. 228). Such initials may be written larger
or more ornamentally as suggested above; or, if
built-up Letters are required, plain, rather slender
Roman Capitals are the most suitable: these look
best in burnished gold.

Perhaps the finest and most beautiful work which
the penman can produce, is a book written entirely
in gold1 capitals2 on purple vellum (see pp. 130, 141).
This is only possible in special cases, but a book
rightly so made being illuminated from within, has
an incomparable simplicity and grandeur, surpass¬
ing that of the finest post-decorated and illuminated
manuscripts.

1 Some may be in “silver” (p. 131).

In a very short book these might even be built-up capitals.

263

The Roman
Alphabet
& its
Derivatives