are known to modern printers, "lower-case."

A further modification of the letter came with the introduction of the
sloping, or italic letter. This received its name from its place of
origin, Italy. It was introduced by Nicholas Jenson, a printer of
Venice, and was an imitation of the handwriting of the Italian poet
Petrarch. Originally it was used only for the lower-case and was
combined with the older form of capital letters, called roman, also from
the place of its origin. Later the italic characteristics were given to
capitals as well as lower-case letters.

An ordinary font of book type contains five series of letters: full
capitals, small capitals, italic capitals (full size), roman lower-case,
and italic lower-case. The full capital, roman or italic, is larger than
the other letters of the font, every letter being as high as the
lower-case ascenders. The small capital is only as high as the
lower-case round letters. Larger capitals still are sometimes used as
chapter initials and the like.

It will be observed that the distinction between capital and lower-case
letters is one of form, not of size. The full capitals being much more
used than the small capitals and being larger than the other letters in
the font, the impression is common that the size is the distinguishing
mark. This erroneous impression has even crept into dictionary
definitions.

The full capital, which will hereafter be called in this book simply the
capital, is used in combination with lower-case letters or with small
capitals in the same word. The small capital is not used in combination
with lower-case in the same word. We may print GEORGE WASHINGTON, GEORGE
WASHINGTON, GEORGE WASHINGTON, or George Washington, but not George
Washington.

In manuscript capitals are indicated by three lines under a word or
letter, [Symbol: triple line] and small capitals by two lines [Symbol:
double line]. A single line [Symbol: single underline] indicates that
italics are to be used.

Originally the writers of manuscripts used capitals for ornament and
variety in the text. They followed no rules but each writer was guided
by his own judgment and sense of beauty. As the use of capitals
gradually became systematized and reduced to rules, different systems
were adopted in different countries. The use of capitals varies greatly
in different languages. Attention will be mainly confined in this book
to the usages followed in the printing of English. Attempts