e, numerous examples of lettering in which Byzantine and
Romanesque traits are strongly apparent, such as the free manipulation of
the letter forms in order to make them fit into given lines and spaces. The
drawing of the panel over the doorway of the Badia, Florence, 42, notable
for the characteristic placing and composition of the letters, will serve
as a case in point. This example is further interesting because it shows
how the Uncial form of the letter was beginning to react and find a use in
stone--a state of affairs which at first glance might seem anomalous, for
the Uncial letter was distinctly a pen-drawn form; but it was discovered
that its rounder forms made it particularly useful for inscribing stones
which were likely to chip or sliver, in carving which it was consequently
desirable to avoid too acute angles. The Roman letter underwent various
salient modifications [46] at the hands of the scribes of extra-Italian
nations. We find very crude variants of the Roman letter, dating hundreds
of years after the Roman form had reached its highest development; and, on
the other hand, some very beautiful and individual national variants were
produced. The continual interchange of manuscripts among the nations on the
continent of Europe probably explains the more conventional character and
strong general resemblance of most of the early Continental work; but the
scribes of insular England, less influenced by contemporary progress and
examples, produced forms of greater individuality (see 46, 47, 48). In
Ireland, letter forms originally derived from early Roman models were
developed through many decades with no ulterior influences, and resulted in
some wonderfully distinctive and beautiful variations of the Roman letters,
[47] though the beauty of these Irish examples can only be faintly
suggested by reproductions limited to black and white, and without the
decorations of the originals.

[Illustration: 43. MODERN TITLE (compare 46). B. G. GOODHUE]

[Illustration: 44. MODERN TITLE (compare 49). WALTER CRANE]

[Illustration: 45. TITLE IN EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS. W. E. NESFIELD]

Figures 43 and 44 illustrate, respectively, modern employments of such
strongly characteristic letters as those shown in 46 and 49. From these
ancient examples the designers have evolved letters suitable to the
character of their work. In 44 Mr. Crane has engrafted upon a form quite
personal to himself a characteristic detail of treatment borrow