Page:Historic printing types, a lecture read before the Grolier club of New York, January 25, 1885, with additions and new illustrations; by De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914; Grolier Club.djvu/38

34 HISTOKIC FEINTING TYPES. raphy and typography. Some of the speculations in this book are fantastic even beyond the lawless conceits of his age. He traced the derivation of all forms of the alpha- betical letters to the two letters which make the name of the mythological goddess 10. From this straight line and Tory's rules circle came all letters. He made the human figure fit for making . . types. into a geometrical diagram on which he planned the shapes of letters. To make letters of true proportion, he recommended that the square be subdivided with many perpendicular and horizontal lines. Upon these subdivided little squares, with rule and compass, and aided by rules which he gives, one may determine the proper shape of every letter. What use he made of this system cannot now be determined, but his book found admiring readers, for it was reprinted and is respectfully mentioned by mod- ern French authors as a valuable contribution to litera- Aug. Bernard, tore. Not without reason. Tory made rules for the use of Geofroy Tory, PP. 46, 47. the accents, the apostrophe, and the cedilla of the French language. He reformed its orthography. It is largely to his teachings that the Black Letter was gradually dis- carded. That he was a good artist and a skillful designer of letters may be inferred from the illustrations of his book. He drew letters and initials for Hemy Stephens, and probably for other eminent printers of Paris. The patronage given to typography by Francis i. of France, was the beginning of a great printing house, which, under the names of Royal, National, or Imperial,