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/44

YI Dutch Types of the xvith and xviith Centuries. Types of C. Van Dyck. Mechanick Exercises, pp. 14-16. NE of the most notable of early Dutch founders was Christopher Van Dijck, " the great master of his time and of our own," as was truly said of him by the widow of Daniel Elzevir. Although one of the ablest, he has been one of the least known of type-founders. What is worse, his types are now known and described as the Elzevir types, or xviith century types. His individuality seems to have been merged into that of one of the Elzevirs, of whose type- foundry he was the manager and punch-cutter. Moxon was the first English writer who discovered his merits, and he writes about him enthusiastically, introducing the subject with some quaint remarks on taste in letter-design- ing which deserve preservation: I confess this piece of judgment, viz. knowing of true Shape, may ad- mit of some controversy, because neither the Ancients whom we re- ceived the knowledge of these Let- ters from, nor any other authentick Authority have delivered us Rules, either to make or know true shape by: And therefore it may be ob- jected that every one that makes Letters but tolerably like Romain, Italick, etc. may pretend his to be true shap'd. To this I answer, that though we can plead no Ancient Authority for the shape of Letters, yet doubtless 40