and adopting the Upright Style and Posture. Even without a knowledge of the principles of the system, it can advantageously be employed in classes and schools with the assurance of satisfactory and superior results.
The only variation on the above canon is in Ornamental Penmanship, a subject which we do not contemplate discussing at length in this work. A passing reference is all that is necessary. The phrase includes the production of Ornate Alphabets such as Old English, German Text, and the like, and also the department of Striking or Flourishing which consists in embellishing alphabets or letters with free graceful and intricate curves, and further in striking out animals, birds and other objects in flourishing outlines with the pen. Our Writing Masters from the 16th Century to some fifty years ago excelled in this Artistic acquirement, indeed their specimens of elaborate design and flourish are something wonderful to behold. In order to arrive at any degree of perfection in this branch an immense amount of time and much laborious practice are required. Consequently Ornamental Penmanship is now almost entirely relegated to the lithographer and engraver, as even were it easily acquired (which it is not) the pressure of modern commercial life would render it both superfluous and impracticable. Hence nothing beyond plain Handwriting is taught in our best Schools, and Writing Masters, whose recommendations consisted in the marvellous Caligraphic and beautifully written specimens of flourishing Designs they could display, have disappeared and left not a vestige behind, save in the preservation of some of their Masterpieces in our National Museums and Libraries.
The rules for holding the pen in flourishing are quite different to those obtaining in plain writing. The pen should point quite outwards to the right and the two forefingers must be bent up and not kept straight or nearly so as in ordinary current hand.
