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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 2

[Logotypic printing]

Logotypic printing has long been a dream of inventors; it has been tried many times—occasionally, as in the case of The Times, on an extensive scale—but has never been approved by practical men. The first founts used in England, by Caxton and DeWorde, contained many more double than single characters; but these gradually diminished until the sole remaining sorts are the five f-combinations —and as the kern of the f is now generally abolished, these are no longer really required, and are often omitted in job-founts. Even the diphthongs æ and œ are discarded in some offices, and separate letters used, notwithstanding the offensive appearance of Latin words so printed. The early Greeks abounded in ligatures, which have been entirely abandoned in modern founts. To a very limited extent the logotype system would be of use. If the five f-combinations were dropped, and their places supplied by th, ing, ly, and, ed, there would be a marked gain in facility of composition. For example, « other, » « landed, » « landing, » « winged, » &c., could be set up with three types, « thing, » « lying, » and the constantly recurring termination « ingly, » with two. Three years ago, in Caslon's Circular, the subject was dealt with, and (except on a limited scale, for special work), logotypes were condemned. However, a visit to Paris, where the logotype system of M. Noizette has been in use for some years, has converted the head of the Caslon Foundry, and that progressive house is now manufacturing cases and logotypes on the Noizette system, adapted to the English language. There are 480 logotypes in the French system, and Messrs Caslon are castimg 350. The special feature of the invention is the logotype case, which contains the sorts upright in columns on an inclined plane, with a rolling weight behind the types in each groove. When the system is mastered, about 30 per cent. is saved in composition. We are as sceptical as ever at to the practical value of the scheme. The enormous number of sorts, and extra weight of type required, and the fact that distribution on this or any other logotype system, is practically a re-composition of the matter, will be found to be fatal objections in practical use. In a « fancy » office, with a specially-trained staff, the system might succeed admirably; but it is too transcendental for every-day work and workers. We would rather that the enterprising London firm had turned their attention to the « self-spacing » system, by which an equal saving of time is effected in composition, without extra sorts or troublesome and costly special cases.