be supposed that the whole letter would be made of the same thickness of wood, then the representation of this would, in the ease of the fine lines, be broader than the lines themselves, which would seem, as it were, the edges
of the wood of which the letter is composed, instead of the surface.
As this character is often used for notices and other similar inscriptions, in Fig. 70 is given a specimen of the lower
case. Experienced sign-painters adopt two-thirds of the height of the capitals as the height of the small letters, and this is an admirable proportion. Any one who will take the trouble to look, will observe that wherever the
capitals tower above the other letters in an undue proportion, the general forms and workmanship will indicate that the inscription is the handiwork of a second-rate artist. In types, the above character is called Canon, and in Fig. 71