Legibility is of the greatest importance in penmanship; and care should be observed to make each letter very distinctly what it is designed to be. While practicing with a view to improvement, the student should beware of writing too fast. The copies are very simple, and are easily imitated by the student who may give the subject earnest attention and care. Proportion of Small Letters. The following diagrams represent the relative proportion of the capital and small letters. As will be seen in the diagram for the finer hand, there are eight lines, containing seven spaces. In the middle space are made the contracted letters which occupy one space, excepting 1 and 4, which are a little higher. The d p and are each of the same height; and extend the same distance below the line. The loop letters are all of the same length above and below the line, the loop being two thirds the length of the letter. Capitals are of the same height as the loop letters above the line. wx; td, pb. bfhklps, fqpqyz f . A E asennorsu v w x 3/3 2/3 1/3 13 Re RELATIVE PROPORTION OF LETTERS IN LARGE, ROUND HAND. A. accmncrsuvwx, befhhlpt fajqpz The Ist principle, z, is found in the following letters, viz: last of a, d, completely in the The 4th principle,, forms the first part of , with the lower part omitted; last of, left of c, lower part of d, left of in the p, e, lower; part of f, upper part of g, the whole of a, The shaded at the top, and made square. The is crossed one third the distance from the top. The loop is of uniform length in all loop letters. Avoid a loop in the upper part of and 4. The dot of the should be at a point twice the height of the letter. Beware of making the extended letters crooked. The left hand mark of the loop letters should be straight, from the center of the loop to the line, sloping at an angle of 52 degrees. See diagram of slope. Figures are twice the height CAPITAL LETTERS. THREE standard principles are used in the formation of Capital Letters, viz: I The Ist principle, called the capital stem, is found in D A, B, Q. F, G, H, I, J, TC, L, M, N, P, R, S, P.X, Y and Z. and X. The 3rd principle, upper part of is found in the B, F. X, M NP and T and forms the first of Q, U, V, W, X and Y. Capital letters, in a bold penmanship three times the height of the small letter m. VIEWS OF THE CORRECT POSITION FOR HOLDING HAND AND PEN WHILE WRITING. No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. Represents the first position to be taken, when placing the hand in correct position for writing. As will be seen, th hand is squarely on the palm, and not rolled to one side. Th wrist is free from the desk, and the two lower fingers are ben under, resting upon the nails. No. 2 Exhibits the hand elevated upon the two lower fingers. with the pen placed in correct position. The end of the large finger drops slightly beneath the penholder, giving a much greater command of the fingers than when it rests at the side or slightly on top of the holder. No. 3 Shows another view of correct position. It will be seen that no space is shown between the pen and finger, the holder crossing the forefinger in front of the knuckle-joint. The thumb is sufficiently bent to come opposite the forefinger-joint, supporting the holder on the end of the thumb. The end of the large finger should be about three-quarters of an inch from the point of the pen. No. 4 Represents the correct position when the pen is at the bottom of an extended letter below the line, the pen being, as shown, nearly perpendicular. With the holder held snugly beneath the forefinger and supported on the end of the thumb, the greatest command is thus given to the fingers. No. 5 Exhibits the front view of the hand showing the position of the forefinger, which should rest squarely on the top of the holder. The large finger drops beneath the holder, which crosses the corner of the nail. The hand is held, as shown, squarely on the palm and not dropped to one side. SELF-INSTRUCTOR IN PENMANSHIP. 25 25 VIEWS REPRESENTING INCORRECT POSITIONS FOR HAND AND PEN WHILE WRITING. No. 6 Represents the evil effect of rolling the hand too much to one side, and holding all of the fingers so straight as to completely lose command of them. The result is a stiff, heavy, cramped penmanship, and rough marks, resulting from one point of the pen dragging more heavily than the other. No. 6. No. 7 Exhibits the pen "held so tightly that the hand is wearied and the letters look frightfully." The large finger should be straightened, and the end caused to drop lightly beneath the holder. The forefinger should be brought down snugly upon the holder, and the end of the thumb brought back opposite the forefinger joint. Loosen the fingers, grasping the holder therein just firm enough to guide the pen and no more. No. 8 Shows the result of dropping the hand too heavily upon the wrist and allowing it to roll to one side. The writer has thus lost command of the hand and arm, and the pen scratches, resulting from one point dragging more heavily than the other. The large finger should drop beneath the holder, and the hand should be brought up squarely upon the palm. No. 9 Represents another bad position, with pen held too tightly. The writer loses a command of the fingers, in this case, by allowing the holder to fall below the knuckle-joint between the forefinger and thumb. All the fingers are likewise out of position. The student should institute a rigid comparison between the correct and incorrect positions here with shown, with an earnest resolve to reject the wrong and to hold fast that which is good. No. 7. No. 8. No. 9. HERE are a few general principles in Nature that are applicable to penmanship. These principles are eternal, and will never change. Curved Lines. The first is that of curved lines. Those objects in Nature that we most admire possess a grace and fullness of curve which elicit our admiration. The edge of the flower curves. The trunk of the tree, the leaf, the bud, the dewdrop, the rainbow, -all that is beautiful in Nature, in fact, is made up of curved lines. The human countenance, rounded and flushed with the rosy hue of health, is beautiful. Wasted by disease and full of angles, it is less attractive. The winding pathway in the park, the graceful bending of the willow, the rounded form of every object that we admire, are among the many illustrations of this principle. This is finely shown in the engraving of birds and flowers at the head of this chapter. The same applied to the making of capital letters is shown in the following, representing in contrast letters made of curves and straight lines: Proportion. Another important principle is that of proportion. Any object, to present a pleasing appearance to the eye, should have a base of sufficient size and breadth to support the same. Nature is full of examples. The mountain is broadest at the base; and the trunk of every tree and shrub that grows upon its sides, is largest near the earth, the roots spreading broader than the branches. The good mechanic builds accordingly. The monument is broadest at the base. The house has a foundation large enough for its support, and the smallest article of household use or ornament, constructed to stand upright, is made with reference to this principle of proportion, with base broader than the top. This principle, applied in capital letters, is shown by contrast of various letters made in good and bad proportion, as follows: |