INTRODUCTION.
It has been the custom among some writers to commence every important word with a capital, so that some printed productions have fairly bristled with capitalized words; as,—
“Modern authors have with unwearied Pains made many useful Searches into the weak Sides of the Ancients, and given us a comprehensive Lift of them.”—Swift.
“There were a Race of Men who delighted to nibble at the Superfluities and Excrescences of Books.”—Swift.
The custom of commencing all nouns with a capital is still prevalent among the Germans of the present day.
It is a somewhat interesting fact that the use and value of capitals has been subject to a rise and fall in the literary market, written productions during some centuries abounding in them, while in other centuries they have, in a great measure, been discarded, and have become comparative strangers in English composition.
In the early part of this century, there was a tendency to use them to an inconsiderate extent, owing principally to German imitators like Carlyle and others, who adopted, in a somewhat modified form, the German method of capitalizing words. Just at present there seems to be a reaction setting in, and there is a tendency among some of our leading publishing houses to dispense with their use as much as possible. In democratic America, there has always been a somewhat unreasonable fear of official titles, and when they are used, they are frequently belittled with small letters. This has had a tendency to encourage the use of small letters in many words that should properly commence with capitals.
There is no doubt that a judicious use of capitals assists the eye very much in reading what another has written, and in understanding a writer’s meaning. While, on the other hand, an injudicious use lessens their value, and disfigures a printed page.
Although the taste and judgment of each writer may be consulted in the capitalization of some words to which he may assign a special meaning, there are a number of well established principles, sanctioned by long usage, that should govern all writers in the use of capital letters.