Section C shows a plain letter of modern cut known erroneously as gothic. Containing no serifs, it lacks a feature which has always been considered necessary to beauty in type-faces. As a harmonious border for this face there is nothing better than a plain rule of the width of the type strokes.
The next three panels demonstrate such harmony as may exist between type-faces of different series:
D.—This panel shows Caslon bold in combination with Caslon roman, and demonstrates the close harmony existing between type-faces of the same family.
E.—Another demonstration of the harmony of the family types.
F.—Harmonious, to a certain extent.
The type and rule in the next panel do not harmonize for these reasons:
G.—The border is too black and square in form. Italic, because of the slant of its letters, looks better not surrounded by a border, but when one is used it should be light and contain some of the characteristics of the italic.
In all cases where ornamental borders are used more finished results are obtained if a rule separates the border from the type, as in Section B.
The next two panels present the “horrible examples,” which are defective for these reasons:
H.—The type-face of the upper group has nothing in common with that of the lower group. That of the upper group is a distinctive old-style roman, with serifs, and is set in lower-case, while that of the lower group is a plain black modern letter, without serifs, and is set in capitals. The main display should never be lighter in tone than the less important type matter.