PROPORTIONS OF LETTERS: WIDTHS
The marked distinction between the “Square” and the “Round” forms, and the varying widths of the letters—as seen in the early inscriptions,[64] are characteristic of the Roman Alphabet. We may broadly distinguish Wide and Narrow letters thus—
| WIDE | O Q C G D | “Round.” |
| M W | “Square.” | |
| H (U) A N V T (Z) | ||
| NARROW | B E F R S Y (X) | |
| I J | ||
| K L P |
The “Round” Wide Letters—O, Q, C, G, D.—
O may be regarded as the Key letter of an alphabet. Given an O and an I of any alphabet, we can make a very good guess at the forms of the other letters.
In fine Inscriptions the external line of O is commonly an almost perfect circle (see [Plate II.])—i.e. its height and width are equal. This may be regarded as the ideal shape, though a slight widening or narrowing of the letter (fig. [157]) is quite permissible.[65]
Q, C, G, and D follow the proportions of O [p271] very nearly, and, though C, G, D are a little narrower, they have the same effect of roundness and width.