Directions for writing
Directions for writing is a 1656 English penmanship copybook printed for J. Stafford, its author identified only by the initials D. and G., and it was built for students learning to write by copying models. The pages show printed alphabets in secretary hand, lines of decorative capitals, and sample sentences set in long rules, with handwritten annotations in the margins. A designer might take from them the calligraphic flourishes on initial letters and the rhythm of ruled lines framing text blocks.







