BLACK LETTER (illark 1T.etter). A name commonly given in England and America to the printing-types which on the Continent axe most generally known as Gothic. The first printed books imitated every peculiarity of the con temporary manuscripts: and as printing was first practiced in Germany and the Netherlands, the first types were copies of the letters in use in those countries in the middle of the Fifteenth Century. Two sorts of letters have been em ployed in the writings of Western Christendom. The Gothic style dates from about the middle of the Twelfth Century; the type which imitated it, first used e.1445, spread with the art of Kilning into most European countries. until the classical taste reverted to the more graceful letter known as Roman, which is a revival of what is known in palaeography as the Caroline minuscule, of the kind used in the Eleventh and Twelfth cen turies. Aldus attempted in 1501 to supersede the Roman letters by what have been called Aldine or Venetian, but are best known as Italic characters. These ean scarcely be said to have
come into lima more than temporary or ex ceptional use; but the Roman letters in no long time spread from Venice all over the west of Europe. Although thus supplanted in general use, the Gothic or Black Letter was long re tained for special purposes. such as the printing of Bibles, prayer-books. proclamations, and acts of Parliament. Characters similar to the Black Letter still continue to be used in Germany. but of late there has been a movement (based largely upon the damage to eyesight from reading the old character) in favor of a general adoption of the Roman letter. For specimens of all the types used in England in the Fifteenth Century, con sult Duff, Early English Printing (London, 1896).