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Writing in early manuscripts was continuous, no stops, no spaces, no large initials. In the case of the Codex Alexandrinus, written in the fifth century, although this has large initials, and the difficulty of knowing when a word ends is bad enough, to say nothing of the sentences. |
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After a time the first letters of sentences, or perhaps of important words, were enlarged or rubricated (that is, marked in red) and from that time there was a gradual development of beautiful ornamental letters with sprays. These sprays ultimately became rich borderings and spread all over the page, and at last we arrive at the illuminated manuscripts of medieval times filled with exquisite miniatures, borders, and arabesques of all imaginable kinds. |
