lee@sq.sq.com (Liam R. E. Quin) (05/23/91)
Konrad Neuwirth (A4422DAE@AWIUNI11.BITNET) writes: >Yes, the smaller s *IS* used in words if they are compound nouns >(Ausgang is spelled with a round s, not a long s). In some 17th and 18th Century books (printed in English) that I have, I see the use of `tall s', which I'll write as `{' for now. The combination `{s' occurs infrequently, but when it does a ligature is used, and the result looks very like a German Eszett. Here's a part of a somehat humourous essay from the Spectator showing the use of tall-s ({) in English in the first quarter of the Eighteenth century. I have the entire of this essay, which is not very long, and I should certainly be pleased to send it to any that request it. [...] ON the 9th of October will be run for upon Cole{hill-Heath in Warwick{hire, a plate of {ix guineas value, three heats, by any hor{e, mare or gelding that hath not won above the value of 5l. the winning hor{e to be {old for 10l. to carry 10 {tone weight, if 14 hands high; if above or under to carry or be allowed weight for inches, and to be entered Friday the 5th at the Swan in Cole{hill, before {ix in the evening. Also a plate of less value to be run for by asses. The same day a gold ring to be grinn'd for by men *. The fir{t of the{e diver{ions that is to be exhibited by the 10l. Race-Hor{es, may probably have its u{e; but the two la{t, in which the a{{es and men are concerned, {eem to me altogether extraordinary and unaccountable. Why they {hould keep running a{{es at Cole{hill, or how making mouths turns to account in Warwick{hire, more than in any other parts of England, I cannot comprehend. I have looked over all the Olympic Games, and do not find any thing in them like an A{s-Race, or a match at Grinning. However it may be, I am informed that {everal a{{es are now kept in body-clothes, and {weated every morning upon the heath; and that all the country-fellows within ten miles of the Swan, grin an hour or two in their gla{{es every morning, in order to qualify them{elves for the 9th of October. The prize, which is propo{ed to be grinned for, has rai{ed {uch an ambition among the common people of out-grinning one another, that many very di{cerning per{ons are afraid it {hould {poil mo{t of the faces in the county; and that a Warwick{hire man will be known by his grin, as Roman-Catholics imagine a Kenti{h man is by his tail. The gold Ring which is made the prize of deformity, is ju{t the rever{e of the golden apple that was formerly made the prize of beauty, and {hould carry for its poe{y the old motto inverted: [...] -- Liam Quin, lee@sq.com, SoftQuad, Toronto, +1 416 963 8337 the barefoot programmer