Different CHARACTERS when first used in PRINTING

Different CHARACTERS when first used in PRINTING. Before 1465, the uniform character was the old Gothic, or German; whence our Black was afterwards formed. But in that year an edition of Lactantius was printed in a kind of Semi-Gothic, of great elegance, and approaching nearly to the present Roman type; which last was first used at Rome in 1467, and soon after brought to great perfection in Italy, particularly by Jenson.

Towards the end of the 5th century, Aldus invented the Italic character which is now in use, called, from his name, Aldine, or curvus. This sort of letter he contrived, to prevent the great number of abbreviations that were then in use.