Cross Writing Cross Eyed Dull Tool Dim Bulb Greatest Hit

I am working on a big project, so you get a rerun today. Stick Around.

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Two 19th Century "cross written" letters. Cross writing was a technique to save paper when paper was scarce. Every scrap mattered at one time (one of these is dated 1823) so the writer, upon reaching the end of the page, would turn the paper 90 degrees and add a second layer of text. Once it becomes familiar, the mind adapts easily and cross written letters are surprisingly legible. Charles Darwin famously used the technique.
Original Post from Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Daily Blog
Two Early 19th Century Cross Writing letters, Collection Jim Linderman

3 comments:

  1. Another driving force behind this practice, besides saving on paper, was that postage was apparently based on the number pages sent so keeping the missive to one page was cheaper.

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  2. These are beautiful. Thanks for reposting---missed this one in the archives.

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  3. Wow. I had no idea. Quite neat I must say.

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