_Poetry_ (see p. 95), or any text consisting of, or which is conveniently broken up into _unequal lines_, may be treated as "Fine Writing." There is no objection to a _straight left-hand edge_ with an _irregular right-hand edge_,[60] where the cause of the irregularity [p264] is natural and obvious, and no fault of the scribe's. Such an arrangement, or rather, _straightforward writing_, of poetry is often the best by virtue of its freedom and simplicity (see p. 371).
In many cases, however, a more formal and finished treatment of an irregular line text is to be preferred (especially in inscriptions on stone, metal, &c.), and the most natural arrangement is then an approximately symmetrical one, inclining to "Fine Writing" in treatment. This is easily obtained in inscriptions which are previously set-out, but a good plan--certainly the best for MSS.--is to sort the lines of the text into _longs_ and _shorts_ (and sometimes _medium_ lines), and to set-in or indent the short lines two, three, or more letters. The indentations on the _left_ balance the accidental irregularities on the _right_ (fig. 154, and Plate IV.), and give an appearance of symmetry to the page (see _Phrasing_, p. 384).
Either mode of spacing (_close_ or _wide_) may be carried to an unwise or ridiculous extreme. "Leading" the lines of type was much in vogue a hundred years ago, in what was then regarded as "high-class" printing. Too often the wide-spaced line and "grand" manner of the eighteenth-century printer was pretentious rather than effective: this was partly due to the degraded type which he used, but form, arrangement, and expression all tended to be artificial. Of late years a rich, closely massed page has again become fashionable. Doubtless there has been a reaction in this from the eighteenth century to an earlier and better manner, but the effect is sometimes overdone, and the real ease and comfort of the reader has been sacrificed to his rather imaginary æstheticism.
By attaching supreme importance to readableness, [p265] the letter-craftsman gains at least a rational basis for his work, and is saved from the snares which lurk in all, even in the best, modes and fashions.
In the spacing of a given inscription on a limited surface, where a comparatively large size of letter is required, what little space there is to spare should generally be distributed evenly and consistently (_a_, fig. 155). Lavish expenditure of space on the margins would necessitate an undue crowding[61] of the lettering (_b_), and wide interspacing[62] would allow insufficient margins (_c_)--either arrangement suggesting inconsistency (but see p. 352).