Figure 163
Caractère Maigre used in Œuvres de Fénelon: F. A. and P. Didot, Paris
From a copy in Harvard College Library (facsimle), Internet Archive (scan)
1787–92
In François Ambroise Didot’s edition of the Œuvres de Fénelon in nine quarto volumes, begun in 1787 and completed by his son, Pierre Didot, in 1792, the shape of letter used is still old style, but it is so thin and fragile that it is scarcely recognizable as old style at all. This results in faded-looking pages that are perfectly legible, but give an insecure feeling to the eye.