Cross writing involves writing a letter and then writing another letter across the first one at a right angle.
What is Cross Writing?
Cross writing, also known as a crossed letter, is a historical manuscript technique used primarily in the 19th century. As defined by Wikipedia, "A crossed letter is a manuscript letter which contains two separate sets of writing, one written over the other at right-angles." This method was adopted out of necessity during a time when postal services were very expensive, with charges often based on the number of sheets of paper used and the distance traveled.
Why Was Cross Writing Used?
The main reasons for using cross writing were practical and economic:
- Saving Paper: It allowed writers to fit twice the amount of information onto a single sheet of paper.
- Reducing Postage Costs: Since postage was often charged per sheet, using cross writing allowed senders to convey more without incurring higher fees for additional pages.
How to Perform Cross Writing (Writing a Crossed Letter)
Writing a crossed letter is a straightforward process, although it can make the final result challenging to read. Here's the simple method:
Step-by-Step Guide
- Write Your First Message: Begin by writing your initial letter as you normally would, filling the page horizontally from left to right. Write clearly but perhaps not too large, leaving some space between lines if possible, although this wasn't always done.
- Rotate the Paper: Once you have finished writing your first message on the entire sheet, rotate the paper 90 degrees.
- Write Your Second Message: Now, begin writing your second message directly on top of the first one. Your lines of text will run perpendicular to the original lines, creating a grid or criss-cross pattern.
This process effectively layers two distinct letters onto the same piece of paper, maximizing the use of the available space.
Readability Challenges
While practical for saving resources, crossed letters can be notoriously difficult to decipher today due to the overlapping text running in different directions. Readers had to carefully follow either the horizontal or vertical lines, mentally filtering out the overlapping words.
This technique is a fascinating example of how people adapted their communication methods to the technological and economic constraints of their time.
