Marshall Lee

Type faces — like people's faces — have distinctive features indicating aspects of character beyond just strength and delicacy. Some features are quite pronounced, some are very subtle and more subject to personal interpretation. Here are some text faces with capsule character analyses:

   Baskerville — Classical and elegant
   Jason — Round and warm
   Granjon — Round, warm and graceful
   Caledonia — Clean, firm, business-like
   Times Roman — Stiff, cold, formal
   Electra — Light, cool, efficient
   Fairfield — Fussy
   Bodoni — Dramatic
   Waverley — Round and cool
In choosing type, it's better to consider these characteristics than to follow historical or conventional rules. It's the type's character, not its history, that affects the reader.