the long, f-like s

[Gregory {Greg} Downing]

Someone on a non-linguistic list (isn't that a contradiction in terms,
actually?) wonders if anyone can say approximately when the convention of
using the long, f-like s was dropped in English. She is trying to date some
handwriting in the back of a book that was published in 1728. Maybe someone
here knows. Yes, it occurs to me that some individuals 200 or so years ago
would have had old-fashoned or affected handwriting, but the poser of the
query is seeking *some* kind of information, some kind of possibilities.
Anyone with anything to say could either post to the list or else write me
and I'll get back to her with the result.


Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing at nyu.edu or gd2 at is2.nyu.edu