But there are some peculiarities of ancient usage in English, which, for the information of the young reader, it is proper in the first place to explain.
2.

With respect to the letters, there are _several changes_ to be mentioned.

(1.) The pages of old books are often crowded with capitals: it was at one time the custom to distinguish all nouns, and frequently verbs, or any other important words, by heading them with a great letter.

(2.) The letter Ess, of the lower case, had till lately two forms, the long and the short, as [tall-s] and s; the former very nearly resembling the small f, and the latter, its own capital.

The short _s_ was used _at the end of words_, and the long _[tall-s]_, in other places; but the latter is now laid aside, in favour of the more distinctive form.