It is the commoner usage to provide a capital for each title, but one capital should be enough for a compounded title. When two capitals precede the name of a man, they make that name relatively insignificant, but if double capitalizing is systematic in copy, the compositor should not alter. Abbreviated titles of honor or of respect immediately following a name should have capitals.
- John Smith, Esq.
- Robert Southard, D.D.
- Henry Armitage, LL.D.
The observance of this rule gives a very unsightly appearance to a page when the person mentioned has many honorary titles, as in
Robert W. Rogers, Ph.D., D.D., LL.D., F.R.G.S.
In this example the titles have more prominence than the man, and shabbily spot the page of text. Small capitals are neater, but they should not be used without the permission of the author, publisher, or editor. Jr. and sr. need not take a capital in lower-case text matter, but if an author does so capitalize, follow his copy.
In the composition of the leading display line of a book title, the titles of honor put after a name are often an annoyance by their frequent length or undue prominence. Sometimes the honorary titles are put in a small size of the same face and justified in the line. This treatment abates the
