[Jason_b]

I can't post to that linked thread because it is too old, so I will respond to something on it---here.

"Also, the letter "f" was at times used in place of the letter "s" in both print and manuscript. For example, "Congress" is sometimes spelled as "Congrefs," as is the case in the parchment copy of the Bill of Rights displayed by the National Archives"

Not true. What is seen as an f shaped character is indeed the letter s. It is not an f.

I found this out one day while touring Williamsburg, I was in the printer's shop. I asked about the f. The interpreter told me in 18th century style that I must be an illiterate, and assured me that it was the letter s. I was rather offended at his rude response. But then I allowed he may have been interpreting the correct reaction to such a question had it been asked in the 18th century.

[supercat]

Not true. What is seen as an f shaped character is indeed the letter s. It is not an f.

Indeed, except in L'Enfant Plaza (DC) where whoever did the carving was either unaware of the distinction or too lazy to come up with a proper "script s" character.

The "script s" character is shorter than an "f", does not have a full crossbar (or any crossbar), and is used in place of the "s" except at the ends of words, where the smaller "s" is used.