Abstract: A cathode ray tube caligraphic display system is described which automatically varies the beam intensity as a function of the writing or "stroke" rates to provide automatic brightness compensation as the symbol or vector write rates vary. The X and Y write rate signals are provided in digital form and converted to ramp voltages of varying slopes to "stroke" the line segments for the desired symbols, vectors or other indicia. The digital X and Y write rate signals are also applied to a Read Only Memory (ROM) which has brightness compensation data stored therein for various combinations of X and Y write rates. The digital signals representing the X and Y write rates function as addresses to the Read Only Memory to read out brightness compensation control signals to control the brightness of the symbol or other displayed object as a function of the write rates.