OT: ff

["Myron Gochnauer" goch@xxxxxxxx]

Here's a question for the more learned among us:

What is the origin of "ff." as it is used in scholarly footnotes, meaning
"(and) following (pages/items)"?

It's not an obvious abbreviation for "following" or for "folios" (a related
meaning), although I could imagine it being one for the combination. Of
course, repeating the letter "f" illustrates what is to be done: look at a
page and then do it again... sort of.

And for that matter, why is "fortissimo" in music also abbreviated to "ff"?
Doubling the "f" makes a point here, too.

Myron