and carelesness, fall into many serious mistakes; such as mixing paper of the same size, belonging to different persons, and thereby destroying the uniformity of the work; giving or setting out the paper incorrectly, which must afterwards be made good by reprinting those sheets which are found to be deficient; or if the deficiency is not very great, the sheet wanting is left out of a book here and there, and in this imperfect state the work is delivered to the bookseller, who, perhaps, if a large number has been printed, will be several years before he discovers the loss, and then cannot, after so long a time, with any degree of propriety, demand his books to be made perfect. Many other circumstances might be stated to show the impropriety and disadvantage of employing persons in the warehouse not acquainted with its business; we must however observe, that the master or overseer should frequently look to the concerns of the warehouse, that the people employed there may get forward the different works with neatness and accuracy.

Having made these observations on the impolicy of employing persons in the warehouse unacquainted with its business, it will be necessary to lay down its different stages, and begin by supposing the warehouse to be quite clear, business coming in, and the warehouseman just entering upon his office. He should first be provided with a book, which is termed "The Warehouse-book," about the size of a foolscap quarto. When the porter or carman brings paper from the stationer or bookseller, the warehouseman should demand the bill of delivery, order the paper to be brought in, and see if it is right according to the bill, before he discharges him; and if right, dismiss him, and enter it immediately into the warehouse book.

Having entered the receipt of the paper, he should then write on each bundle, with red chalk, the title of the book it is intended for, and remove it into a part of the warehouse, or store-room kept for that purpose, observing to place it so as to take up as little room as possible.

OF GIVING OR SETTING OUT PAPER FOR THE PRESS.

A bundle of paper contains two reams, or forty-three quires, and twenty-four sheets to each quire, if perfect; if not, twenty quires to the ream, of which the two outside quires are called corded or cassie, as they only serve for cases to the ream. These outside quires are by the paper-maker made up of torn, wrinkled, stained, and other damaged sheets, yet the whole quire very rarely consists of such sheets; but frequently some good sheets may be found on looking them over. But the general custom now is, for booksellers and authors to send in their paper perfect. When, however, it is sent in imperfect, it is the warehouseman's business to lay by the two outside quires, and cull them when most convenient; likewise to dispose of them so, that they may neither be at the beginning nor ed, but about the middle of the volume; or use them for jobs or proof paper; for they are seldom so perfect as the inside quires.

It is the general custom to print of every work what is termed even number, either 250, 500, 750, 1,000, &c. These quantities are set out for the wetter in tokens; viz. for 250 (sheets) one token, containing 10 quires 18 sheets; for 500, two tokens—one 11 quires, and the other 10 quires and a half; for 750, three tokens, two of them 11 quires ach, and the other 10 quires 6 sheets; and for 1,000, four tokens, three of them 11 quires

each, and the other 10 quires. If a work is printed in half sheets, it of course requires only half the above quantities.

As it will sometimes happen that other numbers different from the above are printed, the following table, will be found highly useful in the warehouse, and should be stuck up in a conspicuous place, or stiched into the Warehouse-book. The calculations have been made with much care, and will, be found accurate.

In giving out paper for what are termed jobs, it has been usual to give tables for this purpose, showing the quantity of paper to be given out for any job from 25 to 5,000; and from two on a sheet to 128; but it was totally useless: it never could be acted upon : the calculation was made upon quires of 25 sheets, which never are found in a book or job office; so that if the directions of this table were followed in a case, for instance, where it gave the quantity as 11 quires, without attending to the above circumstance, the work would be found 11 sheets deficient.

64

110 96

14

The only way found practicable, has been, to try by division how many sheets are requisite for the purpose; for example, a job (label or any thing else) 750, number, 32 32)750(23 on a sheet, will require 24 sheets, which will give an overplus of 18. If this is not thought sufficient, a remnant or sheet more must be given out, calculating that where a sheet has to be cut into many parts, some further allowance must be made for accidents. The overplus sheets being partly allowed for tympan-sheets, and other incidents; such as bad sheets, faults committed in beating, pulling, bad register, &c.; in any of these casualties the pressman doubles the sheet in the middle, and lays it across the heap as waste; for in case that sheet should run short of its proper number, the gatherer may choose out the best of them to make good the deficiency. In setting out the paper, the warehouseman lays each token with the folded side, or back part, one way, and the other token with the folded, or back side the other way, that the wetter may distinguish the different tokens.

In concluding this portion of the Printers' Manual, I would earnestly recommend to the youthful aspirant for typographic fame; that it is not from books alone that a knowledge of his profession is to be obtained. He must seriously apply himself to the duty imposed upon him, and however irksome the task may be, perseverance will overcome many difficulties, and he will have the satisfaction of being regarded as an efficient workman by his employer, and meet with encouragement and promotion, that will lead him to wealth and honour, like hundreds who have trod in the same path. With diligence I would earnestly recommend sobriety, for without that, all talent becomes dead to the possessor.

DIRECTIONS TO PRESSMEN.

OF PRESSES.

HAVING endeavoured to lay before the young typographer the necessary information connected with the COMPOSITOR'S business, I shall now call his attention to that most important branch of the art-the PRESSMAN'S, (who may be called the actual printer,)— a branch which is the very end and consummation of all the compositor's previous care and labour-a branch which, if in the least degree neglected, will cause all the printer's pains and skill in display, all his expenses in beautiful type and accurate correctors, to be passed over disregarded; therefore careful, ingenious, and sober pressmen stand high in the estimation of every master printer.

The operations of the printing-press, when conducted by an expert pressman, are performed with a surprising rapidity; but the labour is very great. Two men are required to make a "full press," (when only one is at work, it is called "half press") who take it by turns to pull, that is, work the press; and beat or roll, that is, to ink the types. Whilst one man is employed in pulling the sheet, his comrade is distributing the ink on his balls or rollers, by applying them to the ink block, and the ink should be well spread out by the muller; if working with the roller, he should keep it in motion in varying directions, upon the plane surface of the table, whereby he obtains a perfectly equal coat of ink upon the face of the composition. By this time the other man having made the pull, run out the press, and opened the tympan, the other instantly begins the inking, whilst the puller gets the sheet changed; great care and attention is necessary on the part of the man who inks the types, for on him depends that regularity of colour which is so essential to the beautiful in typography. The advantages of the iron presses in working are very considerable, both in saving labour and time. The first arises from the beautiful contrivance of the levers, the power of the press being almost incalculable at the moment of producing the impression; and this is not attended with a correspondent loss of time, as is the case in all other mechanical powers, because the power is only exerted at the moment of pressure, being before that adapted to bring down the plattin quickly as possible.

A new press should always be well employed for the first few months with heavy forms, and the pressmen ought to be particular in doing their duty, by taking care that they always keep on a sufficient power, and see that the bar be well pulled down. This is the only sure means of making it work free and well ever after many a press has been spoiled by this neglect, and also that of working jobs at them before they are properly brought to their bearings. With the presses are sent practical directions to set which a pressman should well attend to, so that at any time he may take

them

up,

M

them to pieces and clean them, which is of the utmost importance. Our space compels us to be as brief as possible; but the following list of presses will enable the reader to know the names at least of the principal ones which have been offered to the profession.

A printing press is a machine requiring very accurate mechanical construction. At the earliest period of the art it was conceived to be so perfect that no very material improvements took place in its make, until lord Stanhope invented a press, constructed entirely of iron, from the general outlines of which, in all that have followed, the principle is essentially the same, and which press will ever bear the name of its inventor.

At the present day the old wooden press is nearly exploded, and therefore it would only be a waste of time to notice it; nor can I find space, but for those, which are very few, that possess all the requisites, for the purposes of printing, and repaying a masterprinter for the great outlay. Lord Stanhope, with the assistance of Mr. Walker, an ingenious mechanic, introduced his press to public notice in the year 1800, and it has hitherto maintained its character for being well adapted for the purposes of printing; combining quickness with ease to the workman-evenness of impression-and durability and constant good condition. Lord Stanhope having objected to the taking out of a patent for his invention, it was consequently thrown open, upon which several engineers and smiths began to manufacture presses on the same principle; it is true some of them made

trifling alterations, but they were scarce worth notice; therefore, in order to find a market for them, they sold them somewhat cheaper; but those from the original manufactory were infinitely superior. A representation of this press is given, which consists of the following parts; the tee, staple, rounce, ribs, standard, main screw, short head, arbor, top plate, long head, coupling bar, piston, back plate, ears, balance weight, bar, plattin, table, and tympans. The first to deviate from the principles of the above press, was a German of the name of D'Eighn, whose press was known by the name of the SECTOR, which was much like the Stanhopean in formation; a great objection to which arises from the insecure manner of the plattin, which is by no means so effectually secured as it ought to be. They have a great quantity of ornamental brass work, which give them a pleasing appearance to the eye; but it is not the glitter of gaudy tinsel that a practical printer wants. D'Eighn afterwards disposed of his patent-right to a person of the name of Golding, who continued to manufacture them for some time. He then invented another press, and soon afterwards died, when his widow disposed of the patent to Mr. Cogger, who entered into partnership with a Mr. Scott, and their press was denominated the COGGER.

The next that came forward was Mr. Ruthven, a printer of Edinburgh, whose press differed materially from all that had preceded it, which he styled the RUTHven.

The next competitor for public favour was a person of the name of Russell, whose press is manufactured by Messrs. Taylor and Martineau, of London, and was denominated the RUSSELL PRESS. These presses are simple and easy to work, though apt

To the ingenuity and talent of Mr. George Clymer, of Philadelphia, we are indebted for the above press, which is denominated the COLUMBIAN, who, after having manufactured supply of them at home, arrived in this country, in 1817, to introduce his press to the printers of Europe, which had given such universal satisfaction to those connected with the an in America. The highly favourable, and very flattering testimonials which Mr. Clymer produced on his arrival in London, from the gentlemen connected with the