Long Primer (Leaded).

I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull: he got a good estate by merchandise, and leaving off his trade, lived afterwards at York; from whence he had married my mother, whose relations were named

The author will probably be guided, in the first place, by the example of some particular book, which he would wish his own work to be like in appearance. But he would be most unwise to take a final decision without consulting his publisher.

CHOICE OF PAPER.

In selecting a paper on which to send one's com positions forth to the world, some considerable care is necessary. The desire of making a good bargain frequently leads a buyer to err, especially in selecting an article of so variable a character as paper. Therefore, first determine the question of quality; that is, whether you propose to employ a first-class paper, or to be content with an imitation.

The nature of the printing job will of itself suggest the quality of the paper to be used. For special work of a high character, poor paper cannot possibly be employed; and in all cases of an exceptional nature, the best qualities of paper ought to be used. For ordinary work, on the other hand, it will be the printer's object to achieve the highest result at the least possible outlay.

All printing paper (unless otherwise ordered) is made up by the maker into reams, containing either 480 or 516 sheets. The former is termed an "Imperfect or “Mill” ream, and the latter a "Perfect" or "Printer's ream. As this difference becomes of some importance

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where a large number of reams are required, it is usual in purchasing, to stipulate that the reams shall consist of the greater or the lesser number of sheets, The odd 16 sheets in the "Perfect" or "Printer's" ream included, because it is customary to allow that number to the printer for spoiling. It will, therefore, be easy to reckon how many reams are required to print a given number of copies of a certain book, if the number of pages in it are known, as each ream of paper will furnish 500 copies of one sheet or signature, as it is technically termed, which as shown in the diagrams, on pages 303 to 305 may make 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 64, &c., pages of the book in question, according to the manner in which it is folded. Where very expensive papers are employed in printing, and the number of copies required is great, the purchaser may arrange with the paper-maker to supply him with reams containing a smaller number of "Overs" for spoiling than are contained in the Perfect ream of 516 sheets: thus, reams of 504, 508, or 512 sheets, allowing 4,8, or 12 sheets as "Overs" respectively, are sometimes supplied to the order of the purchaser.

In buying a good printing paper the following points are very necessary to be observed: colour, strength, sizing, surface, weight.

Colour. All papers of whatever tint or colour they may be, vary exceedingly in the matter of shade. In good jobs, a cream paper is the best to use. In cheaper work, buy a white paper of the greatest brilliancy of colour, due regard being given to the price. Blue papers are suitable only for office jobs, and are nearly always specially ordered. It must also be borne well in mind, that the trade term "yellow wove" paper is applied to one of a light blue colour. In using blue papers, always examine the colour thoroughly to see that it is of an even shade throughout.

Strength. A good paper will bear a fair amount of handling, either way of the sheet. It will be found useful to tear the sheet asunder in each direction. The result should be very nearly the same each way, the sheet shewing capacity to stretch in either direction;

any defect in this particular indicates a hurried manufacture, and a consequent necessity for care in use.

Sizing. Press one side of the sheet against the tongue, and observe the effect produced. If the paper be thoroughly sized, no moisture will penetrate the sheet; or, write with a pen and ink upon the sample, and after a couple of minutes look at the reverse side of the sheet, and observe whether the ink has penetrated through it. It will be found very advisable not to use paper that has been too well sized. Paper with a very fine surface, glossy, and of great smoothness is the best for use.

Surface. The higher the gloss of paper, the better the appearance of the print. It is a matter of disagreement among printers as to whether glazing before or after printing is the better plan. It will unquestionably be found more advantageous, particularly in delicate and displayed typography, to glaze the paper first and print dry. This enables all head and leading lines to be prominently shown. These remarks apply to good papers only.'

Weight. Some judgment is required in determining the most suitable paper in respect to weight. The paper maker can easily arrange this matter and produce a paper of any weight, say of 20 or 40 lbs. of the same size. This must, however, be left to the question of taste and other conditions of the job. In choosing a heavy paper, it will be found advisable to fold the sample tightly to observe the effect of the fold mark. In very common papers, the surfaces of the sheet will give way, disclosing clay or other matter used in its manufacture. In such cases, great caution is necessary in the use of the paper.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. Never advocate the use of common paper. Select your paper with a view to the job for example, a weak paper is of no use for distribution or postage. When examining your paper, hold up a sample sheet before the light, and carefully scan it as to cleanliness, specks, spots, or dirt. In some cases the water-mark may be an objection. Bear in

mind also the distinction between "laid" and "wove" paper. The former contains linear marks down and across the sheet, the latter displays no lines. Notice if there are any small holes in the sheet. By these methods, irregularities of manufacture can be easily detected.

The foregoing remarks will enable anyone easily to judge of the quality of paper. It may be useful to add that paper makers are at all times ready to adapt their products to the requirements of the purchaser. We believe that the use of good paper is, in most cases, of the greatest advantage.

STEREOTYPING.

If all the copies of a book that will ever be required, are at once worked off the types when set up, then the book is finally printed and done with. The types are taken down and employed again in some similar work.

But it often happens that the copies struck off prove insufficient to meet the demand. Another edition is required. The whole book has now to be set up again, as at first; and the whole of the first expense for composition will be again incurred.

This expense may be strikingly obviated by stereotyping -a process whereby a cast or plate of metal with raised letters is made for each page or forme. The stereotype plate is an exact reproduction of the original type. It costs about one-third as much to stereotype a page as to compose it.

The advantages of stereotyping are obvious. There is no further charge for composition as long as the plates last; when, say 1,000 new copies are needed, the printer takes out the plates and prints them off without more ado. There is no further reading of proofs; the metal plate remains precisely the same. There is no necessity for printing off, at one time, a larger number than may be reasonably expected to meet a short demand; you can take as many or as few as you choose, and come back for another batch as soon as you choose.

There is no difficulty whatever in conveying the plates to any part of the world, and the weight of the plates is only about one-seventh of the weight of the corresponding movable types. If a fresh issue is required, it can be obtained at once; there is no need now to wait for the time consumed in composition.

On the other hand, the author will not stereotype if his work is likely to require any considerable alteration in a second issue. An annual volume of statistics would require too much alteration to justify stereotyping. But a book for which there is likely to be a reasonably wide and steady demand, and which is substantially settled in form and matter, ought to be stereotyped; at every new issue there is a large saving.

Electrotyping is similarly applied in cases where extremely large impressions are to be cast off, and where beauty of typography is specially aimed at. But ordinarily it is not employed for reproducing letter-press, being much more expensive than stereotyping.

BINDING.

The continental custom of publishing books in paper covers has not commended itself to the English mind. The author must, therefore, bethink himself of how he shall bind his book. The binding (with the quality of the paper and the style of printing) is the first thing to attract the attention of anyone looking at the book casually in a shop or at a stall. It is a very important matter, then, that such persons should be affected favourably by the quality and style of the binding.

The author can always guide his choice by taking some particular volume as an example to follow. He may either direct that his own book shall be set forth in precisely the same style, or he may require greater or less modification. But he ought in every case to invite the skilled co-operation of his publisher in settling this very important part of the business.