brought in at the end, in order to complete a sheet, which may save both paper and press-work. For this reason it is customary to begin the first sheet of every work with signature B, leaving A for the title sheet. To a sheet of octavo, two signatures only are necessary, which are placed to the first and third pages; to a sheet of twelves three signatures, to the first, third, and ninth pages, thus, B, B2, B3.

In magazines, and works of that nature, printed in half sheets, figures are sometimes put instead of letters. This plan is considered to cause less confusion with the binder, particularly in works of five or six hundred pages.

Instead of beginning the work with a two-line letter, (according to the old custom) small two-line letters have a much neater appearance; they are made to range with the beard of the letter at the bottom of the line, and to stand above it; the remainder of the word may be put either in capitals or small capitals, the latter is most preferable.

We now proceed to the second page, and set the running title in a neat letter proportioned to the size of the page; but this must be governed by the quantity of matter necessary to be introduced at the head of the page. A full line, as a running title, has a very clumsy appearance; and should, if possible be avoided. To a solid page, two leads make the usual space after the head; to a single leaded page, three leads or a Long Primer white; and to a double leaded page, a Pica white.

It has long been, and still is a practice too prevalent among compositors, to drive out a word at the close of a paragraph, or even to divide it, in order to reap the advantage of a break line. Part of a word, or à complete word in a break line, if it con

tain no more than three or four letters, is improper. It should be the business of the corrector, at all times, to notice this encroachment. The last line of a paragraph should not on any account begin a page, neither should the first line of a paragraph come at the bottom of a page, if the work has white lines between the breaks. To obviate which, the compositor makes his page either long or short, as most convenient, always taking care that the corresponding pages back, by which means the long or short appearance of the page escapes observation.

If the work is very open, consisting of heads, whites, &c. the compositor must be particularly attentive to their depth; so that though the white may be composed of different sized quadrats, yet that their ultimate depth shall be equal to the regular body of the type the work is done in; for unless care is taken in this particular, the register of the work must be incomplete. The pressman cannot make the lines back if the compositor is not careful in making up his matter.

The first line of a new paragraph is indented an m quadrat, of whatever sized letter the work may be; though we prefer an m and an n in small measures, and two or even three m's when the measure runs very long, by which means the paragraph is more strongly marked; the mere indention of an m being scarcely perceptible in a long line. Authors vary very materially in the mode of making paragraphs; some carry the argument of a position to a great length, before they relieve the attention of the reader; while others break off at almost every place that will admit only of a full point. But in this case we follow the author's plan, unless, upon particular occasions, it may be necessary to multiply or reduce the breaks in the copy, if it can be done

with propriety, in order to make the work look uniform. Authors should always make the beginning of a new paragraph conspicuous to the compositor, by indenting the first line of it far enough to distinguish it from the preceding line, in case it should be quite full.

Many hints, in addition to what have already been dropped, relative to composing, may be added for the information of learners, were we not persuaded that practice and a close attention to the mode of doing business by good workmen, will be of more service than a multiplicity of rules. It is the duty of the person under whose tuition an apprentice is placed, to discharge that trust with fidelity. The youth's future prospects in life depend in a great measure on the principles on which his first instructions are formed; and it is the duty of every man to correct those habits in youth which may be improper, whether arising from carelessness or any other cause. When a youth makes choice of a profession, and is aware that his future support and prospects in life must depend on a correct knowledge of that profession, he should be anxious to attain that knowledge; to withhold it, therefore, from him, or not to check him for improper habits, is both unpardonable and unjust.

After the body of the volume is completed, the contents sometimes follow next, though they belong more properly to the beginning of the work; and for this reason we shall defer speaking of them here, but introduce them in their proper place. The index is generally placed at the end of the volume, and set in letter two sizes less than that of the work; it is always begun upon an uneven page. Running titles may be set to an index, but folios are seldom put to them, unless it is to recommend the book for

its extraordinary number of pages; for as an index does not refer to its own matter by figures, they are needless in this case. The signatures, however, are always carried on regularly to the last whole, or half sheet of the work.

It was formerly the plan to set the subject word of each article in Italic, and all the rest in Roman, indenting all the matter an m quadrat* that makes above one line, what is technically termed-to run out and indent; but the Italic is now in a great measure exploded, it being attended with extra trouble, and at the same time destroys the general uniformity of the page.

Care should be taken that the subject words are ranged alphabetically, as it is not expected that the compositor will transpose his matter afterwards, which is attended with a considerable loss of time, without being paid for it.

Where figures have a regular succession, a comma is put after each folio; and where their order breaks off, a full point is used. Thus, for example, after 6, 7, 8, 9, commas are put; and after 12. 16. 19. 24. full points; but to save figures and commas, the succession of the former is noticed, by putting a rule betwixt the first and last figures, thus, 4-8. Again, if an article has been collected from two pages, t , the folio of the second is supplied by sq. or sequente; and by sqq. or sequientibus, where an article is touched upon in succeeding pages. A full point is not put after the last figures, because it is thought that their standing at the end of a line is a sufficient stop. Neither is a comma or a full point placed to the last word of an article, in a wide measure and open matter; but it is not improper

* Although it is the general custom to indent the second line one m, we always indent an m and an n, or even two m's, being of opinion that it not only looks better, but also marks it stronger.

to use a comma at the end of every article in narrow columns, or where figures are put after the matter, instead of running them to the end of the line.

At the conclusion of the index, the volume is considered as completed, with the exception of the title, preface, &c. A compositor's first consideration, then, is in what manner the work has ended, what number of pages the titles, &c. will make, and whether he can impose them in such a form as to save paper and presswork. To answer this purpose, a preface may be drove out or got in; or if matter is wanting, it is customary to set a half title.

We

The method of setting or displaying a title page is governed entirely by fancy; and in this country the style, of late years, is much altered for the better, as a comparison between the title pages of the last and present century fully evince. concur in the assertion, that no fixed rules can be laid down for instruction, because it depends entirely upon the taste and ingenuity of the compositor; such being the prevalent opinion, we trust that we shall be pardoned for obtruding a few hints, which, in our judgments, may tend to assist the juvenile portion of the profession. First, having divided the title into lines, and decided upon the sized type most suitable for the principal one, we begin by composing those of the second and third class, both in ascending and descending order: secondly, we avoid having two lines of equal length to follow, or come in contact with each other; this evil is frequently remedied by the introduction of a line of Black, which has generally a good effect, particularly if it happens to be a short one: thirdly, catch words should be set on a very reduced scale, and proportioned according to the strength of the preceding and succeeding lines; because, when