be drawn from the broken-off matter to the next paragraph, and write in the margin, No break. (See No. 18.) Where a word or words have been left out, or are to be added, a caret must be made in the place where they are intended to come in, and the word or words written in the margin. (See No. 19.) Inaccuracy may proceed either from inattention and carelessness in the printer, or else to his nonacquaintance with all languages, both ancient and modern; also to a deficiency of knowledge in the arts and sciences, and other abstruse subjects, wherein technical phrases and terms often occur, which, unless very distinctly written, may be misunderstood by the most attentive and accurate corrector. When it is considered that a part of each of these literary subjects may pass through the hands of the corrector, in his professional capacity, in one day, he who wishes to make accuracy his peculiar study, need not be ashamed nor afraid to solicit the aid of the indulgent author, to accomplish an end so desirable, and which would be so satisfactory to all parties. In all cases, therefore, but particularly in those where the author has it not in his power to see the proof sheets, accuracy and distinctness of copy is peculiarly desirable. If attention be paid to right spelling of proper name of persons, places, technical terms, &c. the finishing of sentences marked by the period, that the author's ideas may not be misunderstood, and the hand-writing tolerably legible, much time and a very considerable expense would be saved, and the great object of accuracy gained, by gentlemen who communicate their sentiments to the public through the medium of the press. CORRECTING IN THE METAL. By correcting, we understand the rectifying of such faults, omissions, and repetitions, as are made by the compositor, either through inadvertency or carelessness. And though the term of corrections is equally given to the alterations that are made by authors, it would be more proper to distinguish them by the name of emendations; notwithstanding it often happens, that after repeatedly mending the matter, the first conceptions are at last recalled: for the truth thereof none can be better vouchers than compositors, who often suffer by fickle authors that know no end to making alterations, and at last doubt whether they are right or wrong; whereby the work is retarded, and the compositor greatly prejudiced in his endeavours; especially where he is not sufficiently satisfied for spending his time in humouring such whimsical gentlemen. Correcting is the most disagreeable part of a compositor's business, attended not only with loss of time, but great fatigue, from leaning over the stone, and is therefore extremely prejudicial to health. To avoid this we recommend silence, and attention when at work. The noise and confusion which too often prevail in a printing-office, from light and frivolous conversation, not only retard business, but at the same time distract the attention of the compositor from the subject he has in hand, and cause him to run into such mistakes as can only be rectified by loss of time, and fatigue at the imposing stone. Some men, no doubt, are capable of supporting a conversation, and at the same time compose correctly, but their noise must confuse those who are unable to preserve that accuracy but in quiet, and by close attention to their copy. The habit of talking while distributing is too often prac tised; and though those who are composing need not join in the conversation, yet they are disturbed, and diverted from the subject they have in hand. The press-room should, if possible, be separated from the composing-room, as the pressmen are generally discussing some important topic, and are less liable to feel the inconvenience of much talking. The first proof should merely contain the errors of, the compositor, but it too frequently happens that the corrector heightens them by his peculiarities; when this is unnecessarily done, which is too often the case, it is an act injustice to the compositor: it is sufficient for him to rectify such mistakes as arise either from inattention or want of judgment.* We certainly agree, in conjunction with all our contemporaries, with the necessity for the immediate correction of proofs by the compositor; still we consider that we should not have performed our duty, (according to our original intention) were we to urge an ex parte case, when a similar injunction is equally incumbent on both parties. Ought not the reader or overseer to be equally as punctual in despatching the proofs in his department? Can it reasonably be expected that the compositor will feel that inclination to forward his proof when he knows that the reader will not equally assist him? † By the term, "want of judgment," we beg not to be understood as including the alteration of points, that being a subject which can never be reconciled: the compositor ought not to suffer from the caprice of a reader, in altering commas and semicolons in the first proof (unless the sense is perverted), which he not unfrequently re-alters in the second, from a doubt upon his mind which would be the most proper points to be adopted.'" + It is too well known to all compositors, the delay and inconvenience (not to say actual loss), which they daily suffer from the want of a regular dispatch of proofs; it is not for us to say whether! it arises from au overpressure of business, or whatever cause; but this we can state, (having not only repeatedly witnessed it, but also greatly suffered from it ourselves,) that there are some overseers who do not give themselves the least concern about reading proofs, (provided the work is not in a particular hurry) as long as the com Should a compositor have transposed two or more pages, either from a mistake in the folios, or any other cause, he must then unlock such quarter or quarters, and loosening the cross or crosses from the furniture, he next lifts the chase and the remaining quarters off the stone; should he have furniture sufficient round each page, he may move them into their proper stations by pressing the balls of his thumbs and fingers against the furniture at the head, foot, and sides of each page :-if the letter be small it will be advisable to wet the pages, because few imposing stones are perfectly horizontal, or so steady that they will not shake when touched, or by the motion of the floor occasioned either by persons walking, or the dragging of forms. Should a compositor find that his pages hang, he must unlock that quarter or quarters, and pat the face of the type with the balls of his fingers, and so twist it, until he gets it into a square position. positor can rake together more letter to make up: at length, being rua out of sorts, he is necessitated to press for his proofs, and should the reader then have leisure, he probably receives the whole of them as fast as he can correct, whieh is very much to his disadvantage in two points of view:first, he has to perform a disagreeable task, which takes longer time than if he had received them as they were imposed, because much correcting fatigues, and makes a man careless, that would otherwise have done his work more justice; secondly, should his proofs turn out foul, and take up a considerable time, his bill for that week must be greatly diminished, as few men make allowance from their week's earnings, for the corrections which may occur in the following one; now, if the proof had been read when it was imposed, it would have been corrected without his feeling the burthen; add to this, the loss of making up and clearing away so much letter, which is equally detrimental to the employer; because he is not unfrequently obligated to distribute such standing matter before it is worked off, on account of some new job of a very urgent nature: this is another example of the reciprocality which exists between the employer and the employed. Again, should the press stand idle in consequence of a compositor's not correcting his proof, must not the charge fail equally upon the overseeror reader, if they have kept it by them some days without reading, and possibly the compositor has nothing to do at the time that the proof is not read; and when it is sent up, probably he has got a little work, which makes him indifferent about correcting at the moment. We ever shall contend, be the station of the parties what it may, high or low, rich or poor, for "equal rights, and equal laws." When a compositor unlocks his form, he should be careful not to leave the unlocked quoins too! slack, as the force necessary to loosen the others may either squabble the matter, or occasion it to hang. A compositor should possess the following requisites before he begins to correct "What is required of a compositor when he goes about correcting a foul proof, is a sharp bodkin and patience, because without them the letter cannot escape suffering by the steel; and hurrying will not permit kim to justify the lines true. No wonder therefore to see pigeon-holes in one place, and pie in another."* When he has gathered as many corrections between the thumb and fore-finger of his left hand as he can conveniently hold, or in his composingstick, beginning at the bottom of the page, in order that they may follow regular; and an assortment of spaces on a piece of paper, or, what is more convenient, in a small square box, with partitions in it, let him take the bodkin in his right hand, and instead of raising each letter he may have occasion to alter, he should place the point of the bodkin at one end of the line, and with the fore-finger of his left hand i against the other, raise the line altogether, sufficiently high to afford him a clear view of the spacing; he may then change the faulty letter, and alter his spaces before he drops the line. By observing this method, he will not injure the type, which must be In proof of the trouble and inconvenience to which composi tors are not unfrequently subjected, we present the reader with the following epitaph, which, no doubt, was written by a Typo, whilst performing the most disagreeable task attendant on his profession: "No more shall copy bad perplex my brain, No more shall type's small face my eye-balls strain; |