I'ORT-I'OLrOS. 



i29 



prints, &c. muft be kept in rolls, to their almoft certain de- J^^^^?^ °[ ""^^^ 

 ilrudlion, by frequency of rolling; or at leaft they are thus pQ^-foiios. ' 

 expofed to the danger of being cruflied by accident. Milled 

 pafteboards, of which port-folios are made, are not raanufac- 

 tured above a certain moderate fize: to exceed ihat fjze in a 

 ,|)prt-folio, is an undertaking of no inconiiderable trouble, in 

 parting, glueing, and preffing them together. On inquiring 

 of Mr. Newman, of Soho-fquare, (a raanufadlurer of thefe 

 articles) how he managed to make port-folios above the ordi- 

 nary dimenfions, he informed me, it was an undertaking of 

 trouble, and related his having made one for a gentleman, by 

 attaching fixteen of the largell milled boards together; that 

 the materials alone cod five guineas; and that its weight was 

 greater than one man could lifl. 



My method of conftrudtion obViates all difadvantages — 

 weight, expence, and trouble; and port folios of any dimen- 

 iions may very readily be manufa6lured by the fimple appli- 

 cation of two ftraining-fraroes, covered on both fides w'llk 

 canvas, and papered; and connected, as all port-folios are, by 

 leather at the back, or with wooden backs, the fides being 

 connected by hinges. Thus a port-folio may be made capable 

 of holding the largeft cartoons, maps, and prints; and pofTefT- 

 ing another great advantage, befides that of not bellying or 

 fwagging, when laid againft a wall, as thofe conftrudted of 

 pafteboard do, to their own deftrudion, and material injury 

 of the things they contain, 



A frame of four feet by three will be ftrong enough, if made 

 of deal. The ftiles are four inches wide by half an inch 

 thick; and they have a middle upright ftile of the fame width, 

 with angle pieces at the corners, as is fliown in the engraving. 

 Fig. I. A frame of much greater dimenfions may require 

 two middle upright ftiles; and, if very large, a middle longi- 

 tudinal flile, as is thown in the engraving, Fig. 2. 



If the frames are made of mahogany, they need not ex- 

 ceed 3-16ths of an inch in thicknefs; but, of whatever wood 

 they are made, it muft be well feafoned, or they will warp. 

 A padlock may be applied to fuch cafes, for the protection of 

 their contents. 



On this conftru6tion I have made two port-folios, one of 

 which I have had in ufe thefe ten years. A handfome one, 

 of tolerably large dimenfions, I have fent with this paper, for 

 . Vol. IX.— October, 1804-. K the 



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