Various Methodj of Printing. 19 



printed from original patterns, in relief; and mod of the Imitations of paintings are per- 

 formed by means of engravings. Thefe arts are mod frequently diftinguiflred by the names 

 of letter-prefs and copper-plate printing. 



It can fcarcely be matter of new information to thofe who are but moderately acquainted 

 with the ftate of the Arts, to be told that letter-prefs or book-printing is performed by an 

 aflemblage of fmgle metallic letters, called types, made of lead hardened by an addition 

 of antimony in the metallic ftate ; that thefe letters are compofed in the form of book pages, 

 and wedged together in iron frames called chafes ; that the ink is a compofition of linfeed 

 oil and lamp black, of fo fingular a nature, that it will adhere to a ball covered with a pelt 

 or (heep's (kin foaked in water, and kneaded to extreme foftnefs under the feet, but quits 

 this Ikin with great readinefs to apply to the face of the letter when dabbed with the ball ; 

 and flill more, that it almoft totally quits the letter to adhere to paper rendered femi- 

 tranfparent by foaking in water ; or laftly, that the paper is applied and prefled againfl the 

 form of compofed letter by means of a flat piece of wood urged downwards by a fcrew. 

 Thefe and numerous early difcovered principles of this mod ufeful art are generally known, 

 and require no more than mere recapitulation in this place. 



The genius of the Chinefe language not permitting that people to analyfe its founds Into 

 an alphabet, as has been done by moft other nations, has induced them to retain thofe figns 

 of things, and of their correfpondent words, which probably conftituted the firll picture or 

 hieroglyphic writings of every rude fociety. Changed and complicated as thefe ma)ihavc 

 become by the rapidity of tranfcrlptlon, the corruption of Ignorance, or whatever other 

 caufes may have operated through a long fucceffion of ages, they ftlU for the moft part ufc 

 words that properly denote things, and not founds. Such words cannot, therefore, be fub- 

 divided ; and it has accordingly been found moft convenient, by thefe firft pofleflbrs of the 

 art, to print from entire blocks, as was alfo done by the firft printers in Europe. But our 

 artlfts foon difcovered that a few of the fimpleft characters, namely, the letters of the al- 

 phabet, would be in many refpecls more ufeful, as the elements for compofing blocks for 

 printers, than a number of blocks originally cut for every page of every Individual book. 



Book-printing, therefore, though in fadl of the fame nature as block-printing, has been 

 carried into effe£l by very different machinery from that made ufe of in the arts which 

 ftill retain the latter method. In book-printing, the heavy metallic form lies on a kind of 

 table, and the colour and the paper are fucceffivcly applied to Its face : but in block-print- 

 ing, the block Is carried and applied to the colour, and afterwards to the work Intended to 

 be printed. Thus, for example, In the printing of paper-hangings, the colour Is fprciul 

 with a brufli upon a woollen cloth ftretched over a furface of parchment or Ikin evenly 

 fupported by a half fluid mafs of water and mafhed paper. To this the block is carefully 

 applied by a flight perpendicular ftroke or two ; after which It is applied to the dry paper 

 on a table, and prefli^d againft it either by one or more blows with a mallet, or by the regu- 

 lar action of a lever. The mechanical part of callico-printing is effected nearly in the fame 

 manner ; but with fmaller blocks, becaufe of the greater dllliculty of making the fucceflive 

 fittings on fo flexible a material. And in both thefe arts, as well as In book-pvinting, In red 

 and black, the variety of colours are produced by repeated applications of forms or blocks, 

 of which the prominent parts arc made to fit each other according to the nature of the 

 Jcfign. 



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