20 Prititliig ProctJfiS.—'InvfKtiiins, 



In the art of printing from copper-plates, a colour fomewhat more fluid than for book* 

 printing is made ufe of. It is prefled into the cavities of the plate by fmcaring it over the 

 furfacc ; and by fubfcqucnt careful wiping the redundant colour is cleared away. In this 

 ftate, if foiikcd paper, for which purpofe the mod fpongy texture is the beft, be ftrongly 

 prelTcd againft the plate, by patTmg both together between two cylinders of metal or 

 hard wooil, propcvly defended by woollen cloth, tlie greatelt part of the colour adheres to 

 the paper, and forms what is called a print. 



In all thefe proeefles, it is eafiiy fecn, that in the fuccelTive applications of colour, the ac- 

 curate filling of tlie form or original with the material intended to receive the imprcffion, 

 and in various other parts of the manipulation, there is much room for the difplay of fkill, or 

 for injury from the want of it. It may moreover be co!le£tcd, that the motions attendant 

 on the various Heps of manufafture are in many inftances difficult to be performed with 

 rapidity and eafe, until by long continued habit the workman himfelf is converted as it 

 were into a machine. A very flight degree of attention to this fubjecl mud alfo fliew that, 

 if the originals were of a cylindric form, with a contrivance for regularly applying 

 the colour and performing the fubfcquent operations, it would be eafy to print books and 

 piece-goods with a degree of rapidity and uniformity, of which the ufual method of fuc- 

 ceflive applications feems fcarcely capable without uncommon care and fkill. This obvious 

 condufion has no doubt led to numerous experiments ; none of which, as far as 1 can 

 gather, whatever may have been their particular utility, have given much promife to fuper- 

 fedc the ordinary methods. But as the increafed demand for the manufafture of printed 

 goods has rendered fuch an improvement an interefting objeft to manufa£\urers, as well as 

 to thofe indefatigable anifts who have directed their efforts towards Improvements ; and as 

 the latter generally take up a new objefl under a ftrong perfuafion that it has not before 

 been purfued by others, it will certainly be of advantage to thefe deferving clafles of menj 

 to relate a few of the difhculties of this new art. 



The difficulties attendant on .-vny improvement in the arts may be confidered either as 

 moral or phyfical. Under the moral, I would clafs every thing that relates to the prejudices 

 of men in favour of the old methods, and their fears of rifk, together with the ceconomi- 

 cal and commercial inconveniencies attending the new proeefles. The phyfical difficulties ' 

 are fuch as attend the aftual performance of any proje£l after the fame has been carefully 

 arranged in the mind of the inventor. It happens unfortunately here alfo that the inventor 

 •s feldom aware of the moral impediments, but almod always concludes, that if he can 

 fucceed in accompliftilng the purpofe he has in view, his cares and labour will then be at 

 an end ; and that the manufafturer, in particular, inflead of pointing out new impediments 

 difcernible only from long continued experience, will more readily embrace and approve of 

 the new proeefles, in confequence of his fuperior knowledge of their intrinfic value. 



Every good invention appears fimple in the profpeft, but it fcarcely ever happens in the 

 execution that the moft dire£l road is taken j and in every cafe there will infallibly be 

 many things unknovn or unforefeen, which practice only can point out as neceflary to be 

 done for the complete accomplifhment of the obje£V in view. Hence, and likewife becaufe few 

 men poflcflTcd of independent fortune are likely to engage or perfevere in a labour of this 

 kind, it almoft invariably happens that the expences exceed the ability of the inventor him- 

 felf. For thefe and other reafons, new undertakings are generally brought forward by the 



inventor. 



