322 Stereotype Printing. 



per, and in the common method, several hundred sheets lie useless 

 lor sometimes, many years. If the book should not answer, there 

 is a great loss in the paper, whereas the metal used in this method 



retains its intrinsic value. 



" I shall instance some of the advantages in this method which in- 

 duce me to communicate my thoughts to others. 



"1. An author by this means can secure the properly of his own 



labor. 



* "2. A correct edition is at all times secured, and therefore may 



be useful in the classics, trigonometrical tables, &c. 



"3. A weak and ignorant attempt on the same subject will be dis- 

 couraged, for as a new edition of a valuable book is continually se- 

 cured, without any new expense, booksellers will not readily hazard 

 the publishing of books of the same nature. 



" 4. But what I chiefly value this method of printing for, is from 

 the advantages it gives an author in making his work perfect, and in 

 freeing it from mistakes ; for, by printing off a few copies of any 

 sheet, and sending them among his friends, and by suffering them to 

 fall into the hands of a malevolent critic, he may have an opportunity 

 of correcting his mistakes, before they appear to the world. By 

 the same means he may make his work more complete than he other- 

 wise could, by the assistance which his friends may give him in seve- 

 ral parts of it. It is for these reasons chiefly, that I propose the plates 

 not to exceed an octavo page, and to have no signatures ; for in case 

 of a mistake, the loss of one page may correct the error, and where 

 improvements or additions are necessary, as many pages may be in- 

 termixed as shall be necessary, without any inconvenience, and small 

 explications may be made by the marginal notes. 



" Lastly. The greatest advantage I conceive will be in the learned 

 sciences ; for they often require a long time to bring these to per- 

 fection, and require the assistance of others in many particulars. 

 Many a valuable piece has been lost to the world by the author's dying 

 before he could bring his work to the perfection he designed. Now 

 by the assistance which he may have by this method from others, 

 this time may be much shortened, and the progress he has made 

 may be preserved for others to continue in case of his death. An 

 author may publish his work in parts, and shall continue, in many ca- 

 ses, to complete and make them more perfect, without any loss of 

 what was done before. By this method likewise, a man of learning, 

 when poor, may leave some parts of his estate in his own way for a 

 child, as mechanics often do for theirs. 



