PRINTING. 
IMdot ; but by vphat we Iiave . already laid 
before our readers, it is evident this cannot 
have been the case. 
Some years after Mr. Tilloch had given 
up the prosecution of this art, Jlr. Wilson, 
a printer of respectability in London, en- 
gaged with Earl Stanhope for the purpose 
of bringing it to perfection, and eventually 
to establish it in this country. His Lord- 
ship, it is said, received Iris instructions 
from Mr. Tilloch, and had afterwards the 
personal attendance of Mr. Foulis, for many 
months, at his seat at Cheyening, where his 
Lordship was initiated in the practical part 
of the operation. 
After two years application, Mr. Wilson 
announced to the public “ that the genius 
and perseverance of Earl Stanhope, whom 
he styles “ the Eight Honourable Inven- 
tor,’’ had overcome every difficidty ; and 
tliat accordingly, the various proce.sses of 
the stereotype art had been so admirably 
contrived, combining the most beautiful 
simplicity with the most desirable economy, 
the ne plus ultra of perfection with that of 
cheapness, as to yield the best encourage- 
ment to the public for looking forward 
to the happy period when an application of 
this valuable art to the manufacture of 
books would be the means of reducing the 
prices of all staridard works at least thirty, 
a.nd in many cases fifty per cent. 
In January, 1804, the stereotype art, 
(with the approbation of Loid Stanhope,) 
was offered by Mr. Wilson to the Univer- 
sity of Cambridge, for their adoption and 
iise in the printing of bibles, testaments, 
and prayer-books, upon certain terms and 
conditions highly advantageous to Mr. Wil- 
son ; for, with his Lordship’s characteristic 
generosity, Earl Stanhope has itniformly 
declined to accept even the reimbursement 
of any part of the monies by him expended 
in the prosecution of this ingeniou-s art. 
Some differences, however, arising between 
Mr. AVilson and the Syndics of the Uni^r- 
sity, the contract was dissolved and Mr. 
Wilson published Ifis case in a stereotyped 
pamphlet, entitled “Arbitration .between 
the University of Cainbridge and Andrew 
Wilson.” 
That Mr. Wilson might make out hie 
case more clearly, he has given a “ Compu- 
tation ot the nonpareil bible, — showing the 
expenditure by both methods of printing, 
upon composition, reading, wear of type, 
and charges of composition ; and upon pa- 
ger, press-work, charges on press-work, 
and insurance.” This computation is, of 
course, much in favour of the stereotype art; 
amounting indeed to nearly one half, or fifty 
per cent, saved by the new method. In 
addition to the saving attributed to ste- 
reotype printing, it is said that, as every 
page of the most extensive work has a 
separate plate, all the pages of the said 
work must be equally new and beautiful : 
which cannot be the case with single types, 
which are distributed and recomposed seve- 
ral times over in the course of a large 
work. The stereotype art also, it is said, 
possesses a security against error. This 
advantage is much insisted on by the friends 
ot the art; but with what consistency, 
we confess, does not immediately appear ; 
for, strange as it may seem, after all the 
care that we may naturally suppose was 
taken to render Mr. Wilson’s pamphlet a 
model of stereotype perfection, it is still 
not without its errata. 'J’he pamphlet con- 
sists of about forty- four pages ; and on the 
forty first page, in a line containing only 
two monosyllables, there is an error; {viz.) 
viod for void. There are one or two other 
trifling inaccuracies in the pamphlet ; which 
aftbrd demonstrative proof that 
“ AVhoever thinks a faultless piece to see, 
Thinks what ne’er was, nor is, nor e’er 
shall be.” 
Indeed, as every work hitherto stereo- 
typed clearly manifests, it is not possible 
that first editions of works should be more 
correct when stereotyped than when -print- 
ed in thecoramon way ; and it ought not to 
be forgotten that an error stereotyped in 
the first edition is perpetuated through 
every subsequent edition. It is said, that 
stereotype plates admit of alteration : this 
however, if carried to any extent, must be 
attended with a very considerable expense. 
In short, we think that the stereotype art 
has mud; the advantage of common print- 
ing in standard books of very extensive 
circulation and constant demand, and 
wherein no alteration, as to plan or size, is 
allowed ever to lake place : but for the com- 
mon and most gener al purposes of the art 
of printing, the method by moveable types 
is incomparably the best. 
The precise method adapted in stereo- 
type printing being hitherto a secret kno.wn 
only tolrfew, our readers will perceive that 
we can only, as wm have done, give a gene- 
ral history of the inveirtion. The mode of 
stereotype printing is, hovvever, generallyj 
