PREFACE, 
a. r *. 
About the year mdcccxx-xxi, being 
then resident at my father’s house 
in Elgin, my attention was one day 
attracted by about half a dozen of 
printer’s types of a small size, which 
happened to fall in my way. 
In endeavouring to form a particu¬ 
lar word oat of these, I found I wanted 
one letter ; but necessitas inventionis 
mater e$t 9 and I attempted to supply 
the deffciency by manufacturing one 
of lead, which, though clumsy enough, 
made a shift for the occasion. 
1 now began to imagine it might not 
bo a very difficult matter for me— 
having at that time a leisure hour or 
or two daily—to make as many types 
as would print a Book, although, in- 
Aa 
