> 
National Institute of France, 
to multiply moveable characters in solid 
blocks or plates, under the denomination 
of inonotypage, or of struck types, 
Soon after obtaining their respective 
patents, Pierre Didot, the elder; Firmin 
Didoi, his brother; and Louis Etienne 
Herhan, published a prospectus, wherem 
they announce their having centered into 
partnership, with a view to accelerate 
the publication of stereotype editions, 
&c. In this paper, they assume a high 
degree of merit as to the point of cor- 
rectness; for even admitting that some 
faults may have crept into the first 
prools, it will be easy to correct them on 
tlre form, which is always kept up, before 
a new Impres+ion is taken off. The first 
work which they promised to publish, 
was a Virgil in eighteens, consisting of 
about four hundred pages, the printed 
copies of which they were to sell (embel- 
lished with a geographical map and vig- 
hettes,) at fifteen sols each; and the-forms 
for printing, after the rate of three francs 
a page; so that for about twelve hundred 
francs, the compleat elements of the 
works of Virgil may be had in. perne- 
tuity, stereotyped; that is to say, all com- 
‘posed in solid forms and ready for the 
‘press. In case any of the forms should 
be spoiled or lost, the authors of the 
Prospectus engage to furnish another 
after the rate of ten francs. Exclusively 
of the advantages of the most correct 
text, of the price much more moderate, 
as the copies beiagonly printed of in pro- 
portion to the demand, there will neither 
be an advance.of paper, nor charge for 
warehouse-room ; the new editors ens 
gage, that if a volume, forming part of a 
collection, should be lost, to replace it, 
at prime cost, as they have always the 
forms in their own haids. 
The publication of this prospectus, 
gave rise to observations from the critics, 
but it was nevertheless admitted that 
the type of the new plate was much more 
elegant, and also more correct than the — 
plates of ilofimann. The point on which 
most discussion was excited, was the 
accuracy of the calculations respecting 
economy: here the author interposes his 
opinion, that the question depends on 
the sort of buoks that are stereotyped. 
If it relates to books, of which only a 
small number of copies are sold, or that 
many editions are not wanted, or no 
fresh ones at all, stergotyping would be a 
Josing concern. On the other hand, he 
asscits, that sure and permanent adyan- 
631 
tages may be derived from solid forms, 
with respect to books, great numbers of 
which are wanted, and particularly at 
certain periods, such as school books, &c. 
The three partners continued their 
labours, and an the same year they 
published their Virgil, (45 sous common 
paper), and afterwards, their Phedrus, 
and successively many other authors, of 
which their collection is formed. 
On the sixth Vendemaire, year seven, 
T repaired, says the author, to the apart- 
ments of Pierre Didot at the Louvre, and 
was an eye-witness of the different parts 
of his process. There are two thinys, 
he proceeds, of which [ must not give an 
account, viz. the composition of the me- 
tal which the three partners make use of 
to fourm the plate in moveable characters, 
which serves them for a punch and 
one part of the metalin which they lay 
this punch, in order to make. a ma- 
trix, As no secrecy was desired, as to 
other parts of their process, the author 
proceeds to describe them; the detail of 
which he concludes, by saying, “ such 
was the state of the process employed in 
polytypage and stereotype, by Didot and 
Herban, about the end of the year six. 
About the same time, Bouvier one of 
the artists employed in the fabrication of 
assignats, had polytyped very successe 
fully an impression plate by a process 
different from thatof the two Didots and 
of Uerhan, His polytyped plate is in 
copper, andthe foot is ina cast of ar- 
gillaceous earth. A report was made ta 
government, twentieth Fructidor, year 6, 
of the printing of this plate, as likewise, 
of several other works executed by this 
artist. 
Since the termination of the year six, 
Pierre and Firmin Didot have contiaued 
to publish a number of stereotype edi- 
tions, and Herhan has employed himself 
in brining to periection the process spe- 
eificd in his patent, dated Sd Nivose, 
year 6. Hlerhan has. since obtain- 
ed from government (2d Brumaire, 
year 8) a ‘certificate specifying certain 
additions and improvements in his me- 
thod of printing with solid forms, produs 
ced from moveable matrixes, 
Bouvier has lkewise given a wider 
range to his operations, having applied 
them to several other subjects, and among 
others, to music; and he obtained, seventh 
Viimaire, year 9, a patent securing” 
to him the property of ,his invene 
tions. % 
GENERAL 
