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HISTORY OF PRINTING.

ous printing patents from the time of Nicholson, and he will find that they have become so in- volred in each other's ideas, that they cannot claim an exclusive right as a whole to any subsequent machine. To give a minute des- cription of these different machines, would far exceed our limits, even if within our power.

The prejudice against cylindrical printing led to very numerousand expensive attempts to apply steam power to machines with flat printing sur- faces. Some of those made by Mr. Napier have succeeded tolerably well, but they were never found to equal, either in point of expedition, quality of work, or economy, the cylindrical machine. To produce an impression with a flat surface from a large form, requires a force of about forty to fifty tons! and even with a cylin- der, where a line only is impressed at a time, the pressure is little short of a ton. But, in the machine, to prevent any undue pressure of the cylinders upon the forms, there are wooden bearers of the same height as the types, screwed upon the end of the carriage under the ends of the cylinders; thus effectually shielding the types from the enormous and injurious pressure which a cylinder might, through accident or otherwise, be caused to exert.

A peculiar machine, the invention of Mr. Cowper, intended to print from convex stereo- type plates, which, instead of being fixed flat upon Dlocks, are fastened upon cylinders, so as to give them a bent form, and the printing is effected with the face of the plates or t3rpe sur- face downwards; wherefore the paper is placed undermost instead of uppermost, as in all other modes of printing.*

By the erection of steam presses, the three grand requisites, speediness of execution, quan- tity, and cheapness of labour, are procured to an extent demanded by the necessities of the age, and, without the aid of such machinery, the tide of knowledge and human improvement would be forced back greatly to the injury of society. Whatever may nave been the prejudices of the profession with regard to cylmcuical printing, the experience of a few years proved now ill- founded were those melancholy anticipations. — With the aid of stereotyping, the press of Eng- land presents the most (extraordinary combina- tion of intellectual and mechanical power in the world; and is, not only the means of disseminat- ing knowledge among her own population, but also the high moral advantage oi giving a tone to the literature of other nations, which shall be favourable to peace, and a right understanding of the common interests of mankind. Judging from the extraordinary perfection to which ma- chine printing has been brought, it might justly appear that no further improvements could be effected on this department of the art of printing. But there is no discovered limit to human inge- nui^. Every year is producing some curious if

for a method ot casttDg uul fixing metallic t)rpe« npon cjrUnden, Sept. |8|9.
 * Mr JonaUian IUdg«va]r, of London, obtained a patent

not valuable addition to printing machinery, and at present no one can foresee the termination to this as well as any other class of improvementt within the compass of British manufacturing industry.

1814. The Holy BihU, toith the Apocrypha, illustrated with one thousand and fiily engrav- ings, by the first artists, both ancient and modetn, ruled with red lines throughout, and bound in nine volumes 4to. This bible is known by the name of Fittler's,* the engraver.

1814. The Military Magazine, edited by captain Fairman, formerly of the Northamphm militia, and afterwards aide-de-camp and mifi. tary secretai^ to the governor and commander in chief of CuIa4^>a. He also attracted some notice by hb pedestrian performances.

1814. 7%e TVotieinum, a monthly publicatiog, edited by John Clennel, F. S. A. oil Hackney.

1814. TAcP/iitanfArdput, published quarterly.

1814. Seren Gormer, a weekly newspapei in the Welsh language, edited, printed, ana pub- lished by David Jenkins, at Swansea, in Soudi Wales. Mr. Jenkins died in May, 1822.

1814. The Manchester Magazine; or, Ckro. nicle of the Timei, published monthly,by Joseph Hemingway and Martin Began, price It.

1814, Sept. 10. The Durtiam County Aim. titer. No. 1, was published in Durham, under the firm of Francis Humble and Co. This vis originally the Newcaitle AdverCiter, and aha having had various owners, was removed to Durham. It is at present (April, 1838,) pub- lished by Mr. Francis Humble.

1816, Jan. 1. Died, William Creech, book. seller, Edinburgh, of which city he had tha honour of being twice lord provost, and when for half a century he was known to almost eveiy family. He was the son of a most respectable clergyman, minister of Newbattle, and received a very complete classical education. In 1771, he succeeded to that part of the business of fail early friend and patron, Mr. Kincard, at that time his majesty's printer for Scotland, which was not connected with the patent of lane's printer. He continued in this business for uie long period of fifty-four years, and was con- cemea in all the principal publications daring that time. He was well-fitted to be an orna- ment to society : with a mind highly gifted and improved, he possessed the most pleasing man- ners, and that habitual cheerfulness and playful- ness of fancy which rendered his company bo fascinating. The frequent light pieces and essays which came from his pen, evinced the elegance of his taste, his knowledge of charac- ter, and his capability of a higher attainment in composition, if he had chosen to aim at it. Several of these essays were afterwards collected into one vol.8vo.1791, eatiHed'EdinburghFugitite Pieces, to which a portrait of him is prefixed.

'James Fittler, engraver to hiii majesty, pnlilitlied Scotia Depicta, or Uu anHguilia, caitlet, puiUc IndUif, genitempCt koU, totpiu and pictwetque tceiury of Scot- latidt from drawingt by Nattett acajtmpanied with Iftttr- prm i—cription; imp. long 4to. 1601.

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