Page:Cowie's Printer's pocket-book and manual.djvu/26

18 This preparation being made, we take that part of the copy for calculation nearest the general tendency of the writing, and reckon the number of words contained in one line, previously counting a number of separate lines, so that the one we adopt may be a fair average; we then take the number of lines in a page, and multiply the one by the other, which we again multiply by the quantity of folios the manuscript copy may contain, and thus we are put in possession of the amount of the words contained in the work, with as little loss of time and as much accuracy as circumstances will admit; the necessary allowances should then be made for break lines, chapters, insertions, &c. according to the observations previously made on the memorandum.

If the information has been furnished, what sized letter the work is to be done in, and what the width of the page, we make our measure accordingly, and after composing a few lines of the manuscript copy, are enabled to form an opinion what number of words come into each printed line; we then take the length of our page, generally to double the number of ems contained in a single line, and multiply the one by the other, which produces the information we had previously gained from the adoption of the same mode on the manuscript page; we compare their results, and if the manuscript drives out, we multiply the print by a larger number than the last folio of the writing, and so, vice versá; if the print drives out, we multiply it by a less, until we bring the number of words to agree; the multiplier on the printed calculation will shew what will be the last folio of the printed volume, which we divide into sheets according to the given size of the work, and we are then in full possession, whether it will bear to be leaded, or the chapters begin pages, &c. or whether it must be made up close, the measure widened, the page lengthened, or the size of the letter reduced.

Should the size of the page and letter be left to the opinion of the printer, with no other order than the number of sheets