Page:Historic printing types, a lecture read before the Grolier club of New York, January 25, 1885, with additions and new illustrations; by De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914; Grolier Club.djvu/102

 98 HISTORIC FEINTING TYPES. lars. of which the machine invented by G-eorge P. Gordon Changes made by invention may be offered as one of the earliest and the most popular. ing machines. These machines enabled letter-press printers to print many varieties of printing which had been done only by litho- graphers and copper-plate printers. Clean, sharp impres- sions were easily obtained on the new machines when dry and smooth paper was used against a hard, inelastic resist- ing surface. After some years of successful practice of this method, the process of dry printing was adopted on the larger machines used for book printing, with similar results. This attempted rivalry with copper-plate, previously no- ticed, has made great changes in the perspicuity of books. The firm presswork of the last century, the clearness of text which makes reading a delight, has well-nigh disappeared. We have in recent books more careful presswork from types of graceful proportions ; but the color of the print is too often more gray than black, the lines are weak, the letters "run together," and are dazzling and confusing, a never-ending annoyance to men of failing eyesight. Types printed work made sharp enough by the type-founder are made still new methods, sharper by feeble presswork. The modern pressman is daily enjoined not to over-color, not to thicken hair line, not to wear out plates or types. 1 Cautions like these induce him to take the safe side; he gives as little ink and as i Unwillingness to wear out plates, publisher's objection to strong press- or to pay for the time of the pressman work. But some wear is unavoidable, who tries to prevent or lighten this Printing is impression, and impression wear, is the underlying motive of the means wear.