and type-makers must be consulted for the composition of the metal, and for the flux for running it clean and clear, so that no vacuities be left; for which purpose, I am told that the funnel, by which the melted metal is poured in, being made large, and the filling it with the melted metal after the mould is full, are of use to make the letter everywhere full and complete. For, by the weight of the metal in the funnel, the liquid metal in the mould is pressed into every crevice. The funnel's extending the whole length of one of the sides gives, likewise, free vent to the air.

Or, after a page shall be composed, as before mentioned, and the types and matrices well secured in a frame upon a strong plate, they may, by a screw, be pressed upon a sheet of melted lead, and thereby a plate of lead be procured, representing, as the former, a page composed of types for printing. Which of the methods are most practicable, artists can best determine.

After the page shall be thus formed, the matrices may be loosened and dispersed into their proper boxes, and may serve for as many other pages as types in common printing do.

When a number of pages, sufficient for a sheet, are thus made, they may be carried to any printing-press, and such a number of sheets as shall be thought proper be cast off, and then be laid by till more copies be wanted.

I choose an octavo page, because, if the page-title and page-number be left out, as likewise the directions and signatures at the foot of the page, by joining two pages together, it may be made a quarto, or by joining four, a folio. Thus several editions, in octavo, quarto, and folio, may at once be made, to suit every buyer's humor.

The page-titles, number, and bottom signatures may

be cast in small moulds apart, and joined, as may be proper.

The most convenient size of a page is that of small paper, so as to fill it up, and to leave very little margin ; then by adding the page-titles, or marginal notes, or notes at the bottom, all cast in frames separately, the large paper may be sufficiently filled.

I believe that this method of printing, every thing considered, will not be more chargeable than the common method. A thousand, or some thousands sometimes, of copies are cast off at once in the common method, and the paper and pressman's labor of what is not speedily sold may or must lie dead for some years; whereas, in this method, no more need be cast off at a time than may well be supposed to sell speedily. If I be not mistaken, the metal necessary for one sheet will not exceed the value of four hundred sheets of paper, and in the common method several hundred sheets lie useless for, sometimes, many years. If the book should not answer, there is a great loss in the paper; whereas the metal used in this method retains its intrinsic value.

I shall instance some of the advantages in this method, which induce me to communicate my thoughts to others.

1. An author by this means can secure the property of his own labor.

2. A correct edition is at all times secured, and therefore may be useful in the classics, trigonometrical tables, &c.

3. A weak and ignorant attempt on the same subject will be discouraged; for, as a new edition of a valuable book is continually secured, without any new expense, booksellers will not readily hazard the publishing of books of the same nature.

4. But what I chiefly value this method of printing for, is, from the advantages it gives an author in making his work perfect, and in freeing it from mistakes; for, by printing off a few copies of any sheet, and sending them among his friends, and by suffering them to fall into the hands of a malevolent critic, he may have an opportunity of correcting his mistakes, before they appear to the world. By the same means he may make his work more complete than otherwise he could, by the assistance which his friends may give him in several parts of it. It is for these reasons chiefly, that propose the plates not to exceed an octavo page, and to have no signatures; for in case of a mistake, the loss of one page may correct the error, and, where improvements or additions are necessary, as many pages may be intermixed as shall be necessary, without any inconvenience, and small explications may be made by the marginal notes.

I

Lastly. The greatest advantage I conceive will be in the learned sciences; for they often require a long time to bring them to perfection, and require the assistance of others in many particulars. Many a valuable piece has been lost to the world by the author dying before he could bring his work to the perfection he designed. Now, by the assistance which he may have by this method from others, this time may be much shortened, and the progress he has made may be preserved for others to continue in case of his death. An author may publish his work in parts, and shall continue, in many cases, to complete and make them more perfect without any loss of what was done before. By this method likewise, a man of learning, when poor, may leave some part of his estate in his own way for a child, as mechanics often do for theirs.

Whether the method I propose will answer the end

designed, or whether it be practicable, I cannot with sufficient assurance say; because we have no artists in this country who can make the experiment, neither can they have encouragement sufficient to tempt them to make the trial. However, I hope to be excused, by the use of the design, and as it may chance to give some hint to a skilful person to perform effectually what I only aim at in vain.

If the charge of lead or metal plates be thought too great, I know not but that the impression may be made on thin planes of some kinds of wood, such as lime tree or poplar, which have a soft, smooth grain when green, and are hard and smooth when dry.

Ever since I had the pleasure of a conversation with you, though very short, by our accidental meeting on the road, I have been very desirous to engage you in a correspondence. You were pleased to take some notice of a method of printing, which I mentioned to you at that time, and to think it practicable. I have no further concern for it than as it may be useful to the public; my reasons for thinking so, you will find in the enclosed copy of a paper, which I last year sent to Mr. Collinson in London. Perhaps my fondness for my own conceptions may make me think more of it than it deserves, and may make me jealous that the common printers are willing to discourage, out of private interest, any discovery of this sort. But as you have given me reason to think you zealous in promoting every useful attempt, you will be able absolutely to determine my opinion of it.

I long very much to hear what you have done in your scheme of erecting a society at Philadelphia for promoting of useful arts and sciences in America. If you think of any thing in my power, whereby I can promote so useful an undertaking, I will with much

pleasure receive your instructions for that end. As my son Cadwallader bears this, I thereby think myself secured of the pleasure of a line from you by him.*

SIR,

TO CADWALLADER COLDEN.

Philadelphia, 4 November, 1743.

I received the favor of yours, with the proposal for a new method of printing, which I am much pleased with; and, since you express some confidence in my opinion, I shall consider it very attentively and particularly, and in a post or two send you some observations on every article.†

My long absence from home in the summer put my business so much behindhand, that I have been in a continual hurry ever since my return, and had no leisure to forward the scheme of the Society. But that hurry being now near over, I purpose to proceed in the affair very soon, your approbation being no small encourage

ment to me.

I cannot but be fond of engaging in a correspondence so advantageous to me as yours must be. I shall always receive your favors as such, and with great pleasure.

I wish I could by any means have made your son's longer stay here as agreeable to him, as it would have been to those who began to be acquainted with him. I am, Sir, with much respect,

Your most humble servant,

B. FRANKLIN.

* The process here described, which was evidently an original invention of Mr. Colden, has some resemblance to the early attempts at stereotype printing. - EDITOR.

These observations have not been found. — EDITOR.

VOL. VI.

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