The American Printer: A Manual of Typography / Containing practical directions for managing all departments of a printing office, as well as complete instructions for apprentices; with several useful tables, numerous schemes for imposing forms in every variety, hints to authors, etc.

by Thomas MacKellar

CASTING OFF COPY.

To cast off manuscript with accuracy and precision is a task which requires great attention and mature deliberation. The trouble and difficulty are much increased when the copy is not only irregularly written, (which is generally the case,) but also abounds with interlineations, erasures, and variations in the size of paper. At times, so numerous are the alterations and additions as to baffle the skill and judgment of the most experienced calculators of copy. Such an imperfect and slovenly mode of sending works to the press cannot be too strongly censured.

The first step necessary is to take a comprehensive view of the copy, noticing whether it has been written even or has many interlineations, &c., and observing also the number of break-lines, and whether the work be divided into chapters and sub-heads, in order that allowance may be made for them in the calculation. These observations may be noted on a separate piece of paper, to assist the memory and save the trouble of re-examining the manuscript.

This preparation being made, we ascertain the number of words contained in the line by counting several separate lines in various parts of the copy, so that the one we adopt may be a fair average. We then take the number of lines in a page, and multiply by the number of words found in the average line: the result we then multiply by the quantity of folios the manuscript copy may contain, and thus we get the amount of words contained in the work with a tolerable degree of accuracy. The necessary allowances should be made for break-lines, chapters, insertions, &c., according to the observations previously made on the memorandum.

If information has been furnished as to the size of letter the work is to be done in and the width of the page, we make our measure accordingly, and, by composing a few lines of the manuscript copy, we ascertain what number of words will come into each printed line: we then take the length of our page in lines, and multiply the one by the other, thus getting the number of words in the printed page. We divide the whole number of words in the manuscript by the number contained in the printed page: the quotient gives the number of pages the manuscript will make. If too many, the page must be enlarged; if too few, the page must be diminished in width and length. For example:—We take the number of words in a line of manuscript at 20, the lines in a page at 50; we multiply 50 by 20, which will produce 1000 words in a page; we then multiply 1000 by 422, the number of folios in the manuscript, and we find that it contains 422,000 words. The work being printed in Pica octavo, 20 ems measure, and each line containing 10 words, each page 40 lines, the case will stand thus:—

MANUSCRIPT.

50
20
1000
422
2000
2000
4000
422000	words in MS.

PRINTED.

40
10
400	)422000	words in MS.
	1055	pages.
Divide
	16)1055	(65 sheets,
		15 pages.

Another method for casting off copy is the following, as laid down by a predecessor:—

“After having made the measure for the work, we set a line of the letter that is designed for it, and take notice how much copy will come into the line in the stick,—whether less or more than a line of manuscript; and, as it is seldom that neither one nor the other happens, we make a mark in the copy where the line in the stick ends, and number the words that it contains. But, as this is not the safest way for casting off close, we count not only the syllables, but even the letters, that are in a line in the stick, of which we make a memorandum, and proceed to set off a second, third, or fourth line, till a line of copy falls even with a line in the stick; and, as we did to the first line in the stick, so we do to the other, marking on the manuscript the end of each line in the stick, and telling the letters in each, to see how they balance against each other. This being carefully done, we begin counting off, each time, as many lines of copy as we know will make even lines in the stick. For example, if 2 lines of copy make 3 lines in print, then 4 make 6, 6 make 9, 8 make 12, and so on, calling every two lines of copy three in print. In like manner we say, if 4 lines make 5, then 8 make 10, and so on, comparing every four lines of copy to five lines in print. And in this manner we carry our calculation on as far as we have occasion, either for pages, forms, or sheets.

The foregoing calculations are intended to serve where a line of print takes in less than a line of copy; and, therefore, where a line of print takes in more than a line of copy, the problem is reversed, and, instead of saying, if 2 lines make 3, we say, in this case, if 3 lines of copy make 2 lines in print, then 6 lines make 4, 9 make 6, 12 make 8, and so on, counting three lines of copy to make two lines in print. In this manner we may carry our calculation to what number of pages, forms, or sheets we will, remembering always to count off as many lines of copy at once as we have found they will make even lines in the stick. Thus, for example, if 5 lines make 7, the progression of 5 is 10, 15, 20, &c., and the progression of 7 will be 14, 21, 28, &c.

In counting off copy, we take notice of the breaks; and where we judge that one will drive out, we intimate it by a mark of this shape [; and again, where we find that a break will get in, we invert it, thus, ]. And to render these marks conspicuous to the compositor, we write them in the margin, that he may take timely notice, and keep his matter accordingly. We also take care to make proper allowance for heads to chapters, sections, paragraphs, &c.

In examining the state of the copy, we must observe whether it has abbreviations, that we may guard against them in casting off, and allow for them according to the extent of the respective words when written out at length.”

The foregoing will convey a sufficient idea as to the best mode of casting off copy; still, these remarks more properly apply to regularly written and thoroughly revised copy. Upon this subject, Smith justly observes,—

“But how often one or more of these requisites are wanting, compositors can best tell; though very few will imagine that among men of learning there should be some who write after such a manner that even those who live by transcribing rather shun than crave to be employed by them: no wonder, therefore, if compositors express not the best wishes to such promoters of printing. But it is not always the capacious genius that ought to be excused for writing in too great a hurry; for sometimes those of no exuberant brains affect uncouth writing, on purpose to strengthen the common notion that the more learned the man, the worse is his (hand) writing; which shows that writing well or bad is but a habit with those that can write.”