In some other empty place of the Room (least frequented) he causes so many Nest-Frames to be made as he thinks convenient to hold the Cases that may lye out of present use; and the Letter-boards with Forms set by on them, that both the Cases and the Forms may be the better secured from running to Pye.
Having thus contrived the several Offices of the Room, He furnishes it with Letters, Presses, Cases, Chases, Furniture, &c. Of each of which in Order.
¶. 2. Of Letter.
He provides a Fount (properly a Fund) of Letter of all Bodies; for most Printing-Houses have all except the two first, viz. Pearl, Nomparel, Brevier, Long-Primmer, Pica, English, Great-Primmer, Double-Pica, Two-Lin’d-English, Great-Cannon.
These are the Bodies most of use in England; But the Dutch have several other Bodies: which because there is little and almost no perceivable difference from some of these mentioned, I think they are not worth naming. Yet we have one Body more which is sometimes used in England; that is a Small Pica, but I account it no great discretion in a Master-Printer to provide it; because it differs so little from the Pica, that unless the Workmen be carefuller than they sometimes are, it may be mingled with the Pica, and so the Beauty of both Founts may be spoil’d.
These aforesaid Bodies are commonly Cast with a Romain, Italica, and sometimes an English Face. He also provides some Bodies with the Musick, the Greek, the Hebrew, and the Syriack Face: But these, or some of these, as he reckons his oppertunities may be to use them.
And that the Reader may the better understand the sizes of these several Bodies, I shall give him this Table following; wherein is set down the number of each Body that is contained in one Foot.
| Pearl, | 184 | } | |
| Nomparel, | 150 | } | |
| Brevier, | 112 | } | |
| Long-Primmer, | 92 | } | |
| Pica, | 75 | } | contained in one Foot. |
| English, | 66 | } | |
| Great-Primmer, | 50 | } | |
| Double-Pica, | 38 | } | |
| Two-Lin’d English, | 33 | } | |
| Great-Cannon. | 17½ | } |
His care in the choice of these Letters are,
First, That the Letter have a true shape: Which he may know, as by the §. of Letter-Cutting.