I confess this piece of Judgement, viz. knowing of true Shape, may admit of some controversy, because neither the Ancients whom we received the knowledge of these Letters from, nor any other authentick Authority have delivered us Rules, either to make or know true shape by: And therefore it may be objected that every one that makes Letters but tolerably like Romain, Italick, &c. may pretend his to be true shap’d.
To this I answer, that though we can plead no Ancient Authority for the shape of Letters, yet doubtless (if we judge rationally) we must conclude that the Romain Letters were Originally invented and contrived to be made and consist of Circles, Arches of Circles, and straight Lines; and therefore those Letters that have these Figures, either entire, or else properly mixt, so as the Course and Progress of the Pen may best admit, may deserve the name of true Shape, rather than those that have not.
Besides, Since the late made Dutch-Letters are so generally, and indeed most deservedly accounted the best, as for their Shape, consisting so exactly of Mathematical Regular Figures as aforesaid, And for the commodious Fatness they have beyond other Letters, which easing the Eyes in Reading, renders them more Legible; As also the true placing their Fats and their Leans, with the sweet driving them into one another, and indeed all the accomplishments that can render Letter regular and beautiful, do more visibly appear in them than in any Letters Cut by any other People: And therefore I think we may account the Rules they were made by, to be the Rules of true shap’d Letters.
For my own part, I liked their Letters so well, especially those that were Cut by Christophel Van Dijck of Amsterdam, that I set my self to examine the Proportions of all and every the parts and Members of every Letter, and was so well pleased with the Harmony and Decorum of their Symetrie, and found so much Regularity in every part, and so good reason for his Order and Method, that I examined the biggest of his Letters with Glasses, which so magnified the whole Letter, that I could easily distinguish, and with small Deviders measure off the size, scituation and form of every part, and the proportion every part bore to the whole; and for my own future satisfaction collected my Observations into a Book, which I have inserted in my Exercises on Letter-Cutting. For therein I have exhibited to the World the true Shape of Christophel Van Dijcks aforesaid Letters, largely Engraven in Copper Plates.
Whence I conclude, That since common consent of Book-men assign the Garland to the Dutch-Letters as of late Cut, and that now those Letters are reduced unto a Rule, I think the Objection is Answered; And our Master-Printers care in the choice of good and true shap’d Letters is no difficult Task: For if it be a large Bodied Letter, as English, Great-Primmer and upwards, it will shew it self; and if it be small, as Pearl, Nomparel, &c. though it may be difficult to judge the exact Symetry with the naked Eye, yet by the help of a Magnifying-Glass or two if occasion be, even those small Letters will appear as large as the biggest Bodied Letters shall to the naked Eye: And then it will be no difficult Task to judge of the Order and Decorum even of the smallest Bodied Letters. For indeed, to my wonder and astonishment, I have observ’d V. Dijcks Pearl Dutch Letters in Glasses that have Magnified them to great Letters, and found the whole Shape bear such true proportion to his great Letters, both for the Thickness, Shape, Fats and Leans, as if with Compasses he could have measur’d and set off in that small compass every particular Member, and the true breadth of every Fat and Lean Stroak in each Letter, not to exceed or want (when magnified) of Letter Cut to the Body it was Magnified to.
His second care in the choice of Letters is, That they be deep Cut; for then they will Print clear the longer, and be less subject to entertain Picks.
His third care, That they be deep sunck in the Matrices least the bottom line of a Page Beard. Yet though they be deep sunk, His care ought to be to see the Beard also well cut off by the Founder.
And a Fourth Care in the choice of Letter is, That his Letter be Cast upon good Mettal, that it may last the longer.
Of each Body he provides a Fount suitable to such sorts of Work as he designs to do; But he provides not an equal weight of every Fount; Because all these Bodies are not in equal use: For the Long-Primmer, Pica and English are the Bodies that are generally most used; And therefore he provides very large Founts of these, viz. of the Long-Primmer in a small Printing-House, Five hundred Pounds weight Romain and Italica, whereof One hundred and fifty Pounds may be Italica. Of the Pica and English, Roman and Italica, Eight, Nine hundred, or a Thousand Pounds weight: when as of other Founts Three or Four hundred Pounds weight is accounted a good Fount: And of the Cannon and Great-Cannon, One hundred Pounds or somewhat less may serve his turn; Because the common use of them is to set Titles with.
Besides Letters he Provides Characters of Astronomical Signs, Planets, Aspects, Algebraical Characters, Physical and Chimical Characters, &c. And these of several of the most used Bodies.