His care in the choice of these Cases is, That the Wood they are made of be well-season’d Stuff.

That the Partitions be strong, and true let into one another, and that the ends fill up and stand firm in the Grooves of the Frame and middle Rail of the Case.

There is an inconvenience that often happens, these thin Partitions, especially if they be made of unseason’d Stuff, viz. as the Stuff dries it shrinks in the Grooves of the Frame, and so not only grows loose, but sometimes starts out above the top of the Frame. To prevent this inconvenience, I have of late caused the ends of these thin partitions to be made Male-Duf-tails, broadest on the under-side, and have them fitted into Female-Duf-tails in the Frame of the Case, and middle Rail before the bottom Boards are nailed on.

That the Partitions be full an English Body thick.

That the Partitions lye close to the bottom of the Case, that so the Letters slide not through an upper into an under Box, when the Papers of the Boxes may be worn.

§. 4. Of Frames to set the Cases on.

Frames are in most Printing-Houses made of thick Deal-board Battens, having their several Rails Tennanted into the Stiles: but these sorts of Frames are, in respect of their matter (viz. Fir) so weak, and in respect of their substance (viz. little above an Inch thick) so slight, that experience teaches us, when they are even new made, they tremble and totter, and having lasted a little while, the thinness of their Tennants being a little above a quarter of an Inch thick, according to the Rules of Joynery, as I have shewn in Numb. 5. §. 17. They Craze, their Tennants break, or Mortesses split, and put the Master-Printer to a fresh Charge.

It is rationally to be imagined that the Frames should be designed to last as long as the Printing-house; and therefore our Master-Printer ought to take care that they be made of matter strong enough, and of substance big enough to do the Service they are intended for; that they stand substantial and firm in their place, so as a small Jostle against them shake them not, which often reiterated weakens the Frame-work, and at that present is subject to shake the Letter in the Galley down.

I shall not offer to impose Rules upon any here, especially since I have no Authority from Prescript or Custom; yet I shall set down the Scantlings that I my self thought fit to use on this occasion. A Delineation of the Frames are in Plate 1. at C.