Then he Casts a Proof-Letter or two, and Rubs them: And with the Edge of a Knife cuts out what may remain in the bottom of the Shanck by reason of the un-even breaking, off of the Break that the square bottom of the Shanck may not be born off the Bottom-Ledge of the Lining-Stick.
But having till now said nothing of the Lining-Stick, it is proper before I proceed, to give a Description of it: It is delineated in Plate 19 at G. Where G is the Plain, a the Side-Ledge, b the Bottom-Ledge, c the Stilt, all made of Brass.
The Plain is exactly flat, Straight, and Smooth, that the Shancks of the Letter being likewise so, may lie flat and solidly on it. Its depth between the Bottom-Ledge, and the fore edge is about the length of the Shanck of the Letter: But the whole Plain of Brass is yet deeper; Because the Bottom-Ledge is fastned on it. The Lining-Stick is about two Inches long for small Letters; but longer for Big-Bodyed Letters.
Both Bottom and Side-Ledge, is a thin piece of Brass, from a Scaboard to a Pica thick, according as the Body whose Face and Foot-line is to be Justified in it is bigger or less. These two Ledges is an Inside Square exactly wrought, and with small Rivets fastned on the Side edge, and on the Bottom edge.
The Stilt is a thin flat piece of Brass-Plate about a Scaboard thick, and a Double-Pica broad: One of its edges is Soldered to the under-side of the Plain, about a Double-Pica within the fore-edge of the Plain, that the Lining-Stick (when set by with Proof-Letters in it) may not lie flat on its Bottom; but have its fore edge Tilted up, that the Letters in it may rest against the Bottom-Ledge.
Having cut the Notch in the Break of the Letters as aforesaid, He Rubs every side of them on the Stone, with two or three hard Rubs, to take off the small Rags that may happen on the Shanck of the Letter, notwithstanding the Mold is imagined to be very truly made and Justified.
The Stone is commonly a whole Grind-Stone, about eighteen Inches diameter, having both its sides truly Rub’d flat and smooth, by Jostling it (as Masons call it) upon another broad long and flat Stone with Sand and Water. It must have a fine, but very sharp Greet. Now to return.
He places a Quadrat of the same Body, on the Plain of the Lining-stick, and against the Side-Ledge of it He sets up three or four old m’s of the same Body: Then sets up his Proof-Letter or Letters, and after his Proof-Letter three or four old m’s more of the same Body; and being very careful that the Foot of the Shanck of the Letter stands full down against the Bottom-Ledge of the Lining-stick, He applies the edge of the Liner to the Faces of all these Letters: And if he finds that the edge of the Liner just touch (and no more) as well all the parts of his Proof-Letters as they do upon his old Letters, He concludes his Matrice is Sunk to a true Height against Paper.
But he seldom hopes for so good luck; but does more likely expect the Matrice is Sunk too deep or too shallow, and awry on the right and left side, or on the top or bottom of the Line, for all or any of these Faults the Liner will easily discover. Therefore I shall shew you how he Justifies a Matrice that is too High against Paper.
We will suppose the Face of the Punch is Sunk flat and straight down into the Matrice; but yet it is a little too deep Sunk. Therefore he considers how much it is too deep: If it be but a little too deep, perhaps when the Face of the Matrice shall be made exactly flat (for yet it is but Rough-Filed) it may be wrought down to be just of an Height against Paper. But if the Punch be Sunk so much too deep that the smoothing the flat of the Face on the Using-File will not work it low enough; then with a Bastard-cut flat-File, he takes off (according to his Discretion) so much Copper from the Face of the Matrice as will make it so much nearer as he thinks it wants to the Face of the Letter. But yet considers that the Face of the Matrice is yet to smoothen on the Using-File, and therefore he is careful not to take too much off the Face of the Matrice with the Rough-File.