The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-19

the labor of feeding them is very light Thus
are made the trimmings which we saw in the
great bags below.
But the back of the book must not be fat !;
so there is Rounder, to curve it; and the
covers being made before the leaves are sewed
and rounded, another machine is necessary to
conform the width to the distance between the
boards. This has the unpoetical and inhar-
monious name of Backing Machine.
Before we see the book covered, we must
enter the room of the superintendent of all
these different operations and learn about the
ornamenting processes, which require an art
lists eye and skill, not only in him who directs,
but in those who execute. Here are seen, in
their several stages of completion, those elegant
embossed and leather mosaics, richly gilt-cov-
cred and giltedged quartos and folios, which
adorn the centre tables of the rich.
When figures or letters are stamped with
gold, the whole surface is covered with the pre-.
cious dust by girls who are called Layerson,
and by whom they are transferred to the Stamp.
En-, who makes the desired impression by means
of powerful enclosing presses, every figure
and letter being first engraved upon Brass
Plates.
If the leaves are to be gilt, it is the special
office of an Edge-gilder; if to be spotted, it is
done by Sprinkler; and if to be marbled, by
q Warbler. This last is curious process, and
one l had thought least about. A shallow zinc
tray is filed with water, and around it stand
little pots of dry paint, exhibiting all the colors
of the rainbow. A brush is dipped into each,
and the several colors sprinkled upon the sur
face of the water, varying the quantity of dark
or light according to the shade or pattern de-
sired. 1t then assumes the appearance of
waves, by passing through it a coarse or fine
toothed comb, adapting it to the purpose for
which it is intended. The surface of the leaves
or sheets to be marbled are covered with rice
glue, and then drawn lightly over the surface,
and come up out of the water dry, and bright
with many colors. In this department there ia
great room for the exercise of taste; and the
varied and beautiful patterns we have for our
fancy work prove that men and women of taste
are thus employed.
To finish the book, there are still a Cdsema.
ker and Pdster-doicn, who pastes the leaves into
the covers smooth and even; Finishers and As
sistdnts-who having all ended their labors, the
whole becomes book, and is placed in press
to be rendered compact and tight. In all,
twenty-five different processes are necessary,
after the manuscript leaves the authors hands,
before it becomes volume fit to put before the
readers eyes; and very marvellous it seems,
that books are so cheap, with 80 much labor by
authors, printers, and binders.
We have fingered long, though we have dwelt
but moment upon the several details, for
which we are indebted to Mr.. Matthews, the
accomplished superintendent of the bindery in
this establishment, who is an amateur in his
art Yet we must take peep at the ponder
GUS engines in the basement, which keep the
printing presses and all the minor machinery
in motion, the pipes by which steam is convey
ed to every room in case of fire, and the i'm
mense stone vaults which contain the stereo-
type plates when not in use. And then, as we
wander over the spacious building, in Broad.
way, where are displayed to the best advantage
the light and the ponderous tones in all their
grand array, we remember the two most oft
repeated maxims in political economy, that
"the demand creates the supply" and if it
were not profitable, men would not do t." and
we must conclude that this is a reading coun.
try, and ours especially reading age. When
we REMAINDER, too, that from this press issue
only books which are books" we must believe
that the world is progressing, and men and
women are not the degenerate beings nissan
thropes and croakers sometimes depict them
MINNIE MYRTLE.