Year: 1870

From the Printers circular of MAY -..
The subject of fast type-setting is at pres.
ent meeting with considerable attention at
the hands of printers, and we frequently
receive communications asking our advice
as to the best and surest method of becom.
ing an expert, An answer here to the fol
lowing will probably save us from writing
numerous others; and as the suggestions
are given rather as aids to the desired end
than infallible rules, they may possibly
prove acceptable to others than beginners:


80 = fN' New YORK, April IA, 1870.


To Lte Ellhor Of the Printers' G5-cadar:


SIR: The fact OF certain compositors being
able to set type much more rapidly than 9TH
ers, has often led me to qnery in my own
mind the cause of it. After having s udied
this question closely, both experimentaly
and theoretically, have concluded that there
can be but two causes: he who is a ''slOw"
compositor (and they are by no means scarce)
has either not had q thorough apprenticeship,
or else there is "a trick jn the trade" which
the great majority OF compOsitors have failed
to recognize. Occupying the position you
do, and being conversant W tn all topics and
publications connected with Typography,
deem you more competent to give crlIislt-
eminent on this subject than any one know
OF. What want to know is simply this Do
you believe In systematic with reference to
speed, of course, y type setting2 or, in other
words, is there practical key to fast type
setting2 -. W. a. M


We do believe in systematic type
setting, and systematic ype-distributinq
also, as the latter, by giving the compost
tor confidence in his case, will be found to
materially accelerate his speed The action
of a man working out of a dirty case is not
unlike the walk of blind man -hesitatiny,
halting. and crossing he knows not where,
or upon what; while the action of one
working at clean case is like the firm
tread. and confident, forward step of the
man blessed with sight. OF course, we
have seen butchers" and ''space-benders"
who could rattle uptheir fifteen or eighteen
hundred ems AN hour out of a case that
would disgust an ordinary compositor; but
sight of their proofs was always sufficient
to stifie any feelings of envy which might
have arisen upon witnessing their speed
A clean case, therefore, We consider one of
the first elements of fast type-settiug. en-
abling one to compose without stopping to
sort out the case, or losing time afterwards
III ''cobbling" on what should have been
nearly perfect.


A determination not to make any false
motions, however fruitless it may at first
appear, will in day or week visibly in-
D. IL. -.
sighting the nick before the hand goes ont
to pick up the type. so that when it is TAX
EN- by the thumb and forefinger, there need
be no necessity for turning it around to
see where the nick is, the arm meanwhile
making false or lost motion that would
have sufficed to bring another type into the
stick. These false motions not only con-
sumo time. but become chronic and increase
in number and intensity, so that we fire.
quently see men fairly shaking themselves
to pieces, and only setting. probably, FIVE
or SIX hundred ems an h.ur. We have
known men who had acquired this nervous,
jerky style in setting type, aud making two
or three motions for every type secured,
almost entirely rid themselves of the surer-
fiuous '-shakes" by adopting a slow and
measured style, apparently unremunera
tive at first, but which gradually qnickened
into systematic speed. We therefore con-
slider an avoidance of false motions essen
tial to fast type setting.


Our observations lead us to the conclu-
sion that the use of guide" in newspa-
per or ordinary book work, is drawback
rather than an aid to the compositor A
popularity of most fast printers is their
quickness of sight, enabling them to see
from the "corner of their eyes" as well as
directly III front of them. This readiness
of sight is diminished rather than cult
waited by keeping the We straining continu-
ally on a point directly in front; and the
time supposed to be gained in always hav-
ing the place. is more than lost by the time
spent in tampering with the guide. Be-
sides, the effort to remember the place
where he left of, compels man to carry in
his head the sense of what he is setting,
resulting in well-punctuated, intelligent
work. We cannot, at present, recall a fast
printer addicted to the use of guide
while the very slow ones invariably use
them.


We will be pleased TO receive and will
gladly publish any suggestions in aid of
fast type-setting, either as the experience of
those who have gained distinction as 'rat-
tiers" or as the observations of those who
have i'm silent awe watched their move
ments typographical Boswells to dicta-
torial Johnsons