Year: 1870




From the Printers. circular of Nav.


The subject of fast type-setting is at pres
ent meeting with considerable attention al
the hands of printers, and we frequently
receive communications asking our advice
as to the best and surest method of beeom
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


NEW YORK, April II, 1870.
To The Editor Of tie Printers Circular:


SIR The fact OF certain cOmpositors being
able to set type much more rapidly than 9TH
ers, has often led me to query in my own
mind the cause of it. After having studied
this question closely, both experimentally
and theoretically, Ihave concluded that there
can be but two causes: he who is a ''slOW"
cOmpOsitOr land they are by no means scarce J
has either not had a thorough apprenticeship,
or else there is "a trick in 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 cOnneated with Typography l
deem you more competent to give enlight-
eminent on this subject than anv one / know
Of. What want to know is simply this: Do
you believe in systematic with reference to





words, is there a practical key to fast type
setting2 w.G.M.


We do believe in systematic type
setting, and systematic type-distributing
also, as the latter, by giving the compost
tor confidence in his case, will be found to
materially accelerate his speed. The action
of man working out of dirty case is not
unlike the walk of blind man-hesitating
halting, and cropping he knows not where,
or upon what; while the action Of one
working at q clean case is like the firm
tread, and confident, forward step of the
man blessed with sight OF course, we
have seen butchers" and ''spaee-benders"
who could rattle up their fifteen or eighteen
hundred ems an hour out of a case that
would disgust an ordinary compOsitor; but
a sight of their proofs was always sufficient
to stifle 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
in ''cobbling" on what should have been
nearly perfect.


a determination not to make any false |
however fruitless it may at first |
appear, will in day or week visibly in
crease the number of ems sst; that is, by |
sighting the nick before the hand goes out /
to pick up the type so that when it is TAX
en- by the thumb and forefnger, 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 suficed 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.
Iuently see men fairly shaking themselves
10 pieces, and only setting, probably, five
)r SIX hundred ems an hour. We have
known men who had acquired this nervous,
erky style in setting type, and making two
)r three motions for every type secured,
almost entirely rid themselves of the super
1uous "shakes" by adopting a slow and
measured style, apparently unremunera
i've at first, but which gradually quickened
nto systematic speed. We therefore con-
;ider an avoidance of false motions essen
.ial to fast type setting.


Our observations lead us to the conclu-
;ion that the use of guide" in newspa-
per or ordinary book work, is q drawback
,ather than an aid to the compositor. A
of most fast printers is their
thickness of sight, enabling them to see
IOn luo VI luClL eyes, dS well US
directly in front of them. This readiness
If sight is diminished rather than cult
rated by keeping the Eye straining continu-
lily on a point directly in front; and the
ime supposed to be gained in always hav-
ng the place, is more than lost by the time
,pent in tampering with the guide. Be
'ides, the effort to remember the place
where he left of, compels man to carry in
his head the sense of what he is setting,
in ell-punctuated, intelligent
work. We cannot, at present, recall fast
printer addicted to the use of a guide,
While the very slow ones invariably use
hem.


We will be pleased to receive and will
,ladly publish any suggestions in aid of
asst type-setting, either as the experience of
hose who have gained distinction as ''rat-
lers," or as the observations of those who
AVE IN silent awe watched their move
nents typographical Boswells to diets-
orial JohnsOns.