TABLE WORK.

Figure work, &c., composed with column rules, consisting of five columns or more. It is paid double the price of common matter at case.

TABULAR.

Figure work, &c., composed with column rules, consisting of three or four columns. It is paid one and a half the price of common matter.

TAIL PIECES.

Ornaments placed in a short page to fill up the vacancy. The same observations apply to Tail Pieces as to Head Pieces, which see; as also Fac.

TAKE INK.

Dabbing a ball upon the ink block for it to receive a small quantity of ink to distribute on the two balls.—M. It is equally termed Taking Ink when rollers are used.

TAKING DOWN.

Taking the sheets from the poles with a peel when they are dry.

Take-off. See Ancient Customs; also Fly. Boys are employed in machine printing to take away the sheets as they are printed, and to lay them straight and even; this is also styled Taking-off, and the boys taking-off boys.

TAKE UP.

To take letters up with a composing rule to distribute.—M. When a compositor is distributing, he places his composing rule against the head of the matter he means to take up, and putting the sides of his two third fingers, near the ends, to the ends of the rule, and the sides of his fingers against the sides of the matter, with his fore fingers at the extreme end, round the corners of the matter he intends to take up, and the ends of his thumbs against the back of the rule, he thus grasps it, and then generally tries if it will lift, when by a sudden lifting of the bottom end of the matter, and turning up of the rule with his thumbs, he raises it from the board to a perpendicular direction, resting on the rule; and turning it with the face of the letter to him, with one part of the rule resting on the third finger of his left hand, and the other end against the ball of his thumb, while the sides of the matter are guarded by his thumb and forefinger, when the measure is not too wide, he begins to distribute.

In like manner he takes up matter to move from one galley to another, when he is making up; except that he places his rule against the foot of the matter, and when he grasps it he does not raise it perpendicularly, but lifts it to him under his hands, his forefinger being against the rule, and his thumbs grasping the head of the matter.

A stranger to the business would be surprised to see the number of lines of types that an expert compositor will lift in this manner.

Take up a Sheet. See Ancient Customs.—M. It appears that in Moxon’s time the compositor had a copy of each work he was engaged on, or received what was termed copy money in lieu of it. This custom is abolished; and no workman is permitted to take a copy of any thing that is printed in the house as a matter of right.

TAKING COPY.

A compositor receiving copy from the overseer, or other person who has the charge of it, to compose; if in a companionship, the clicker receives it, and gives it out to the companions.

TAKING OFF.

Part of a page taken up to distribute.—M. Obsolete.

Taleek. See Persian.

TAMUL.

THE TAMUL ALPHABET.

க—As a medial, this letter has, when single, the sound of gh; when double, of kk. As an initial also it represents gh in certain words derived from the Sanscrit.

ச—This letter has, when single, the sound of s, sh, and the French g in âge; when double, it has the sound of ch. In words of Sanscrit origin, it represents the ja and cha of the Sanscrit alphabet.

த—This letter, when combined with [#], has the sound of the French n in Ange.

ட—This letter has, when single, the sound of d; when double, of tt, with a strong cerebral articulation.

த—As a medial, this letter has, when single, the sound of d; when double of tt. As an initial, also, it represents d in certain words of Sanscrit origin.

ந—This is the initial n. It is medial only before த.

ப—As a medial, this letter has, when single, the sound of b; when double, of pp. And in certain words of Sanscrit origin it has, as an initial also, the sound of b.

ழ—This letter is articulated somewhat like the hard ṛ of the Hindustani alphabet. It may be said to possess generally as a medial, the sound of r, and as a final, that of l, with a cerebral articulation.

ற—This letter has, when single, the sound of rr; and, when double, the sound of a double tt.

The word “soul,” is used metaphorically in Tamul for a vowel; the word “body,” for a consonant; and the compound word “soul and body,” for a syllable. In the same metaphorical language, a consonant is termed “a dead letter.”

It will be seen, in the foregoing scheme, that when the short vowel a is employed to give utterance, or (to adopt the metaphor of the Tamul grammarians) animation to the consonants, no additional character is required; it being considered to be inherent in each consonant, as essential to its original articulation. The removal of this originally inherent vowel is usually denoted by a dot or a small circle placed over the consonant, as ன் (n), ர் (r).

In the elegant dialect, a character written thus ஃ, and termed āyadam, is used in addition to the ordinary letters of the alphabet. It is not, strictly speaking, either a vowel or a consonant; but it has the power of a consonant; it is pronounced gutturally, and it lengthens the preceding syllable if short by nature: as இஃது (ighdu) “this,” instead of இது (idu).

இ before the cerebrals, viz. ட, ண, ழ, ள, ற, has an obscure sound, best expressed by a short u, and may be considered as nearly lost.

ஈ before the cerebrals, possesses nearly the sound of long u, though a practised ear distinguishes a peculiarity in its utterance.

In Tamul, a measure of time, termed māttirei, which is described as occupying the period of the twinkling of an eye, or the snap of a finger, is assigned to the letters in the manner following; viz. to a consonant is assigned half a measure; to a short vowel, one measure; and to a long vowel, two measures.

The character [#] is the consonant s of the Grandonic alphabet.

It will be observed that, in many instances, the letters of the alphabet are employed, as in Greek and Latin, to express numerical value.

From “Rudiments of Tamŭl Grammar.” By Robert Anderson, Assistant Professor of Oriental Languages at the East India Company’s College. 4to. 1821.

Tamul in British Founderies.

TAYLOR AND MARTINEAU’S PRESS.

This is an iron press, the frame of which forms two upright cheeks and the head. The power is not obtained by a screw, but by a cylinder with a knee-joint in the middle, which is bent when not pulling; this allows the platen to rise from the form, which is accomplished by a weight behind, that counter-balances the platen. The pull is effected by a bar, in the usual manner, that brings the knee-joint straight, depresses the platen, and produces the impression. The power is regulated by a screw through the head, that acts upon the cylinder.

TEASE WOOL, or Hair.

Teasing the hard and almost matted knots in the wool, or hair, with which the balls are stuffed.—M. Wool only is now used for stuffing balls, which is combed with strong wool combs, previous to knocking up balls. It appears by this extract, that hair was used for this purpose as well as wool in the seventeenth century.

TESTAMENT.

For the allowance of the duty on paper used in the printing of Testaments, see Paper.

THEFT.

For the penalty for printing advertisements with “No Questions Asked,” see Stolen Property.

THICK SPACE.

A space, three of which are equal to the body of the letter to which it belongs; it is the thickest space that is cast, the next in thickness being the en quadrat.

THIN SPACE

ought, by a strict orderly and methodical measure, to be made of the thickness of the seventh part of the body, though Founders make them indifferently thicker or thinner.—M. Six thin spaces are now equal to the body.

THIRTY-SIXMO.

A sheet of paper folded into thirty-six leaves, seventy-two pages, is termed thirty-sixmo.

THIRTY-TWOMO.

A sheet of paper folded into thirty-two leaves, sixty-four pages, is termed thirty-twomo.

THROW.

Both compositors and pressmen, when they gamble in the office, or take a chance for any advantage arising in work, generally throw for it; that is, they take nine em quadrats, usually English, and, shaking them well together in the hollow of both their hands, throw them upon the imposing stone, or press stone, and he who throws most nicks upward in three times is the winner. They choose quadrats with three deep nicks in each, when such a fount is in the office, as being most easily distinguished.

Thumb Piece. See Ear of the Frisket.

TIGHTENING THE QUOINS.

This is necessary, particularly in summer time, as also with forms that are placed contiguous to the fire in winter, to prevent the matter from falling out. Examining the forms occasionally that have been some time in chase should not be neglected; for if they have been imposed when the furniture was wet, the matter is very likely to fall out, from the gutters and other pieces shrinking. The quoins are generally tightened with an old cross bar, with the fire poker, or the claw end of a sheep’s foot, as being heavier and more efficacious than a piece of light furniture; but the best method, after securing them in this manner, is to lay them upon the imposing stone, plane them down, and then lock them up afresh in a regular manner. See Falling Out.

TILL, or Shelf.

A mahogany shelf, in wooden presses, divided in two longitudinally, that clasps the hose, and causes it and the spindle to come down perpendicularly without any play. It is dovetailed at both ends, and fits into the cheeks, with block wedges underneath to keep it up in its situation; the dovetails also keep the cheeks together, and answer the same purpose that the summer formerly did. The opening that the hose works in is lined with brass, and is made to fit it accurately.

TITHES COMMUTATION.

6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 71. “An Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales.”

TOE of the Spindle.

The very bottom of the spindle.—M. It is of hardened steel, and works in the platen stud.

TOKEN.

Ten quires of paper.—M. It is now ten quires eighteen sheets, or half a ream of perfect paper, and contains 258 sheets. All paper for book work is given out in tokens to wet, the quires in each token are placed the same way, and the tokens arranged one upon the other, back and fore edge, for the person who has to wet the paper to take away. It has become a practice in many houses, for the warehouseman to give out the paper in tokens alternately of ten quires and a half and eleven quires; this in my opinion should never be done, for I have known many serious mistakes arise from it; for instance, in a book that is a long number, a pressman who is working a sheet, will borrow a token of paper from another sheet, or three or five, or more, on account of being in better condition, or for some other cause; he takes the tokens indiscriminately as they arise, and they are replaced in the same manner; and not unfrequently ten quires and a half are returned for eleven quires borrowed; the consequence is, that one signature has an overplus number and the other is deficient, and has to be reprinted at the expense of the master printer: these mistakes would not occur if the paper were given out in regular tokens of ten quires eighteen sheets.

TOKEN SHEET.

In wetting paper the last sheet of each token is doubled down, so that the corner projects, when there is a pile of paper wetted; this projecting sheet marks the division of the pile into tokens, and is styled the token sheet.

TOPS.

In piling the printed sheets of a work away, after they have been dried and taken from the poles, the warehouseman takes a few sheets of each signature, and lays them at the top of the pile; these are called Tops, and enable him, with little trouble, to deliver a copy as far as it is printed, when required, which frequently occurs in the progress of a work, without having to take down all the piles.

Towns, ancient Names of. See Names.

TRAFALGAR.

The name of a type, the next size larger than Two Line Double Pica, and smaller than Canon. It is a size that has been introduced of late years.

TRANSPOSE.

In imposing, to place the pages in a wrong order, when it is said the pages are transposed: in composing, if letters, or words, or lines, do not follow in their proper order, they are said to be transposed.—M. We use the word also when we correct the arrangement, and put the pages or the matter in their proper order, by saying we have transposed the pages, the words, or the lines.

TRANSPOSITION OF PAGES.

Many sizes, after the white paper in a half sheet has been worked off, require some of the pages to be transposed, before the reiteration is worked; for those sizes, see Imposing.

TREADING PELT.

Trampling on the pelt, to make it soft and pliable, after it has been soaked in the pelt pot, and to get rid of the superfluous moisture, previous to knocking-up. This is usually done when the pressmen are at work, and by him who is beating.

This is an inconvenient process when a man is working at half press; but it may be dispensed with; for a pelt well curried will answer equally well: it appears as if treading was the ancient practice, before the currying iron was introduced.

TURN FOR A LETTER.

It often happens that when matter runs upon sorts, especially in capitals, or some other sorts seldom used, that the compositor wants that sort the matter runs on; wherefore he is loth to distribute letter for that sort; or perhaps his case is otherwise full. Wherefore, instead of that letter or sort, he turns a letter of the same thickness, with the foot of the shank upwards, and the face downwards; which turned letter being easy to be seen, he afterwards, when he can accommodate himself with the right sort, takes out, and puts the right letter in its room. It is also a word used jocosely in the chapel, when any of the workmen complain of want of money, or any thing else, it shall by another workman be answered, Turn for it; viz. Make shift for it.—M.

TWENTY-FOURMO.

A sheet of paper folded into twenty-four leaves, forty-eight pages, is termed twenty-fourmo.

TWENTYMO.

A sheet of paper folded into twenty leaves, forty pages, is termed twentymo.

TWO LINE DOUBLE PICA.

The name of a type equal to four Small Picas, or to two Double Picas; the next size larger than Two Line Great Primer, and smaller than Trafalgar. It is not enumerated by Moxon in his list. See Types.

TWO LINE ENGLISH.

The name of a type, the next size larger than Two Line Pica, and smaller than Two Line Great Primer. It is equal to two English bodies. See Types.

TWO LINE GREAT PRIMER.

The name of a type, the next size larger than Two Line English, and smaller than Two Line Double Pica. It is not enumerated in Moxon’s list of the sizes of types. See Types.

TWO LINE LETTERS.

Capitals that are equal to two bodies of any specific sized type. There are Two Line Pearl, Two Line Nonpareil, &c., increasing regularly to a Two Line Great Primer. They are used for lines in titles and jobs, being so cast that the face covers the whole of the square of the shank: they do not take so much room in depth as the regular capitals of the same sized face, and are more convenient where the matter is crowded; the face of the letter having also a stronger stem, gives an additional variety in the effect. See Full-faced Letter.

TWO LINE PICA.

The name of a type, equal to two Picas; the next size larger than Double Pica, and smaller than Two Line English. Moxon does not enumerate this size in his list. See Types.

TYMPAN.

A frame covered with parchment, on which the sheet of paper to be printed is placed. This is the outer tympan; the inner tympan fits into it, and between the parchments of the two the blankets are placed, all which being run in receive the pressure of the platen, which produces the impression on the paper.

Mr. T. C. Hansard took out a patent, for “Improvements on, and Additions to, Printing Presses, and various Processes relative to Printing;” in his description of them he says,—“My first Improvement is the Dividing-Tympans, which are capable of being added to any Printing Press, for the purpose of printing double-sized sheets of paper, and then dividing or cutting such double-sized paper to the ordinary size of single sheets of paper. These Tympans consist of, first, the outer Tympan, of dimensions according to the size of the Press or Work required: the additions to which are, a plate of Iron, Steel, Brass, or other sufficient substance, about seven eighths of an inch in width; the back side of which is level, but the front side is raised in the middle, the centre part being about one fourth of an inch in thickness, and the two sides about one eighth of an inch only; along the middle or thicker part are cuts or openings, for the purpose of admitting the knife hereinafter described, leaving small parts of the plate uncut. On each side of the same, along the centre of the thinner part, is a row of small holes, at about half inch distances. This plate is fixed across the middle of the outer Tympan, to each side, being countersunk into the same.—2ndly. The inner Tympans are formed of two parts, having each part three sides, and moving on pivots attached to the outer Tympan; these inner Tympans, when shut down, are fastened in the common manner by hooks and eyes or buttons, each part when opened to adjust the blankets will incline back on the pivots. These Tympans I cover with black Linen of the most fine and even texture, rolled and hot calendered: taking a sufficient length in one piece to cover the one half of both Tympans, then folding it in the middle, and laying each fold along the side-rebate of the Plate over the holes, I then firmly attach it thereto by strong sewing through the holes; I then turn one part of the fold of the linen over the outer, and the other part over the inner Tympans, and sew, or otherwise fasten, the same around the iron work, or sides and ends of the Tympans, in the closest and neatest manner, letting the hooks, eyes, or buttons, and pivots, through the linen, and keeping clear the openings for the point screws by carrying the linen on the inside, in the same manner as in putting on common parchment; the same operation then takes place for the other half of the Tympans. I then take pieces of Velvet, Velveteen, or other uniform soft substance, which I attach, with the pile or softest side outwards, to the linen already described as being fastened to the Tympans, by sewing or pasting it to the outside of the outer Tympan, to receive the Tympan-sheet, and by this means to give a beautiful and regular impression of the Type: which mode of covering Tympans I also apply to common Presses.

“The Divider or Knife is made of a plate of Iron or Steel, about three-fourths of an inch wide, turned down at a right angle on one side, about one-fourth of an inch in width, and in length sufficient for the width of the sheet of paper intended to be cut, and this must be fixed so as to be exactly corresponding to the openings in the Plate before described; the part so turned down is cut into angular teeth, about a quarter of an inch from point to point, each tooth having two chisel-like edges, formed by being filed and dressed on the outside of the part so turned down; on the inside of the angle the teeth are to be finished all along fair and smooth. One or more of the teeth are then to be filed out at intervals, corresponding with the parts of the Plate left uncut. The Pivots or Joints of the Tympans and Frisket being accurately adjusted, the Knife is then fixed to the Frisket (at each end by screw or other connection) so that when the Frisket is turned down on the Tympans the Knife shall freely enter the Plate at the openings before described. The Plate and Knife now occupying the usual place of Point Screws and Points, those necessary articles are removed to the centre of each half of the Tympans above and below the Plate. If wished, the positions of the Plate and Knife may be reversed, by fixing the Plate to the Frisket, and Knife to the Tympan, or a Plate both on Frisket and Tympan, and Knife to the Forme, or Table of the Press, but not with equal certainty of operation. All these parts being properly adjusted, the mode of application is as follows:—For making ready a Forme or Sheet, the Tympan-sheet is drawn on the Tympan, as in the ordinary mode, and the Frisket pasted and cut out; but for working the first side of the Paper, the Knife must be displaced (or, which is sometimes preferable, two Friskets used, to be exchanged, one having the Knife, and one without). The whole of the paper being worked on one side without the Knife, the Knife is then replaced, or the Friskets exchanged, and the Reiteration proceeded with; the sheet will then be divided exactly along the centre, excepting at the parts where the portions of the Plate have been left uncut, and the teeth filed out of the Knife, as before described; which uncut parts answer the important purpose of keeping the double-sheet adhering as one, for the Pressman who may be pulling, to draw it off the Tympans over to the Bank, where it is finally parted by the other man who is beating, while looking over his heap, when six or seven sheets are accumulated, by means of a gentle pressure with each hand at each end of the heap. The white paper, or first side, is worked with four points, placed opposite to each other in the middle fold of each half of the double sheet, but for the Reiteration the two lower points are taken off, and the sheet kept in register by the two upper ones only. For cutting the sheet into more parts than two, I extend the same principle by placing knives and plates in various positions, or at right angles with each other.”

TYMPAN CLOTH.

A fine and even linen cloth, about an inch or two larger on every side than the paper worked on: this cloth is wetted, and the water wrung out again, so that it remains only moist: it is laid on the tympan instead of a tympan sheet, the under sides of the corners pasted to the tympan, and worked upon as a tympan sheet for the reiteration. It is used to save paper, and it is repeatedly washed to clear it of the ink that sets off on it.—M. It is not used now, but set-off sheets are substituted for it.

TYMPAN HOOKS.

Small hooks fixed on the upper side of the outer tympan, which assist in keeping the inner tympan in its place.

There are four of them, two on the off side and two on the near side, screwed to the tympan, but not so tight as to prevent them turning round on the screws as centres; there are four eyes screwed on the inner tympan, opposite to them, and the hooks turn into these eyes and draw the sides of the tympans together, and assist in tightening the parchment of the inner tympan, and prevent its moving. In iron presses, instead of eyes, buttons are used on the inner tympan, and the hooks turn round them under the heads, and produce the same effect.

TYMPAN JOINTS.

The joints by which the outer tympan is attached to the carriage, on which it works. They are riveted to the bottom end of the tympan by one of the sides, and the other side has an upright notch cut in it: at the back of the hind part of the coffin are fixed two projecting screws, at the same distance from each other as the notches in the joints; these screws have a square plate or washer on each of them, and a flat-headed female screw; the tympan joints are slipped over these screws by the notches, so that they bestride each screw, and are confined by the female screw and washer. The tympan can thus be adjusted to any height, by loosening the screws and sliding the joints up or down. The pin that connects the two parts of the joints is stout, and made to slip out when necessary. These joints should be particularly well made, and have no play; if they have, it will cause maculing and doubles in the work.

TYMPAN SHEET.

A sheet of paper pasted on the tympan at the corners, as a standing mark to lay all the other sheets exactly even upon, while the white paper is working.—M. It is now also used for the reiteration. When a pressman has laid a form on the press stone, and fixed it in its situation, he takes a sheet of its own paper, or a sheet of some other paper of the same size, and folds it exactly, so that the folds shall be his guide for laying it on the form; he then lays a sheet of waste paper on the form to preserve his tympan sheet clean, and places it truly on the form over the other, by means of the folds falling on the middle of the crosses and feeling the types through it with his fingers, so that the margin at both sides of the sheet shall be precisely equal, as also at both ends; he wets his tympan slightly, to take out the indentions made by the types of a preceding form, and generally rubs a very small quantity of paste on the parchment, being careful that there are no lumps; he then turns the tympan down upon the form, runs in the carriage, and gives it a slight pull, to cause it to adhere to the tympan; he then pastes the four corners down, but tears off a piece of the near bottom corner, to prevent him catching hold of it, in the quick taking the printed sheet off the tympan, when working.

TYPES.

The letters, marks, and signs, cast in metal, the larger sizes of wood, with which printing is executed.

The forms and proportions of types in the Roman character have undergone every change that the most capricious fancy could suggest. We have types of beautiful shapes and symmetrical proportions, but our type founders have diverged, for the sake of variety, gradually to a fatter face till the lines have become so thick that the letter has hardly any white in its interior, and when printed is nearly all black, with the outline only to guide us in knowing what it is; and on the contrary they have gradually gone to the other extreme, and produced what are called skeleton letters, which are formed of a fine uniform line; we have antique, the line being also of uniform thickness, but strong and heavy; we have letters with the strong lines and the fine lines reversed; we have tall narrow letters, and we have letters which look as if they had been pressed down, till they were considerably broader than they were high; we have letters drawn in perspective, with their edges towards us, as if they were marching away; and as for Italic, we have it now inclining to the left as well as to the right. The Modern Gothic or Black letter has not escaped this rage for change and variety, and we have forms introduced into it which would have puzzled our ancestors to know what they were meant for when the Modern Gothic was the standard character.

These changes and varieties have not been introduced as improvements either in the forms or proportions of the letters, but to produce variety and what is styled effect.

The scale of sizes of the respective types can only be looked at and received as an approximation to truth, as the letter founders themselves acknowledge; in fact there is no precise standard, for they cast according to the orders they receive from their customers: the following scale is a proof of this; Mr. Hansard, in his Typographia, gives the number of lines of each size in a foot as cast in the foundery of Messrs. Caslon and Livermore, which does not agree with the one I now give, which was supplied to me by Mr. Livermore in 1839, at my request, avowedly to publish, each fount having been measured to insure correctness; it was submitted to Mr. Caslon personally in August 1841, before printing, and revised, so that every precaution has been taken to prevent a mistake. The scale of the foundery of Messrs. V. and J. Figgins, as also that of Messrs. Thorowgood and Besley, were kindly furnished me by the respective houses. I have also given Moxon’s scale of sizes, which is the oldest that has been published, and which will show the variations in the depth of body which types have undergone. He prefaces it by saying, “And that the reader may the better understand the sizes of these several Bodies, I shall give him this Table following; wherein is set down the number of each Body that is contained in one Foot”—See Nicks.

Number of lines of the different sized types contained in one foot.

It thus appears that in 1683, the date of Moxon’s work, there were only ten sizes of types with specific names, while at the present time we have twenty-one; the following are our additional sizes—Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Minion, Bourgeois, Small Pica, Paragon, Two Line Pica, Two Line Great Primer, Two Line Double Pica, and Trafalgar.

Canon is the largest size with a specific name; all above Canon are designated according to the number of Picas in the depth of the body; thus the next size larger is Five Line Pica, then Six Line Pica, and so on indefinitely. Twenty-four Line Pica is about the largest letter that is cast in metal, those above that size are generally cut in wood, as also any peculiar shaped letters. The German letter founders cast the face of letters in metal to a much larger size, and mount them on wood.

Minion used to be half an English; it has ceased to be so, and Emerald has taken its place, for English is now equal to two Emeralds: this latter is a size that was introduced about two years ago.

By an examination of the preceding table the relative proportions of the different sizes to each other will be ascertained; but to facilitate the reference they are here brought under one view.