The first person mentioned as practising the modern art of stereotype,
was a Dutchman, Van der Mey, who resided at Leyden about the end of the
sixteenth century. He printed four books from solid plates; but at his
death the art of preparing solid blocks was lost, or wholly neglected.
In 1725, however, Mr. Ged, a jeweller of Edinburgh, apparently without
knowledge of Van der Mey's performances, devised the plan of printing
from plates; and in 1729 he entered into partnership with three other
persons, for the purpose of prosecuting the art. A privilege was
obtained by the company, from the University of Cambridge, to print
Bibles and Prayer-books; but one of Ged's partners was so averse to the
success of the plan, that he engaged such people for the work as he
thought most likely to spoil it. The compositors wilfully made errors in
correcting, and the pressmen battered the plates when the masters were
absent. In consequence, the books were suppressed by authority, and the
plates melted. Mr. Ged, with the help of his son, whom he had
apprenticed to the printing trade, actually produced, in 1736, an 18mo
edition of Sallust; and in 1742 another book was printed in Newcastle.
But after the death of Ged and his son, the art again fell into disuse,
till in 1780 it was revived by Mr. Tulloch of Glasgow, who practised it
in partnership with Mr. Foulis, the University printer.
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"RAINING TREES."
During Sir John Herschel's residence at the Cape of Good Hope, he often
observed that on the windward side of the Table Mountain the clouds were
spread out and descended very low, but frequently without any rain
falling; while, on the lee-side they poured over the precipitous face of
the mountain, producing as they rolled out, the well-known phenomenon of
the table-cloth. Sir John, however, found that as he walked under
fir-trees in the neighbourhood, while the clouds were closely overhead,
he was subjected to a copious shower; but on coming from beneath the
trees it was fair. On inquiring into the cause of this, he ascertained
that the cloud was condensed on the trees, and thus the umbrella-shaped
tops of the firs acted a part quite the reverse of our umbrellas in this
country, for they wetted the person beneath them, instead of keeping him
dry.
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