Foot-Line, and whose Length reaches under the Foot-Line of the next
Letter, or Letters in Composing, ought to have the Upper Sholder of
that Swash Sculped down straight, _viz._ to a Right Angle, or Square
with the Face; at least, so much of it as is to be Sunk into Copper:
Because the Upper Sholder of the Swash would else be so broad,
that it would ride upon the Face of the next Letter. Therefore the
Swash-Letters being all Long-Letters, the lower end of the Swashes
reach as low as the Bottom-Line; which cannot be Filed Square enough
down from the Head-Line, unless the Steel the Swash stands on, should
be Filed from end to end, the length of the whole Shank of the _Punch_,
which would be very tedious; and besides, would make that part of
the Shank the Swash stands on so weak, that it would scarce endure
Striking into the Copper. Therefore, as I said before, the Upper
Sholder of the Swash ought to be Sculped down: Yet I never heard of any
_Letter-Cutters_ that had the knack of doing it; but that they only
Filed it as straight down as they could, and left the _Letter-Kerner_,
after the Letter was Cast, to Kern away the Sholdering. Yet I use a
very quick way of doing it; which is only by Resting the Back of a
Graver at first, to make way; and afterwards a Sculptor, upon the Shank
of the _Punch_, at the end of the Swash, one while; and another while
on the Shank, at the Head, that the Swash may be Sculped down from end
to end: and Sculping so, Sculp away great Flakes of the Steel at once,
till I have Cut it down deep enough, and to a Right Angle.
Then he Hardens and Tempers the Punch; as was shewed, _Numb._ 3. _Vol._
I. _Fol._ 57, 58.
But though the _Punch_ be Hardned and Temper’d, yet it is not quite
finished: for, in the Hardning, the _Punch_ has contracted a Scurf upon
it; which Scurf must be taken off the Face, and so much of the sides of
the Shank as is to be Sunk into Copper. Some _Letter-Cutters_ take this
Scurf off with small smooth Files, and afterwards with fine Powder of
_Emerick_. The _Emerick_ they use thus. They provide a Stick of Wood
about two Handful long, and about a _Great-Primer_, or _Double-Pica_
thick: Then in an Oyster-shell, or any sleight Concave thing, they powr
a little Sallad-Oyl, and put Powder of _Emerick_ to it, till it become
of the Consistence of Batter made for Pan-cakes. And stirring this Oyl
and _Emerick_ together, spread or smear the aforesaid Stick with the
Oyl and _Emerick_, and so rub hard upon the Face of the _Punch_, and
also upon part of the Shank, till they have taken the Scurf clean off.
Mr. _Walberger_ of _Oxford_ uses another way. He makes such an
Instrument as is described in _Plate_ 10. at H, which we will, for
distinction sake, call the _Joynt-Flat-Gage_. This Instrument consists
of two Cheeks about nine Inches long, as at b, and are fastned together
at one end, as the Legs of a _Carpenter_’s Joynt-Rule are in the
Centre, as at _c_, but with a very strong Joynt; upon which Centre, or
Joynt, the Legs move wider, or closer together, as occasion requires.
Each Leg is about an Inch and a quarter broad, and an Inch and three
quarters deep; _viz._ so deep as the Shank of the _Punch_ is long.
At the farther end of the Shank b (as at _d_) is let in an Iron Pin,
with an Head at the farther end, and a square Shank, to reach almost
through a square Hole in the Shank b, that it twists not about; and
at the end of that Square, a round Pin, with a Male-Screw made on it,
long enough to reach through the Shank a, and about two Inches longer,
as at _e_; upon which Male-Screw is fitted a Nut with two Ears, which
hath a Female-Screw in it, that draws and holds the Legs together, as
occasion requires a bigger or less _Punch_ to be held in a proper Hole.
Through each of the adjoyning Insides of the Legs are made, from the
Upper to the Lower Side, six, seven, or eight Semi-Circular Holes (or
more or less, according to discretion) exactly Perpendicular to the
upper and under Sides of each Leg, marked _a a a a_, _b b b b_. Each
of these Semicircular Holes is, when joyned to its Match, on the other
Leg to make a Circular Hole; and therefore must be made on each Leg, at
an equal distance from the Centre. These Holes are not all of an equal
Size, but different Sizes: Those towards the Centre smallest, _viz._ so
small, that the _Punch_ for the smallest Bodied Letters may be pinched
fast in them; and the biggest Holes big enough to contain, pinch and
hold fast the _Punches_ for the great Bodied Letters. The upper and
under-sides of this _Joynt-Flat-Gage_ is Faced with an Iron Plate,
about the thickness of an Half Crown, whose outer Superficies are both
made exactly Flat and Smooth.
When he uses it, he chuses an Hole to fit the Size of the _Punch_; and
putting the Shank of the _Punch_ into that Hole, Sinks it down so low,
till the Face of the _Punch_, stands just Level, or rather, above the
Face of the _Joynt-Flat-Gage_: Then with a piece of an Hone, wet in
Water, rubs upon the Face of the _Punch_, till he have wrought off the
Scurf. At last, with a Stick and Dry _Putty_, Polishes it.
I like my own way better than either of the former: For, to take off
the Scurf with Small Files spoils the Files; the Face of the _Punch_
being Hard, and the Scurf yet Harder: And besides, endangers the
wronging the Face of the _Punch_.
The _Joynt-Flat-Gage_ is very troublesome to use, because it is
difficult to fit the Face of the _Punch_, to lie in the Plain of the
Face of the _Gage_; especially, if, in making the Letter, the Shank be
Filed Tapering, as it most times is. For then the Hammer-end of the
_Punch_ being bigger than the Face-end, it will indeed Pinch at the
Hammer-end, whilst the Face-end stands unsteady to Work on. But when
the _Punch_ is fitted in, it is no way more advantagious for Use, than
the Chaps of the _Hand-Vice_ I mentioned in ¶. 3. of this §.
Wherefore, I fit the _Punch_ into the Chaps of the _Hand-Vice_, as I
shewed in the aforesaid ¶. and with a fine smooth Whet-stone and Water,
take the Scurf lightly off the Face of the _Punch_; and afterwards,
with a fine smooth Hone and Water, work down to the bare bright Steel.
At last, drying the _Punch_ and Chaps of the _Hand-Vice_ with a dry
Rag, I pollish the Face of the _Punch_ with Powder of Dry _Brick_ and a
Stick, as with _Putty_.
¶. 5. _Some Rules he considers in using the_ Gravers, Sculptors, Small
Files, _&c._
1. When he is Graving on the Inside of the Stroak, either to make it
Finer or Smoother, he takes an especial care that he place his Graver
or Sculptor so, as that neither of its Edges may wrong another Stroak
of the Letter, if they chance (as they often do) to slip over, or off
an extuberant part of the Stroak he is Graving upon. And therefore, I
say, he well considers how he is to manage the edges of his Graver. For
there is no great danger of the point of his Graver after the inside
Stroaks are form’d, and the Hollows of the Letter somewhat deepned;
but in the edges there is: For the point in working lies always below
the Face of the Letter, and therefore can, at most, but slip below the
Face, against the side of the next Stroak; but the edges lying above
the Face of the Letter, may, in a slip, touch upon the Side and Face of
the next Stroak, and wrong that more or less, according as the force
of the Slip was greater or smaller. And if that Stroak it jobs against
were before wholly finished, by that job the whole Letter is in danger
to be spoiled; at the best, it cannot, without Filing the Letter lower,
be wrought out; which sometimes is a great part of doing the Letter
anew: For he takes special care that neither any dawk, or the least
extuberant bunching out be upon the inside of the Face of the Stroak,
but that the inside of the Stroak (whether it be Fat or Lean) have its
proper Shape and Proportion, and be purely smooth and clean all the way.
If on the inside of the Stroak the Graver or Sculptor have not run
straight and smooth on the Stroak, but that an Extuberance lies on the
Side, that Extuberance cannot easily be taken off, by beginning to Cut
with the Edge of the Graver or Sculptor just where the Extuberance
begins: Therefore he fixes the Point of his Graver or Sculptor in the
Bottom of the Hollow, just under the Stroak where the Extuberance is,
and leans the Edge of his Graver or Sculptor upwards; so as in forcing
the Point of the Graver or Sculptor forwards, at the Bottom of the
Hollow, the Edge of the Graver or Sculptor may slide tenderly along,
and take along with it a very small, nay, invisible Chip of the most
Prominent Part of the Extuberance; and so, by this Process reitterated
often, he, by small Degrees, Cuts away the Extuberant part of the
Stroak.
2. He is careful to keep his Gravers and Sculptors always Sharp, by
often Sharpning them on the Oyl-Stone, which for that purpose he keeps
ready at hand, standing on the Bench: For if a Graver or Sculptor be
not sharp, it will neither make riddance, or Cut smooth; but instead of
Cutting off a small Extuberancy, it will rather stick at it, and dig
into the Side of the Stroak.
3. He Files very tenderly with the Small Files, especially with the
Knife-Files, as well because they are Thin and Hard, not Temper’d, and
therefore would snap to pieces with small violence; as also, lest with
an heavy hand he should take away too much at once of that Stroak he is
working upon.
§. 14. ¶. 1. _Some Rules to be observed by the_ Letter-Cutter, _in the
Cutting_ Roman, Italick, _and the_ Black English Letter.
1. The Stem and other Fat Stroaks of Capital _Romans_ is five Parts of
forty and two (the whole Body:) Or, (which is all one) one sixth part
of the Heighth of an Ascending Letter (as all Capitals are Ascendents)
as has been said before. _Albertus Dürer_ took his Measure from the
Heighth of Capitals, and assigned but one tenth part for the Stem.
2. The Stem, and other Fat Stroaks of Capitals _Italick_, is four parts
of forty and two, (the Body.)
3. The Stem, and other Fat Stroaks of Lower-Case _Roman_, is three and
an half parts of forty and two, (the Body.)
4. The Stem, and other Fat Stroaks of Lower-Case _Italick_, is three
parts of forty and two, (the Body.)
5. Of _English_, the Short-Letters stand between nine parts of the
Bottom-Line, and nine parts from the Top-Line; _viz._ upon three and
thirty parts of forty and two, (the Body.)
6. The Stem of _English_ Capitals is six parts of forty and two, (the
Body.)
7. The Stem of _English_ Lower-Case Letters is four parts of forty and
two, (the Body.)
¶. 2. _Of Terms relating to the Face of Letters, and their Explanation._
The Parts of a _Punch_ are already described in §. 13. ¶. 1. of this
Volumne; and so is the Body: But the several Terms that relate to the
Face of Letters are not yet defined. Now therefore you must note, that
the Body of a Letter hath four principal Lines passing through it (or
at least imagined to pass through it) at Right Angles to the Body;
_viz._ The Top-Line, The Head-Line, The Foot-Line, and The Bottom-Line.
Between two of these Lines is contained the Heighth of all Letters.
These are called _Lines_, because the Tops, the Heads, the Feet and the
Bottoms of all Letters (when Complicated by the _Compositor_) stand
ranging in these imagin’d Lines, according as the Heighth and Depth of
each respective Letter properly requires.
The Long-Letters are (as I told you in §. 13. ¶. 1. of this Volumne)
contained between the Top and Bottom-Lines, The Ascending Letters are
contained between the Top and Foot-Lines, The Descending Letters are
contained between the Head and Bottom-Lines, and The Short-Letters are
contained between the Head and Foot-Lines.
Through what Parts of the Body all these Lines pass, you may see by the
Drafts of Letters, and the following Descriptions.
What the Long-Letters, Ascending Letters, and Short-Letters are,
I shewed in the afore-cited ¶. Therefore I shall now proceed to
particular Terms relating to the Face. As,
1. The Topping, is the straight fine Stroak or Stroaks that lie in the
Top-Line of Ascending Letters: In _Roman_ Letters they pass at Right
Angles through the Stems; but in _Italicks_, at Oblique Angles to the
Stems; as you may see in the Drafts of Letters, B, _B_, H, _H_, I, _I_,
_&c._
2. The Footing, is the straight fine Stroak or Stroaks that lie in the
Foot-Line of Letters, either Ascending or Descending. In _Romans_ they
pass at Right Angles through the Stem, but in _Italicks_, at Oblique
Angles; as you may see in B, _B_, H, _H_, I, _I_, _&c._
3. The Bottom-Footing, is the straight fine Stroaks that lie in the
Bottom-Line of Descending Letters. In _Romans_ they pass at Right
Angles through the Stem; but in _Italicks_ at Oblique Angles; as you
may see p, _p_, q, _q_.
4. The Stem is the straight Fat Stroak of the Letter: as in B, _B_, the
straight Stroak on the Left-Hand is the Stem; and I, _I_, is all Stem,
except the Footing and Topping.
5. Fat Stroaks. The Stem or broad Stroak in a Letter is called Fat; as
the Right Hand Stroak in A, and part of the great Arch in B, are Fat
Stroaks.
6. Lean Stroaks, are the narrow fine Stroaks in a Letter; as the Left
Hand Stroak of A, and the Right Hand Stroak of V are Lean.
7. Beak of Letters, is the fine Stroak or Touch that stands on the Left
Hand of the Stem, either in the Top-Line, as b d h, _&c._ or in the
Head-Line, as i, m, n, _&c._ Yet f, g, [s], _f_, _g_, [_s_] have Beaks
on the Right Hand of the Stem.
8. Tails of Letters, is a Stroak proceeding from the Right-Hand Side of
the Stem, in the Foot-Line; as a d t u: and most _Italick_ Lower-Case
Letters have Tails: As also have most Swash-Letters. But several of
their Tails reach down to the Bottom-Line.
9. Swash-Letters are _Italick_ Capitals; as you see in _Plate_ 15.
Thus much of _Letter-Cutting_. The next _Exercises_ shall (God willing)
be upon _Making Matrices_, _Making Molds_, _Casting and Dressing of
Letters_, &c.
_FINIS._
ADVERTISEMENT.
NUmb. 4. _of the Second Volumne_ of Collections of Letters for
Improvement of Husbandry and Trade, _is now extant_; _being_ Enquiries
relating to Husbandry and Trade: _drawn up by the Learned_ Robert Plot,
L. L. D. _Keeper of the_ Ashmolean Musæum, _and Professor of_ Chymistry
_in the University of_ Oxford, _and Secretary of the_ Royal Society
_of_ London. _An Account of the manner of making_ Brunswick-Mum. _An
Account of a great Improvement of Mossy Land by Burning and Liming;
from Mr._ Adam Martindale _of_ Cheshire.
* * * * *
To be had at the _Angel_ in _Cornhil_, and several other Booksellers.
[Illustration: _Plate 11._]
[Illustration: _Plate 12._]
[Illustration: _Plate 13._]
[Illustration: _Plate 14._]
[Illustration: _Plate 15._]
[Illustration: _Plate 16._]
[Illustration: _Plate 17._]
_MECHANICK EXERCISES:_
Or, the Doctrine of
=Handy-works.=
Applied to the ART of
_Mold-Making_, Sinking the _Matrices_,
Casting and Dressing of
=Printing-Letters.=
§. 15. ¶. 1. _Of making the_ Mold.
THe _Steel-Punches_ being thus finish’d, as afore was shewed, they
are to be sunk or struck into pieces of _Copper_, about an Inch and
an half long, and one quarter of an Inch deep; but the thickness not
assignable, because of the different thicknesses in Letters, as was
shewed in §. 2. and shall further be shewed, when I come to the sinking
and justifying of _Matrices_. But before these _Punches_ are sunk into
_Copper_, the _Letter-Founder_ must provide a _Mold_ to justifie the
_Matrices_ by: And therefore it is proper that I describe this _Mold_
to you before I proceed any farther.
I have given you in Plate 18. at A, the Draft of one side or half of
the _Mold_; and in Plate 19. at B, its Match, or other half, which I
shall in general thus describe.
Every _Mold_ is made of two parts, an under, and an upper Part; the
under part is delineated at A, in Plate 18, the upper part is marked B,
in Plate 19, and is in all respects made like the under part, excepting
the _Stool_ behind, and the _Bow_, or _Spring_ also behind; and
excepting a small roundish _Wyer_ between the _Body_ and _Carriage_,
near the _Break_, where the under part hath a small rounding _Groove_
made in the Body. This _Wyer_, or rather _Half-Wyer_ in the upper part
makes the _Nick_ in the _Shank_ of the Letter, when part of it is
received into the Grove in the under part.
These two parts are so exactly fitted and gaged into one another,
(_viz._ the _Male-Gage_, marked C in Plate 19, into the _Female-Gage_
marked g, in Plate 18.) that when the upper part of the _Mold_ is
properly placed on, and in the under part of the _Mold_ both together,
makes the entire _Mold_, and may be slid backwards for Use so far, till
the Edge of either of the Bodies on the middle of either _Carriage_
comes just to the Edge of the _Female-Gages_, cut in each _Carriage_:
And they may be slid forwards so far, till the Bodies on either
_Carriage_ touch each other. And the sliding of these two parts of the
_Mold_ backwards, makes the _Shank_ of the Letter thicker, because
the Bodies in each part stand wider asunder; and the sliding them
forwards makes the _Shank_ of the Letter thinner, because the Bodies on
each part of the _Mold_ stand closer together.
[Illustration:
_Plate 18._
_The Under
half of the
Mold_]
This is a general Description of the _Mold_; I come now to a more
particular Description of its parts.
a The _Carriage_.
b The _Body_.
c The _Male-Gage_.
d e The _Mouth-Piece_.
f i The _Register_.
g The _Female-Gage_.
h The _Hag_.
_a a a a_ The _Bottom-Plate_.
_b b b_ The _Wood_ the _Bottom-Plate_ lies on.
_c c e_ The _Mouth_.
_d d_ The _Throat_.
_e d d_ The _Pallat_.
_f_ The _Nick_.
_g g_ The _Stool_.
_h h g_ The _Spring_ or _Bow_.
I have here given you only the Names of the parts of the _Mold_,
because at present I purpose no other Use of it, than what relates to
the sinking the _Punches_ into the _Matrices_: And when I come to the
casting of Letters, You will find the Use and Necessity of all these
Parts.
¶. 2. _Of the_ Bottom-Plate.
The _Bottom-Plate_ is made of _Iron_, about two Inches and three
quarters long, and about the same breadth; its thickness about a
_Brevier_: It is planisht exactly flat and straight: It hath two of its
_Fore-Angles_, as _a a_ cut off either straight or rounding, according
to the pleasure of the Workman.
About the place where the middle of the _Carriage_ lies, is made a
Hole about a _Great-Primmer_ square, into which is rivetted on the
upper-side a Pin with a Sholder to it, which reaches about half an Inch
through the under-side of the _Bottom-Plate_. This _Pin_ on the under
side the _Bottom-Plate_ is round, and hath a _Male-Screw_ on its end.
This _Pin_ is let through a Hole made in the Wood of the _Mold_ to fit
it; so that when a square _Nut_, with a _Female-Screw_ in it, is turned
on the _Male-Screw_, it may draw and fasten the _Half Mold_ firm to the
Wood.
The Hind side of the _Carriage_ lies on this _Bottom-Plate_, parallel
to the Hind side of it, and about a _Two-Lin’d-English_ within the
Hind Edge of it; and so much of this _Bottom-Plate_ as is between the
_Register_ and the left-hand end of the _Carriage_ (as it is posited
in the Figure) is called the _Stool_, as _g g_ in the under-half of
the _Mold_, because on it the lower end of the _Matrice_ rests; but
on the upper half of the _Mold_ is made a square Notch behind in the
_Bottom-Plate_, rather within than without the Edge of the _Carriage_,
to reach from the _Register_, and half an Inch towards the left hand
(as it is posited in the Figure) that the upper part of the fore-side
of the _Matrice_ may stand close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_.
¶. 3. _Of the_ Carriage.
On the _Bottom-Plate_ is fitted a _Carriage_, (as _a_) This _Carriage_
is almost the length of the _Bottom-Plate_, and about a _Double-Pica_
thick, and its Breadth the length of the Shank of the Letter to be cast.
This _Carriage_ is made of _Iron_, and hath its upper-side, and its two
narrow sides filed and rubed upon the using _File_, exactly straight,
square and smooth, and the two opposite narrow sides exactly parallel
to each other.
On one end of the _Carriage_, as at g, is made a long _Notch_ or
_Slit_, which I call the _Female-Gage_: It is about a _Double-Pica_
wide, and is made for the _Male-Gage_ of the other part of the _Mold_
to fit into, and to slide forwards or backwards as the thickness of the
Letter to be cast may require.
¶. 4. _Of the_ Body.
Upon the _Carriage_ is fitted the _Body_, as at b. This _Body_ is also
made of _Iron_, and is half the length of the _Carriage_, and the
exact breadth of the _Carriage_; but its thickness is alterable, and
particularly made for every intended _Body_.
About the middle of this _Body_ is made a square Hole, about a _Great
Primmer_, or _Double-Pica_ square; and directly under it is made
through the _Carriage_ such another Hole exactly of the same size.
¶. 5. _Of the_ Male-Gage.
Through these two Holes, _viz._ That in the _Body_, and that in the
_Carriage_, is fitted a square _Iron Shank_ with a _Male-Screw_ on
one End, and on the other End an Head turning square from the square
_Shanck_ to the farther end of the _Body_, as is described at c; but is
more particularly described apart at B in the same Plate, where B may
be called the _Male-Gage_: For I know no distinct Name that _Founders_
have for it, and do therefore coyn this:
_a_ The _square Shanck_.
_b_ The _Male-Screw_.
This _square Shanck_ is just so long within half a _Scaboard_ thick
as to reach through the _Body_, _Carriage_, and another square Hole
made through the _Bottom-Plate_, that so when a _square Nut_ with a
_Female-Screw_ in it is turned on that _Pin_, the _Nut_ shall draw and
fasten the _Body_ and _Carriage_ down to the _Bottom-Plate_.
The Office of the _Male-Gage_ is to fit into, and slide along the
_Female-Gage_.
¶. 6. _Of the_ Mouth-Piece.
[Illustration:
_Plate 19._
_The Upper half of the Mold_]
Close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_ is fitted a _Mouth-Piece_ marked _d
e_. _Letter-Founders_ call this altogether a _Mouth-Piece_: But that
I may be the better understood in this present purpose, I must more
nicely distinguish its parts, and take the Freedom to elect Terms for
them, as first,
_c c e_ The _Mouth_.
_d_ The _Palate_.
_c c_ e _d_ The _Jaws_.
_d d_ The _Throat_.
Altogether (as aforesaid) the _Mouth-Piece_.
The _Mouth-Piece_ hath its _Side_ returning from the _Throat_ filed
and rubb’d on the _Using-File_ exactly straight and square to its
_Bottom-side_, because it is to joyn close to the Side of the
_Carriage_ and _Body_; but its upper-Side, _viz._ the _Palate_ is not
parallel to the _Bottom_, but from the Side _d d_, _viz._ the _Throat_
falls away to the _Mouth_ e, making an _Angle_ greater or smaller, as
the _Body_ that the _Mold_ is made for is bigger or less: For small
_Bodies_ require but a small _Mouth_, because small _Ladles_ will hold
Metal enough for small Letters; and the smaller the _Ladle_, the finer
the _Geat_ of the _Ladle_ is; and fine _Geats_ will easier hit the
_Mouth_ (in a Train of Work) than the course _Geats_ of Great _Ladles_:
Therefore it is that the _Mouth_ must be made to such a convenient
Width, that the _Ladle_ to be used and its _Geat_, may readily, and
without slabbering, receive the Metal thrown into the _Mold_.
But again, if the _Mouth-Piece_ be made too wide, _viz._ the _Jaws_ too
deep at the _Mouth_, though the _Geat_ of the _Ladle_ does the readier
find it, yet the _Body_ of the _Break_ of the _Letter_ will be so
great, that first it heats the _Mold_ a great deal faster and hotter;
and secondly, it empties the _Pan_ a great deal sooner of its Metal,
and subjects the Workman sometime to stand still while other Metal is
melted and hot: Therefore Judgment is to be used in the width of the
_Mouth_; and though there be no Rule for the width of it; yet this in
general for such _Molds_ as I make, I observe that the _Orifice_ of
the _Throat_ may be about one quarter of the Body for small Bodies;
but for great Bodies less, according to Discretion, and the _Palate_
about an Inch and a quarter long from the _Body_ and _Carriage_. The
reason that the _Orifice_ of the _Throat_ is so small, is, because
the Substance at the end of the _Shanck_ of the Letter ought also to
be small, that the _Break_ may easier break from the _Shanck_ of the
Letter, and the less subject the _Shanck_ to bowing; for the bowing of
a Letter spoils it; and the reason why the _Palate_ is so long, is,
that the _Break_ being long, may be the easier finger’d and manag’d in
the breaking.
If it be objected, that since the smalness of the _Break_ at the end
of the _Shanck_ of the Letter is so approvable and necessary for the
reason aforesaid, then why may not the _Break_ be made much more
smaller yet? The Answer will be, No; because if it be much smaller
than one quarter of the Body, Metal enough will not pass through
the _Throat_, to fill both the _Face_ and _Shanck_ of the Letter,
especially if the Letter to be cast prove thin.