to be lettered, the
use of type has obvious advantages.

A great deal depends on the design of the letters used. Nearly all
bookbinders' letters are made too narrow, and with too great
difference between the thick and thin strokes. At fig. 90 is shown an
alphabet, for which I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Emery Walker.
The long tail of the Q is meant to go under the U. It might be well to
have a second R cut, with a shorter tail, to avoid the great space
left when an A happens to follow it. I have found that four sizes of
letters are sufficient for all books.

[Illustration: FIG. 90.]

[Illustration: FIG. 91.]

[Illustration: FIG. 92.]

To make out a lettering paper for the back of a book, cut a strip of
good thin paper as wide as the height of the panel to be lettered.
Fold it near the centre, and mark the fold with a pencil. This should
give a line exactly at right angles to the top and bottom of the
strip. Then make another fold the distance from the first of the width
of the back; then bring the two folds together, and make a third fold
in the exact centre. The paper should then be as shown at fig. 91.
Supposing the lettering to be THE WORKS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON,
select the size of letter you desire to use, and take an E and mark on
a piece of spare paper a line of E's, and laying your folded paper
against it, see how many letters will go in comfortably. Supposing you
find that four lines of five letters of the selected size can be put
in, you must see if your title can be conveniently cut up into four
lines of five letters, or less. It might be done as shown at fig. 93.
But if you prefer not to split the name STEVENSON, a smaller letter
must be employed, and then the lettering may be as at fig. 94.

To find out the position of the lines of lettering on a panel, the
letter E is again taken and impressed five times at the side of the
panel, as shown at fig. 92, leaving a little greater distance between
the lowest letter and the bottom of the panel, than between the
letters. The paper is then folded on the centre fold, and, with
dividers set to the average distance between the head of one letter
and the head of the next, five points are made through the folded
paper. The paper is opened, turned over, and the points joined with a
fine folder worked against the straight-edge. It should leave on the
front five raised lines, up to which the head of the letters must be
put.

[Illustrati