But the most striking improvement is in a cutting-press recently constructed by an ingenious mechanic named Penny, which promises to be of great practical utility; for with this press, an indifferent workman will cut the edges of books or paper with mathematical accuracy and precision, which the very best cutter with the old press could never accomplish. Penn'ys press consists of two cheeks, with screws and slide bars, as in the ordinary machine; but to the under side of the left hand cheek, a framing A A is attached, which projects some distance under the other cheek. Within this frame, a platform B rises and falls, perfectly parallel with the upper surface of the press, by means of a rack to which the platform is attached. A pinion at C, gives motion to the rack. On the axis of the pinion, and on the left hand side of the press, there is a large wheel D which the workman turns with his hand, to give the platform the necessary elevation, fixing it in any position, by means of a small catch.

As the platform moves perfectly parallel with the surface of the press, and at right angles to the frame A A, it follows that any thing resting on the platform will be cut true throughout its whole thickness.

This has been shewn to be the case, by taking off consecutively, shavings from paper the thirty-second of an inch wide, which were perfectly accurate throughout, from first to last. The surprising accuracy of this press, however, would be of little avail with ploughs and knives of the usual description. Mr. Penny has therefore so far improved the plough as to make it a fit accompaniment to his press. For this purpose, the sides, screw, and slide-bars are made with considerable care, the under surface of the sides being shod with metal, which on the right hand side is formed into an appropriate bed for the knife, as at E.

The knife is of the form shewn at F; the blade is placed directly under the screw, and secured by two screw bolts, in lieu of one. The bed for the knife being metal, and the knife itself being accurately finished, no tedious adjustment is ever necessary. The knife being in the centre, stands to its work well, and the plough does not twist about like the old ones. Mr. Penny received a reward from the Society of Arts, in 1832, for his improved plough. The standing-press employed by bookbinders is usually the common screw-press, worked by a long lever, to which the power of a windlass is sometimes added. Having thus briefly noticed some of the machinery which is employed by the bookbinder, we return to the book, the edges of which had just been cut; the next thing, therefore, is to ornament its edges, which is done either by colouring, sprinkling, marbling, or gilding. The first of these processes is the most simple, and is that usually adopted for the commonest work. The books being laid one on the other, or screwed in the cutting-press, the colour is applied with a sponge.

The colours mostly employed for this purpose, are Spirit-blue, Brown-umber, King's-yellow, Dutch-pink, Spanish-brown, and Vermilion, mixed with size.

Sprinkling is performed by dipping a stiff brush in the colour, and striking it upon the press-pin held in the left hand, by which means the colour is thrown upon the books in fine spots, and a little practice enables the workman to distribute them very equally all over the edges. Better kinds of books, however, are generally marbled on the edges, the patterns being made to correspond with the marble paper lining. Marbling is performed as follows: a trough is provided of a convenient size, about two inches deep, which is filled with clean gum-water; various coloured pigments, ground in spirits of wine, and mixed with a small quantity of ox-gall, are then thrown upon the surface of the gum-water, and disposed in various forms, according to the pattern that is desired, with a quill and comb. The proper pattern being obtained, the book is tied between two boards, and the edges dipped into the trough, when the floating colours become transferred to the book; cold water is immediately dashed over the edges, which sets the colours, and gives them a clear appearance. If the edges are to be gilt, they are nicely cut and tied between two boards; they are then sponged over with yellow-ochre, which is scraped off, and the edges rubbed dry with paper shavings.

Parchment size, or a size composed of equal parts of water and white of eggs, is laid upon the book edge, and covered with gold leaf; it is then dried gradually, and before it gets quite hard, is burnished with an agate burnisher. The edges are then protected from injury during the remainder of the process by a paper covering. Head-banding then follows. Head-bands are of two kinds, stuck on and worked. The stuck-on head-band is formed by cutting a piece of striped or coloured linen about an inch deep, and equal in length to the thickness of the book; one side is pasted, and a piece of well-twisted cord laid across one third of its width; it is then folded over, enclosing the string, and worked well up to it. The back of the book being glued, the linen is laid upon it, the cord or head-band being placed flat upon the end of the leaves. For all extra work, however, the head-bands are worked in the following manner. A strip of thick vellum, board, or string, prepared by rolling it tight in pasted paper, is taken of a dimension suited to the size of the book; stout well-twisted silk, of two or more colours, is then taken; if two colours are used, they are doubled and tied together by the ends, one of them being previously equipped with a needle.

The book is then placed in the cutting-press with the back uppermost, the head towards the workman, and considerably elevated; the needle is then passed through the middle of the second section, on the left-hand side, just below the catch-stitch, and drawn out far enough to bring the knot joining the two silks close into the middle of the section; the needle is then brought up, and passed again through the same place, and the silk drawn nearly close; the round strip is placed in the loop thus formed, and the silk drawn tight with the left hand; the other silk is brought over with the right, and passed under and over the head-band, when that is held tight with the left hand; the other silk is now put over that, and also under and over the head-band; they are thus worked alternately over each other, as far as the middle section of the book, through which the needle is passed below the catch-stitch, and brought over the head-band, when the working is proceeded with as before, as far as the last section but one; the needle is passed through this section, and over the head-band twice, and finally fastened on the back. The ends of the head-hand are then cut off, almost close to the silk at each end.