_Fourthly_, When for want of a _Caldron_ the _Master-Printer_ makes _Varnish_ in a _Kettle_, He provides a great piece of thick _Canvass_, big enough when three or four double to cover the _Kettle_, and also to hang half round the sides of the _Kettle_: This _Canvass_ (to make it more soluble) is wet in Water, and the Water well wrung out again, so that the _Canvass_ remains only moist: Its use is to throw flat over the Mouth of the _Kettle_ when the _Oyl_ is _Burning_, to keep the smoak in, that it may stifle the Flame when they see cause to put it out. But the Water as was said before, must be very well wrung out of the _Canvass_, for should but a drop or two fall from the sides of it into the _Oyl_ when it is Burning, it will so enrage the _Oyl_, and raise the Scum, that it might endanger the working over the top of the _Kettle_. * * * * * Having shewn you the _Master-Printers_ Office, I account it suitable to proper Method, to let you know how the _Letter-Founder_ Cuts the _Punches_, how the _Molds_ are made, the _Matrices_ Sunck, and the _Letter Cast_ and _Drest_, for all these Operations precede the _Compositers_ Trade, as the _Compositers_ does the _Press-mans_; wherefore the next _Exercises_ shall be (God willing) upon _Cutting_ of the _Steel-Punches_. _MECHANICK EXERCISES:_ Or, the Doctrine of =Handy-works.= Applied to the Art of =Letter-Cutting.= _PREFACE._ LEtter-Cutting _is a Handy-Work hitherto kept so conceal’d among the Artificers of it, that I cannot learn any one hath taught it any other; But every one that has used it, Learnt it of his own Genuine Inclination. Therefore, though I cannot (as in other Trades) describe the general Practice of Work-men, yet the Rules I follow I shall shew here, and have as good an Opinion of these Rules, as those have that are shyest of discovering theirs. For, indeed, by the appearance of some Work done, a judicious Eye may doubt whether they go by any Rule at all, though Geometrick Rules, in no Practice whatever, ought to be more nicely or exactly observed than in this._ §. 12. ¶. 1. _Of Letter-Cutters Tools._