¶. 3. _Of_ Botching-Matrices, _to make them serve the better_. _Matrices_ are sometimes either through a careless, or sometimes through an unlucky stroak or two of the _File_ made too thin. And sometimes the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ is too much taken away, and the Letter by that means stands too high in _Line_: And sometimes the _Face_ of the _Matrices_ is too much taken away; So that the Letter will not stand _High enough against Paper_. To remedy all or any part of these inconveniencies, _Founders_ are forced to make _Botches_ on the _Matrice_: As first, If the _Matrice_ be too thin on the right or left-side, or both; They prick up that side, by laying the _Matrice_ flat on the _Work-Bench_, with the thin side upwards, and holding the point of a _Punch-Graver_ aslope upon the thin side, with an _Hammer_ drive the point into the thin side of the _Matrice_, and so raise a _Bur_ upon that side; which _Bur_ (though it thicken not the _Matrice_, yet it) makes the side of the _Matrice_ stand off the _Register_, and consequently is equevalent to thickning it. The higher this _Bur_ is raised, the better is the _Matrice Botcht_; because the thin fine points thus raised (if not pretty well flatted into the Substance of the _Bur_) will quickly either wear off by the pressure of the _Register_ against them, or else flatten into the _Body_ of the _Bur_, and both ways makes the _Matrice_ again too thin. Sometimes they do not _Botch_ the _Matrice_ thus for this fault; but only Paste a piece of Paper, or a Card, (according as it may want thickness) against the thin side of the _Matrice_ and so thicken it. But to mend the sides I use another Expedient, _viz._ by Soldering a piece of _Plate-Brass_ against its thin side or sides, which is much better than _Botching_ it. _Secondly_, If the _Matrice_ be filed away too much at the _Foot_, they knock it up with the _Pen_ of the _Hammer_; and stretch it between the _Foot_ and the _Orifice_ of the _Matrice_, and then _Justifie_ it again in _Line_. Or a piece may be _Soldered_ under the _Foot_. _Thirdly_, If the _Face_ of the _Matrice_ be too much taken away, and either the _Punch_ spoiled or the _Notch_ in the back of the _Matrice_ made so, as it cannot be _Sunken_ deeper, they raise a _Bur_ on the _Face_, as they did on the thin sides, to keep the _Matrice_ off the _Carriages_ and _Bodies_ which Lengthens the height of the Letter _against Paper_ so much as is the height of the raised _Bur_. But of all the _Botches_ this is the worst, because the _Beard_ lies now nearer the _Face_: And the hollow standing off of the _Face_ of the _Matrice_ from the _Carriages_ and _Bodies_, subjects the Mettal to run between them, and so pesters the Workman to get the Letter out of the _Mold_ and _Matrice_. Sect. XVIII, _Of setting up the_ Furnance.