To cast off manuscript with accuracy and precision is a task which requires great attention and mature deliberation. The trouble and difficulty are much increased when the copy is not only irregularly written, (which is generally the case,) but also abounds with interlineations, erasures, and variations in the size of paper. At times, so numerous are the alterations and additions as to baffle the skill and judgment of the most experienced calculators of copy. Such an imperfect and slovenly mode of sending works to the press cannot be too strongly censured. The first step necessary is to take a comprehensive view of the copy, noticing whether it has been written even or has many interlineations, &c., and observing also the number of break-lines, and whether the work be divided into chapters and sub-heads, in order that allowance may be made for them in the calculation. These observations may be noted on a separate piece of paper, to assist the memory and save the trouble of re-examining the manuscript. This preparation being made, we ascertain the number of words contained in the line by counting several separate lines in various parts of the copy, so that the one we adopt may be a fair average. We then take the number of lines in a page, and multiply by the number of words found in the average line: the result we then multiply by the quantity of folios the manuscript copy may contain, and thus we get the amount of words contained in the work with a tolerable degree of accuracy. The necessary allowances should be made for break-lines, chapters, insertions, &c., according to the observations previously made on the memorandum. If information has been furnished as to the size of letter the work is to be done in and the width of the page, we make our measure accordingly, and, by composing a few lines of the manuscript copy, we ascertain what number of words will come into each printed line: we then take the length of our page in lines, and multiply the one by the other, thus getting the number of words in the printed page. We divide the whole number of words in the manuscript by the number contained in the printed page: the quotient gives the number of pages the manuscript will make. If too many, the page must be enlarged; if too few, the page must be diminished in width and length. For example:—We take the number of words in a line of manuscript at 20, the lines in a page at 50; we multiply 50 by 20, which will produce 1000 words in a page; we then multiply 1000 by 422, the number of folios in the manuscript, and we find that it contains 422,000 words. The work being printed in Pica octavo, 20 ems measure, and each line containing 10 words, each page 40 lines, the case will stand thus:— MANUSCRIPT. 50 20 ---- 1000 422 ------ 2000 2000 4000 ------ 422000 words in MS. PRINTED. 40 10 --- 400)422000 words in MS. ------ 1055 pages.