Manuscrip. pricked through all the sheets by means of a fine
Books awl or needle set in a wooden handle (fig. 75).

See also methods of ruling WITHOUT PRICKING,
pp. 65-6.

Fig. 75.

Fig. 76.

Fig. 77.

The writing lines are ruled
as in fig. 76 (sometimes across
the narrow inner margins).

For double writing lines a
double-ruling stylus may be
made of two pins fixed in a
wooden handle at the exact
width of the writing gauge

(fig- 77)-

MS. BOOKS GENERAL REMARKS

Sections (p. 68).—A section, or “gathering,” com¬
monly consists of four book-sheets, folded in half
into eight leaves (i.e. sixteen pages), but three or
even two sheets are sufficient when they' are extra
thick, and five or six may be used when extra thin.
Parchment sheets should have their smooth sides so
placed together that each “opening” of the book
has both its pages rough or both smooth and the
pages are pounced after they are ruled (see p. 140).

Before the writing is begun the pages of the
76

section are numbered on the inner marginal line,
about I inch or so below the footline. This will
prevent mistakes.

Fly-leaves.—One or more leaves of the first and
last sections in a book are left blank (besides the
extra sheet or section (p. 310) which is used in the
binding—attached to the cover). A book of any
size or importance ought to have at least three fly¬
leaves at the beginning, and three or four at the
end. These extra leaves protect the manuscript,
and, in a sense, constitute margins for the whole
body of the text. They may also be used to make
thin books thicker, for the sake of the binding. At
the end of Service books, or other books likely
to be of permanent interest, additional fly-leaves
should be provided for notes and annotations (see
pp. 308, 310).

Rough or Smooth Edges.—The rough “Deckle”
edges of hand-made paper are inconvenient in a book
of any thickness, and should be trimmed off after
folding, though they may be left in the case of very
thin books. The deckle edge should not occur at
the top of the page, as it would there be a trap for
dust, and because it is important that the tops of
pages should all be level. The top edge or head of
a book is often cut and gilt in order to keep out the
dust—this is called “ Library gilt.” It is more suit¬
able, however, that all the edges be gilt.

The Top Margins throughout the book are kept
quite level. Any irregularity at the top of a page
catches the eye at once, while slight differences at
the side, or considerable differences at the foot, may
occur without spoiling the appearance of the margins.
All measurements for marginal and writing lines,
&c., are therefore made from the fold of the

77

Manuscript

Books