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                    7
      THE BOOK-BINDER.
  AT what period Book-binding was firsr
invented, cannot be ascertained; but it ap.
pears, that the glue first used in fastening
the leaves of a book together, was the in-
vention of an Athenian, named Phillatius.
The first process of binding is to fold the
sheets according to the size intended by the
printer, the guide for which is the signa-
tures or letters placed at the bottom of cer-
tain pages; the leaves are then placed to-
gether, and beat with a hammer on a stone,
and then sewed in a sewing press upon cords
or packthreads, called bands, which is, as
also the folding, principally performed by
women, The bands are drawn through
-holes in the boards, which is afterwards
beat flat down, the book is then pressed be-
tween two boards and the edges cu-t in what
is called a plough; the mill-boards are
squared with iron sheers; and the edges
sprinkled.  The book is now ready for
covering, which may be done in calf, or any
other leather, by wetting it in water; then
cutting it to the size, it must be pasted and
pulled tight over the boards and put in a
press, the back being warmed by the fire,
and rubbed down witha bodkin; afterpast-
ing down the linings, the book is polished.