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Names of different kinds of Type.

I will now tell you something about printing. It may be useful to spend a few lines in giving you an idea of the names which are applied to the different sorts of type employed in the printing of books. This I shall do by putting against each line of the present paragraph the name of the type in which it is printed. I shall not attempt to explain the origin of these odd terms, but content myself with giving you a notion of the proportion which one type bears to another; so as to enable you, when you become author, to give instructions to your printer as to the type you wish him to use.

And by way of enlarging your vocabulary of types, I will

add a few examples of fancy letters, adapted to the titlePAGES OF BOOKS, SHOW BILLS OF VARIOUS KINDS, BUSINESS CARDS, VISITING CARDS, AND MANY OTHER purposes. If you will go to Mr. Dickinson's printing-office,

No. 52 Washington Street, Boston, you will see a

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OF FANCY TYPE; AND YOU WILL
ALSO SEE HOW THEY ARE SET
UR, AND HOW THEY ARE
PRINTED, WITH WHAT HE CALLS A

ROTARY PRESS.

Condensed (Capitals) YOU WILL ALSO SEE PRESSES WORKED BY STEAM, AND ENgaged in printing books, newspapers,

Full-face Italic

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PAMPHLETS, MAGAZINES, AND MANY

OTHER THINGS. IF YOU WILL
GO TO NO. 66 CONGRESS STREET,
YOU WILL FIND WHERE
MERRY'S MUSEUM

IS STEREOTYPED.

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THERE were once three little girls, who with it. When all was prepared, he got went to see a balloon. When they got into the little car, holding in his lap a cat to the place, they saw that it was a great fastened in a cage, with a thing like an bag of silk, with a netting put over it, and umbrella, attached to it. In a few moto this netting, a little car was attached. ments Mr. Lauriat called out, "all right!" There were a great many people around and the men let go of the net-work, the place, anxious to see the balloon rise and up went the balloon, and up went and sail away in the air. There were Mr. Lauriat in the little car hanging several persons very busy in filling the beneath it! balloon with what is called hydrogen It was a beautiful sight, and the people gas, which is a kind of air, and so light were so delighted, that the air rang with that it rises upward and carries the bal- acclamations. The three little girls, whom loon with it. we shall call History, Poetry, and RoPretty soon there was considerable gas mance, were as much pleased as anyin the balloon, and it then began to as- body, and shouted, with their little voices, cend a little; in a short time it rose more, as loud as they could. What made it all and, after a few minutes, it seemed in more pleasant, was that the people could such a hurry to get away that several see Mr. Lauriat, who waved a little flag, men were obliged to take hold of the net- as he ascended; and though it was alwork, and restrain it till all was ready. most frightful to see a man so high in the air, yet he appeared quite at his ease and very much gratified.

Now a man by the name of Lauriat, who had made the balloon, was going up

When the balloon had risen to a great height, so as to look only about as large as my wig, Mr. Lauriat let the cat and the cage fall; but the thing like an umbrella, called a parachute, kept it from coming down very swiftly. It was a beautiful sight to see! At first the cage and parachute were hardly visible, but they grew more and more distinct, and at last they came nearer and nearer, and finally dropped down upon a distant hill. Some boys ran to the place, and behold, puss was in the cage, a good deal frightened, but as safe as ever. There are very few cats that have had such a ride. as this!

At last the balloon looked no bigger than a fly, and then it entered a cloud and was seen no more. The company separated and went to their homes, all talking of the balloon, and Mr. Lauriat, and puss, and the parachute. Our three little girls also returned to their homes, and, rushing to their mother, they were each so anxious to tell the story, that neither could be understood. At last their mother said to them, "My dear children, I must hear you, one at a time. Let us all sit down, and History, who is the oldest, shall tell the story first. Then Poetry shall tell it, and then Romance shall tell it."

To this they all agreed, and History began as follows: "We reached the place about four o'clock in the afternoon. There were already many people present, but as the time advanced, others came, and soon about two thousand people were there.

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circumference. When full of gas, it was shaped like a bell-pear, the stem downwards. The silk was oiled, so as to retain the gas, which is lighter than the air, and floats upward in it, as a piece of wood does in water. The balloon was enclosed in a net-work, and beneath, a little car, or boat, was attached to it, and in this, Mr. Lauriat sat, when he ascended.

"As the gas was conducted to the balloon, the latter gradually swelled out, and when it was full, the men who held it down, let go; and it ascended with Mr. Lauriat, into the air. He was cheered by the voices of the people, and he waved a little flag back and forth, in return. It was a pleasing scene, in which fear for the airy sailor, and admiration of his skill and courage, were mingled.

"Mr. Lauriat had taken up with him a cat, enclosed in a cage, and to this cage a parachute was attached. When he had risen to the height of about a thousand feet, he let the cage go, and it came gently down like a snow-flake, falling at last on a distant hill. The cat was taken up unhurt. The balloon gradually grew less and less to the vision, and finally it disappeared in a thick cloud, upon which the rays of the evening sun were now falling."

Such was the account given of the scene by History; and now Poetry began:

"Oh mother, it was beautiful! The balloon went up like a soap-bubble, and it sailed along on the air like a bird. I could hardly believe that it was not alive, it glided in the air so gently, and so gracefully! And Mr. Lauriat, he looked so happy! Oh it was wonderful to see a man so high in the air, and to see him so much at his ease! I felt afraid for him, and yet the scene pleased me the more. I wished to be with him, though I knew I should have been frightened. And yet it seemed so pleasing to go up in the air, and look down upon so many

people, and to know that they were all looking at you, and that so many hearts were beating for you, and that so many were admiring you! It would be beautiful!

"And, mother, you know that the balloon glided up and away so softly, that it seemed like a dream, fading from the memory. And at last, when it was like a mere insect in the vast blue sky, it stole into a cloud, and hid itself, and then I had a feeling of sadness. Can you tell me why, mother?”

Here there was a pause, and the blueeyed girl, stood for a moment, as if expecting an answer. But Romance was impatient to begin, and her dark eye, shaded by the long black lashes, seemed to grow larger and brighter as she spoke thus:

"History has told you, mother, all the events that occurred, and she has accurately described them. Poetry has painted the scene, and made it clear and bright by comparisons. But I must tell you of the thoughts and feelings it awakened in my breast, and of the fairy world in which I seemed to be, while I looked on the balloon.

"When the balloon went up, it seemed as if I went with it, into a new scene. I think I have dreamed something like it, in my sleep, when my thoughts seemed like wings, and all around was fair and heavenly. As the balloon ascended, I seemed to ascend also. I did not, at the moment, think how strange it was, but I went on fancying myself with the balloon, and riding upon the air, in that little boat. And I thought of the vast blue space around, and the earth beneath, and the heaven above, and I felt as if I was something like an angel, gifted with the power of rising upward, and seeing earth, and sky, and heaven, as others could not see them. And I felt a sort of happiness I cannot express.

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and farther upon the airy sea, and as it grew less and less to the sight, like a ship that glides away upon the oceanI began to think of the realms to which it seemed hastening. And at last, when it flew into the cloud, I did not dream that it had disappeared. My eye was still bent upon the spot, and I still fancied that I was with it, and that I was sailing on and on, upon the blue deep, and among regions where the happy and the lovely only dwell."

When Romance had got to this point of her story, the mother smiled, and History tittered aloud. Poetry, however, drew nearer, and seemed entranced with the tale of the dark-eyed girl. But Romance was dashed at the ridicule she had excited, and was silent.

Now I suppose some of my waggish young readers, some of the roguish Paul Pries, will laugh at me, as History did at Romance; and think me not a little ridiculous, for telling such a rigmarole tale as this. But old Peter knows what he is about! He has an object in view; and now, as Mr. Lauriat let the cat out of the car, he will "let the cat out of the bag."

My purpose is to teach the meaning of the three words, History, Poetry, and Romance. History is a true record of events; and, accordingly, the little girl whom we call History, tells the exact story of the balloon. Poetry is a display of fanciful thoughts, and deals much in comparison; and so, our little Poetry gives a fanciful description of the scene, embellishing her tale by many illustra tions. Romance is a picture of fantastic and extraordinary scenes and feelings; and our dark-haired maiden, who deals in it, sets forth the fairy world of visions and sentiments that is reflected in her own breast.

I suppose all my readers have heard of the Nine Muses, goddesses of ancient 'Well, as the balloon sailed farther Greece. One was called Clio, the muse

of history; one was Erato, the muse of poetry. And I have sometimes fancied that the idea of these goddesses, might have originated among the fanciful Greeks, from perceiving the different ways in which different persons notice

The Zephyr.

I MUST tell my young reader, in order to explain these lines, that in ancient times, the Greeks used to think that the light summer wind was a sort of goddess, whom they called Zephyr.

"Where have you been to-day?" said I
To a zephyr, as it flew by;
And thus it made reply.
"I have been upon the sea,

Where the waves were full of glee,
And they lov'd to dance with me.
"On the mountain I have strayed,
And with its green leaves played,
'Mid the sunshine and shade.

"I have been in the dell,
Where the wild flowers dwell,
And oh, I loved them well!

"I have been with the brook,
And its laughing ripples shook,
As my kisses they took.

"I have been with the flowers,
In their sweet-scented bowers,
And forgot the flight of hours.
"I have played with the hair
Of a girl, wild and fair-
And I loved to linger there!
"I have been with clouds on high,
As with pinions they do fly,
In many a glorious dye!"

the same scenes; one being apt to remark things soberly and accurately, like our Miss History; another being apt to see them fancifully, like our Miss Poetry; and another apt to weave a world of fiction out of them, like our Miss Romance.

To my Correspondents.

I AM gratified to find, although it is now but about a year since I began to be known to the public, that already I have some thousands of black-eyed and blue-eyed acquaintances, in different parts of the country. I receive many letters from young persons, and they give me great pleasure, for they show that poor Bob Merry, though he has a "timber toe," is not destitute of friends. I was much pleased with a bear story about his great-great-grandfather, sent me by J. W. L. Cheseborough, of New London. I intend to make something of it, one of these days. Two puzzles, received from other correspondents, are given below. I must beg those who are anxious to hear how I lost my leg-to wait a little while. It will all come out in due season. Perhaps the leg will turn out as interesting as Peter Parley's great toe, that used to tickle the boys so! I have only one thing to add, which is, that I desire all my friends to address their letters to care of Bradbury & Soden.

Puzzles.

Portsmouth, Feb. 4, 1842. MR. MERRY, Sir: if you think the following worthy a place in your valuable magazine, by inserting the same you will oblige a CONSTANT READER.

I am a word of 18 letters. My 1, 12, 17, 13, 5, 18, is an article of ladies' dress. My 18, 7, 6, 16, 5, is a number. My 6, 2, 15, has been the ruination of many. My 12, 3, 8, 12, 17, is a vegetable.

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