No. 7 Mechanick Exercises on the Whole Art of Printing, by Joseph Moxon
The first real study of printing as a craft, written in 1683, by Joseph Moxon, an English printer specializing in mathematical books and maps, and a maker of globes. The Oxford Press issued this in 1962 and it retains the old spellings and feel of the original with engravings and marginal notes. His description of intricate manual work and processes is mesmerizing. I especially loved reading the passages about typesetting, because I learned from him that one should quickly decide on each piece of type before pouncing on it so that it will best transfer to the composing stick. There is also a wonderful feel in reading the old syntax, studded with all the terms for printing and its tools.
