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VARIOUS METHODS / OF HINGEING THEM TOGETHER; /
FOR HANGING OF DOORS ON STRAIGHT OR CIRCULAR
PLANS; / For Fitting up WINDOWS and SHUTTERS to answer
various Purposes, / with rules for hanging them: / For the Construction
of Floors, Partitions, Soffits, Groins, Arches for Masonry; / for
constructing Roofs, in the best Manner from a given Quantity of Timber:
/ For placing of Bond Timbers; with various Methods for adjusting
Raking / Pediments, enlarging and diminishing of Mouldings; taking
Dimensions for / Joinery, and for setting out Shop Fronts. / With a new
Scheme for constructing Stairs and Hand-rails, and for Stairs / having a
Conical Well-hole, &c. &c. / TO WHICH ARE ADDED, / EXAMPLES
OF VARIOUS ROOFS EXECUTED, / WITH THE SCANTLINGS,
FROM ACTUAL MEASUREMENTS. / With Rules for
MORTICES and TENONS, and for fixing IRON STRAPS, &c. / Also
Extracts from M. Belidor, M. du Hamel, M. de Buffon, &c. / On the
STRENGTH OF TIMBER, with Practical Observations. / Illustrated
with SEVENTY-NINE PLATES, and copious Explanations. / By PETER
NICHOLSON, / AUTHOR OF THE CARPENTER'S NEW
GUIDE, &c. / LONDON: / PRINTED FOR I. AND J. TAYLOR, AT THE
ARCHITECTURAL LIBRARY, / OPPOSITE GREAT-TURNSTILE, HOLBORN. /
1797.

4to. Title page ([i]); preface ([iii]-viii); table of contents ([ix]-xi); explanation
of plates, with 79 engraved plates, of which 5 are folding, inserted
([1]-79).

Peter Nicholson (1765-1844) was born in East Lothian, the son of a
stonemason. He was educated at the village school and apprenticed to a
cabinetmaker. As a journeyman he went to Edinburgh where he studied
mathematics. At twenty-four he was in London where he set up a night
school for mechanics. He moved about a great deal, going to Carlisle in
1805, Glasgow in 1806 where he worked as an architect, to London again
in 1810, to Morpeth in 1829, and to Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1832 where he
set up another school. He died at Carlisle. He had received the gold
medal of the Society of Arts in 1814.

He issued some twenty-four other books in related fields besides the
three here examined (see also Nos. 89 and 90). This particular work was
first issued in 1792, and again in 1793, 1797 (see Plate XC), 1798, and
1810. He says:

It may be proper for me here again to observe, that this book will not supersede
or render useless my former publication The Carpenter's New Guide
[No. 89], by no means; the subjects, a few instances only excepted, are totally

Plate XC. From No. 88. "Design for a Spire" (Pl. 75).

242

different: the two volumes will form a complete treatise on the Carpenter and
Joiner's business; besides, the Elements or Principles, as the basis of practice,
laid down in the beginning of the Carpenter's Guide, I earnestly recommend
to be well understood by every one who wishes to attain to eminence and accuracy
in the profession; for whoever shall attempt the practical parts of the
Carpenter's business without a due knowledge of the principles, will be like
a ship at sea without rudder or compass, the port may be obtained, but the
labour will be great and the event doubtful. [P. vi]

Jefferson ordered the book in 1825 for the University in the section
on "Technical Arts" of the want list, but there is no record of its ever
having been received by the library during his lifetime. The duplicate
presently on the shelves has recently entered the collections, the gift of
the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation.

U. Va.

*TH5605.N6.1797