89. Nicholson, Peter.
THE / Carpenter's New Guide: / BEING A / COMPLETE BOOK
OF LINES / FOR / CARPENTRY AND JOINERY. / TREATING
FULLY ON / Practical Geometry, Soffits, Brick and Plaister Groins,
Niches of every Descrip-/tion, Sky-lights, Lines for Roofs and Domes,
with a great Variety of Designs / for Roofs, Trussed Girders, Floors,
Domes, Bridges, &c.; - Stair-cases and / Hand-Rails of various Constructions;
Angle Bars for Shop Fronts, &c.; / and Raking Mouldings;
with many other Things entirely new. / The whole founded on true
Geometrical Principles; and the Theory and Practice / well explained,
and fully exemplified / ON SEVENTY-EIGHT COPPER-PLATES, /
CORRECTLY ENGRAVED BY THE AUTHOR. / INCLUDING
/ SOME OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS ON THE /
STRENGTH OF TIMBER. / BY / PETER NICHOLSON. / LONDON:
/ PRINTED FOR I. AND J. TAYLOR, / AT THE ARCHITECTURAL
LIBRARY, No. 56, HIGH HOLBORN. / MDCCXCIII.
4to. Title page ([iii]); preface ([v]-viii); list of plates ([ix]-xii); text,
with 78 engraved plates inserted ([1]-76); [new pagination:] catalogue
of books ([1]-4).
For information on Peter Nicholson, see No. 88. About this book Nicholson
says:
To a book intended merely for the use of Practical Mechanics, much
Preface is not necessary. . . .
In this Second Edition the arrangement is gradual and regular, such as
a student should pursue who wishes to attain a thorough knowledge of his
profession; and as it is Geometry that lays down all the first principles of
building, measures, lines, angles, and solids, and gives rules for describing
the various kinds of figures used in buildings; therefore, as a necessary introduction
to the art treated of, I have first laid down, and explained in the terms
of workmen, such problems of Geometry as are absolutely requisite to the
well understanding and putting in practice the necessary lines for Carpentry.
[P. v]
In that nice and elegant branch of the Building Art, called Joinery,
Stairs and Hand-rails take the lead; and notwithstanding the great importance
of this subject, I am sorry to find it has been treated, by authors in general,
in a very clumsy and slovenly manner. For Stair-cases, in general, I have laid
down right methods, on principles entirely new, and which, since the publication
of the former edition of this work, I have the satisfaction to say, have
been put in practice, and found to answer well. [P. vii]
In this Second Edition the arrangement of the subjects is progressive
and regular; and besides eighteen additional plates, many of the others have
been re-engraved, the subjects, in some, made more intelligible, and, in others,
multiplied: So that this edition may be considered as a New Work. [P. viii]
The Carpenter and Joiner's Assistant (No. 88) was meant to be a
work complementary to this one.
Jefferson in ordering this for the University in the section on "Technical
Arts" of the want list did not specify in the way of edition anything
more than "London," and there were London editions in 1792,
1793, 1797, 1801, 1805, and 1808 that he could have meant. There is no
record of any edition having been received by the library in Jefferson's
lifetime. After 1808, the book was issued again in London in 1835, 1854,
and 1856.
The library's recently acquired copy, the gift of the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Foundation, is well worn and has carpenters' drawings on
some of its blank pages. What is more interesting is the four-page catalogue
for the Architectural Library bound in at the end with its listing of
over 100 titles in stock at the shop of that name in London.
U. Va.?
*TH5605.N62.1793
