Chapter Pro and Con to Proof Prints of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Prometheans The first invention which developed into Bryant and May's “safety matches.” They were originally made in 1805 by Chancel, a French chemist, who tipped cedar splints with paste of chlorate of potash and sugar. On dipping one of these matches into a little bottle containing asbestos wetted with sulphuric acid, it burst into flame on drawing it out. It was not introduced into England till after the battle of Waterloo. (See Hugh Perry .)

Promise of Odin (The). The most binding of all promises to a Scandinavian. In making this promise the person passed his hand through a massive silver ring kept for the purpose; or through a sacrificial stone, like that called the “Circle of Stennis.”

“I will bind myself to you ... by the promise of Odin, the most sacred of our northern rites.”- Sir W. Scott: The Pirate, chap. xxii.

Promised Land or Land of Promise. Canaan; so called because God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their offspring should possess it.

Pronesia (in Orlando Furioso). One of Logistilla's handmaids, famous for her wisdom.

Proof A printed sheet to be examined and approved before it is finally printed. The first proof is that which contains all the workman's errors; when these are corrected the impression next taken is called a clean proof and is submitted to the author; the final impression, which is corrected by the reader ad unguem, is termed the press proof.

Proof Prints The first impressions of an engraving. India-proofs are those taken off on India-paper. Proofs before lettering are those taken off before the plate is sent to the writing engraver. After the proofs the orders of merit are— (1) the prints which have the letters only in outline; (2) those in which the letters are shaded with a black line; (3) those in which some slight ornament is introduced into the letters; (4) those in which the letters are filled up quite black.