Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/114

 FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

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Viigio, in the noble and famous city of Mentz, first inventress of this Ait of printing, br John SchoeSer, grandson of the worthy John 'Faust, citizen of Stientz, the First author of this Art, nho found it out by his own ingenuity, and began to practice it anno 1450, in the time of the thirteenth indiction. Frederick III. being then Emperor, and the most reverend father in God, Theodorick Pincema de Erbach, being prince-elector and archbishop of Mentz, anno 1452, he perfected this Art, under God, and benn to put it in practice, with the assistance of Teter Schoeffer ae Gemsheim, first a servant, and then his son-in-law; who having made many Decessaiy inventions in it, had his daughter 4?hristiana Faust in marriage, as a just recom- pense for bis labour and useful discoveries. These two above named, viz. John Faust and Peter Schoefifer, kept this art secret, having taken an oath of all their workmen and servants not to divulge it in any manner whatsoever; but aftervardsit was divulged by those very worlanen, anno 1462, and spread itself over several provin- ,ces of Europe, &c."

In the be^^ning of the above passage, the abbot gives the discovery to Gutenberg; and shortly after he twice gives the title of (Ae Jirtt ImaUoT of Printing, to John Faust, which con- tradiction may be reconciled, by supposing that he, through inadvertency, wrote the name John Gatenberg; and this very probable, as their given names are the same.

This inscription of itself, without calling in anj oUier aid, is fully sufficient to determine the dirante in favour of Faust, and Mentz.

Many authorities, and those of the most respectable kind, might be adduced to prove the preservation of the cases, &c. in Mentz, for more dian a century after the city was destroyed in the jrear 1462, and that one Albinus, a printer, was in the habit of shewing them as cunous leUcs of

It may be curious to trace the art through its Rreral progresses. From the blocks of wood, which could only be employed on the work for which they were carved, an attempt was made to cm moveable lettert on wood, which were soon abandoned, for it is supposed that no entire book was ever printed with tnem; and if Schoeffer's jiappy genius had not discovered the art of cast- ing mUrica and cutting punches, the art must iiare remained imperfect and barbarous.

That John Gutenberg was attempting to per- fect the art at Strasburg, from 1436 to 1444, without being able toproduce a clean sheet, there can be no doubt. Wnether he received any hint from his brother upon the subject, or not, it is impossible now to ascertain. It appears most probable, that the two brothers were going on with their experiments at the same time, and that the elder proved most successful, he having pro- duced works before his brother joined him.

On the authority of Kohlerus, John Geins- Beisch,sen. returned to Mentz in 1441; that two worb were published by him in 1442, there can b« DO doubt. In 1 443, ne was induced for want

of capita], to admit John Faust and other* as

Cers; in 1444, John Gutenberg from Stras- „ made an addition to the firm. It is a sin- grular circumstance that from this period, we find no mention of Geinsfleisch, sen. in the disputes which caused a dissolution; and in the renewal of the partnership, Gutenberg alone being noticed. We find him employed with his brother, cutting metal types, in 1444, consequently he was then in the firm; and as he survived till 1462, it is a most singular omission in our early chronologers not to have favoured us with a few particulars, however trivial, of so extraordinary a man : in fact, he must be considered, strictly speaking, as the first printer, because he brought it to penec- tiun before his brother at Strasburg.

Wooden types being found not sufficiently du- rable, and not answering expectation in other respects, the two brothers first invented cut metal typet. But while these were preparing, which must have been a work of time, several works were printed, both on wooden leparate tupet and on wooden hlock$; which were well adapted to small books of frequent use. After many smaller e^ys, they produced, in conjunction, the bible, with Uirge cut metal typet. Considering the im- mense labour this wore must have cost, it b no wonder that it should have been seven or eight Years in completing. The prog^ss of the art has been thus traced urough its second period, the invention of cut metal types. We intert the following tettimoniet, in order that

the Reader may form an idea on the variety of

opinion! which have existed on ihii important

subject.

Foumier contends that Gutenberg is not the inventor of printing : his difinition of typography being contrary to uiat of most other writers, his arguments are given by Mr. Home, in his Intro- duction to the Studif of Bibliography. .

The opinions of Foumier are completely set aside by Baron Heinecken, in his work on early engraving, 1771, which is in high estimation among bibliographers and amateurs of the Fine Arts. He conjectures, that Gutenberg took the hint from the card-makers, who are said to have been the first engravers of historical subjects in- termingled with texts. All his attempts to cut single letters, at Strasburg, proved ineffectual, and brought min upon both himself and his partners, without producing a clean legible leaf. This failure induced him to quit Strasburg, and return to his native city, when he joined Faust and his brother; here* their endeavours were crowned with complete success. Heinecken is of opinion that their first productions were taken from wooden blocks.

Mr. Bagford contends, that Haerlem is en- titled to the merit of the discovery.

Lichtenberger states, that the first attempts were made by Gutenberg at Strasburg, and per- fected by him at Mayence. The claims of Coster and Haerlem he rejects as a fable.

Arnold de Begel, (a corrector of the press), in his poem, intituled £ncomium Chaleographia, 1541, indicates Stntfburg as the place, ana Gu.

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