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 FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

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1474. Vallis Suicts Marise, the art fiist prac-

^tioed bj the Fiatres viue communis. Saatander coDJectuies this place to be Marihausen, a convent of the brethren of the common life, situated in the Rhingau, a territoiy belonging to Mentz. This order was instituted by Gerard de Groot, under the rule of St. Augustine; they were bound to tiuiscribe the works of the fathers and other eccleaastical authors; and when the art of print- ing deprived them of the means of subsistence, they applied themselves to the practice of the art. l'474. Valencia is conjectured to be the city «here the art of printing was first exercised in the kingdom of Spun. The earliest work printed iheie, of which the date has been ascertained, was Ohm, o Trobet Us qxtalet traetendeUu hort it la Sacratutima Verge Maria, ice. 1478. 4t0. The printers were A. F. de Cordova and L. Mmait.

The number of books printed in Spain, during this century, was three hundred and ten. These appeared chiefly at Barcelona, Burgos, Sala- maDca, Saragossa, Seville, Toledo, and Valen- dt; and were principally executed by Germans. 1474. John de Cologne and John Manthen de Geietzen were printers at Venice soon after the Spiias, and appear to have been equal to an? of their cotempotaries; but they IDiewise fell into the Gothic way of printing. From an iiaciiption affixed to their edition of Valerius Miaamus, printed in this year, they appear to he booksdlers, and not printers; for they inform the reader, that thSy had given this work to be printed by men hired for that purpose. Yet all the worb that came from their press, or were printed for them, do them infinite oedit.

Breviaries were first printed at Venice, in this year, by James de Rubeis.

It is worthy of being noticed, that the dates given by early printers to their works being so coafuseti, that it is scarcely possible to ascertain the exact date of any book. It has, however, hen my endeavour to give them as correct as foseible, being chiefly taken from Satandar, who IS acfaumled^d as the best authority.

The following places received the art of print- ing in the year 1474 : — vicenza, by Leonardus Achates, of Basle. Como, by Ambr. de Orcho and Dion, de Pa- lavicioo. Tniis, by John Fabri and Joanninus de Petro. Genoa, by Matthias Moravus and Mic. de Monacho. Savona, by John Bon (Bonns Johannes.) _ Edingen, by Conradus Fyner.

Basle, by Bernardus Bichel and BertLoIdus

Loavain, by Johannes de Westphalia.

Westminster, England, by William Caxton.

The man to whom we are indebted for bringing the noble art of Printing into the kingdom, «» William CAxton, fliis fact is corroborated hy the testimony of most of our ancient writers; pd must be still conceded to him by every impartial person who wUl take the trouble to is'stigate the subject.

It is not surprising therefore, that Caxton hath attained a high reputation, and that he hath been esteemed an eminent benefactor to his country. His praise stands upon a firm foundation; and his memory may be reflected upon with the greater pleasure, as he appears to have been a person of uncommon worth and modesty.

O Albion I stUl thf gratitade confess To Caxtok founder of the Bkitisr Phiss; Since first tby moontains rose, or rivers fiow'd Who on thine isles so.rich a boon bestow'd? Yet stands the chapel in 7on gothic shrine. Where vntonght the tether of oar English line ) Onr art was hail'd ftom kingdoms fhr atm>ad. And cherisbM in the hallow*d boose of Ood;' From which we learn the homage it received And how onr sires its heavenly birth beUev*d; Each Printer hence, howe'er onblest his walls. E'en to this dajr his bouse a Chapel* calls.— Jf'Crrary.

The lives of some men supply scanty materials for private and personal biography; whereas the materials that connect them with the advance- ment of the human race in knowledge,civilization, and happiness, are in no common degree, rich and interesting. Such is the life of William Caxton, and many others of his profession, whose lives have been selected in this work. Very few of the events of Caxton's life are known; and it is highly probable that, if we had them in minute detail, Uiey would have presented nothing very curious or very instructive — ^nothing that will justify us in searching into every minute parti- cular, an account either of the insight it affords into the formation of the human mind and character, or of the impressive or practical lesson it teaches, that, in moral conduct, as certainly in the material world, like causes will always produce like effects. Such lives as give this insight, and teach by powerful and repeated examples this most important, but too often neg- lected truth, are certainly of the highest utility as well as interest : they give biography a just claim to be ranked above all other studies, in so far as it teaches, most emphatically, that close attention, and persevering and zealous industry, are absolutely necessary for the acquisition of knowledge, and that these qualities, united with probity, are eaually necessarv to our success in the world, ana to our usefulness and respecta- bility in society.

The biography of such men as Franklin, Richardson, the Bowyers', Nichols, the Strahans', Bulmer, Hansard, Smellie, Faulkner, Bensley, and many others whose lives have contributed to the improvement of the human race must always command interest, because they convey useful information and moreover they come before us in the character of authors, as well as that of printers, and whose labours have been received by the world with no small degree of applause.

Considering the low state of literature in England at wis period, die translations from

• The 8tle of Chopd to the internal regulations of a printing office, originated in Caxton's exercising the profession In one of the chapels in Westminster Abbey, and may be considered as an additional proof, trum the antiquity of the castom, of bis being the fint English printer.— iB" Crnry.

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