Page images
PDF
EPUB

"It is indeed a wonderful invention," said Mr. Jarvis to his nephew; "but you are perhaps not aware that for many ages this useful art was unknown. Anciently, men used to write, or rather engrave, upon plates of lead or copper, barks of trees, brick, stone, and wood. Josephus speaks of two columns, one of stone, and the other of brick, on which the children of Seth wrote their inventions and their astronomical discoveries. God's Laws were written on tables of stone, and Solon's laws on wooden planks. (Job xix. 23, 24.) speaks of printing in a book, engraving on lead, and cutting on a rock. (Ezekiel ii. 10.) mentions a parchment roll, written within and without. Of this kind, probably, was the roll or book of which John speaks, (Rev. v. 1.) and which was sealed with seven seals. These rolls appear to have been of two kinds; one was of vellum or parchment, folded like our books, and written on both sides: the other, though sometimes of several yards in length, was written only on one side, and rolled up into a very small compass, with the writing inward. The Jews still use rolls in their synagogues."

HENRY. But the method of writing upon wood, stone, parchments, and other materials, must have been a very slow and tedious one. I should think, from the rapid manner in which that man is turning off the sheets from the press, he would print as much in a day as could be

written, in the manner you mention, by a dozen hands in twelve months.

MR.JARVIS.-Very likely, Henry, and perhaps a great deal more; for, you perceive, it is not a single page merely, but a great number of pages that are pressed at the same moment.

HENRY.-Well, indeed it is very curious. I did not observe that. But do you see, Uncle, that the pages are all inverted?

MR. J.-Yes, Henry; but if you take one of the sheets, and fold it up in the middle of those blank parts, you will perceive at once that nothing but a knife is wanting to cut the edges, and you will be presented with a complete little book, such as you receive every month for a penny.

HENRY.-You astonish me more and more; and yet I see it must be so, for you know, uncle, I borrowed your penknife to cut open the very last Magazine that came, because I was so anxious to see what it contained.

HENRY. But what is that man doing yonder, with a great number of little boxes before him, out of which he seems to be taking something very small, and placing them in very regular order in another little box, or something like one, in his left hand?

MR. J.-We will go a little nearer to him, and I will endeavour to explain to you what he is doing. The little boxes, out of which you perceive he is taking something every minute, or rather a great many times in a minute, contain

what are called types, or printing letters, cast with a kind of metal resembling lead, only somewhat more brittle. These, according to their character, you see are all arranged in such regular order, that the man has no difficulty in selecting such letters as are necessary for his

[graphic]

purpose. Here, for instance, in this little box, is A, there's B, and in this C, and so on. The small iron frame which he holds in his hand, and in which he is placing the letters, is made, by means of a screw, to enlarge or contract as circumstances may require. When this is done, a strong thread, you observe, is bound repeatedly round the letters, thus formed into a page, to keep them together. Then eight, or sixteen, of these pages are placed in a larger frame, and at a proper distance from each other; and, after being fixed in the press, produce the sheet whic'

you have just seen turned off in so clear and beautiful a manner, and which, when folded, forms the book.

HENRY.—I am truly obliged for the information, and think I understand the nature of it thus far: but I find there is much more labour and skill required in preparing for the press than I at first expected, for now I see that every letter must pass through this man's fingers before a book can be completed.

MR. J.-True, Henry, but then you must remember, that when once the press is thus set, you may strike off 100-1,000—or 10,000, or as many more copies of a work as you please, without even altering a letter, or increasing the expense, save what is requisite for labour, and an extra quantity of paper.

HENRY. You will, perhaps, think me troublesome, but, if you please, Uncle, before we leave the room, I should like to know what that boy is doing who is working that roller backwards and forwards upon a flat board or stone, and who, every now and then, turns round to roll it over the surface of the letters.

MR. J.-The board or stone, as you call it, over which the roller works, is, you perceive, covered with a kind of black sticky consistence, and which, adhering to the roller, is thus conveyed to the surface of the types. This is the printer's ink, and requires this process before it can be used. A clean sheet of paper then being gently

laid upon it, the lever of the press is next brought down by the strength of the printer, and in an instant the impression of every letter is left upon the paper.

HENRY.-Well, altogether it is really a most wonderful invention, and ought to be regarded as an invaluable blessing to the world; for if it were not for the facilities of the press, we should be much more ignorant of men and things than

we are.

MR. J. The justness of your remark, Henry, will appear truly striking if you consider, that through the medium of the Press the Bible has been printed in almost every language, and con. veyed to almost every nation under heaven. In consequence of which, many thousands of our fellow creatures have been made acquainted with the true character of God, and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ; who, humanly speaking, must have remained in ignorance, and perished in their sin.

And now, I think, Henry, you have seen enough to satisfy your curiosity, and to convince you that we can never be sufficiently thankful for the invention of this astonishing machine, and for the use of which, in our happy land, is now made of it, for the diffusion of knowledge and religion.

« PreviousContinue »