Scientific Intelligence. — Arts. 193 



a time when the researches concerning the former times of 

 America have gained a greater interest, I hope the effort to ex- 

 tend this information will meet the approbation of the American 

 antiquarians. I have now gone through all the old MSS. on 

 this subject, and have made a complete collection of several 

 pieces, showing the knowledge which the old Scandinavians had 

 of America. I intend now to publish this collection, with a Latin 

 translation. The accounts of the voyage cf the old Scandina- 

 vians to America have lately gained a new confirmation, by a 

 Runic stone, which, in the year 1824, was found under 73° 

 N. Lat., on the western coast of Greenland ; translated, it is as 

 follows:— ' Erling Sigvalson, and Biorne Hordeson, and En- 

 d ride Add son, Saturday before Gagnday (25. April), erected 

 these heaps of stone, and cleared the place in the year IISS.' " 



ARTS. 



24. Invention of Stereotyping. — The honour of this import- 

 ant invention is at present claimed by Holland, apparently with 

 justice. Baron Van Westreemen Van Tiellandt, encouraged by 

 (he eovernment, has made very active researches on this sub- 

 ject, and has received from the booksellers Luchtmans of Leyden, 

 a stereotype form of a Bible, in 4to, from which impressii)ns 

 have been taken since 1711. At Haarlem also, the booksellers 

 Enschede have furnished him with another stereotype form of 

 a Dutch Bible, which dates from the first years of the IStli 

 century. These are two substantial proofs of stereotyping in 

 Holland before it was thought of in France. It is Avell known 

 that, in a note annexed to No. 1316. of the catalogue of Alex- 

 ander Barbier, a note extracted from the papers of Prosper 

 Marchand, it is affirmed that John IMuUer, minister of a German 

 church at Leyden, contrived, about 1701, a new method of 

 printing, similar to stereotyping as now practised. The method 

 of John Muller consisted in composing the letters in the com- 

 mon way, correcting these forms very exactly, binding them in 

 a very solid manner in frames of iron, then inverting the letters, 

 and riveting them with metal, or, still better, with mastic. The 

 first essay of this method wa# a small prayer-book, entitled 

 Gebeede-Bookjcn, Van Johan Havcrman, printed in 1701, by 



A I' Kir, JU.N'K 1830. N 



