PRINTING. 517 



facture into Europe ; where paper was first made of linen rags, 

 about 1320. The bark and leaves of trees, are still used as writing 

 materials by some half-civilized nations or tribes. 



The art of Xylographic, or block printing, by means of engraved 

 wooden plates, was known to the Chinese, it is said, 1100 B. C. 

 It was reinvented in Europe ; we believe by Laurentius Jansen, 

 called Coster, at Harlaem, as early as 1430 ; but the great invention 

 of typography, or printing with moveable types, is we believe due 

 to Guttenberg, otherwise called Gansfleisch, who was assisted in 

 improving it, by Schoeffer, and perhaps by Faust. The date now 

 generally assigned to this invention, is 1440: and the first printed 

 edition of the Bible was completed in 1455. The invention of ste- 

 reotype printing, from cast metallic plates, is due to Vander-Mey, 

 of Holland, who first matured it about 1690 ; and to Ged, of Scotland, 

 who reinvented it in 1725. The invention of the printing press is 

 ascribed to Guttenberg; but the invention of printing machinery, 

 or the power press, commenced in 1790, with Mr. W. Nicholson; 

 and was first successfully applied by Messrs. Bacon and Donkin, in 

 1813. 



The art of engraving on wood, is also said to have originated in 

 Germany, with the stamping of cards, as early as 1360. Engraving 

 on copper appears to have been invented by Finiguerra, of Italy, as 

 early as 1452 ; and it was known in Germany as early as 1460. 

 The engravings of Schoen, (or Schoengaur) of Antwerp, are, among 

 the earliest extant. Etching was practised by Albert Durer, as early 

 as 1518 : Mezzotinto engraving was invented by De Siegen in 1643, 

 or Prince Rupert, in 1649 ; and Lithography, by Senefelder, in 1796. 

 Bookselling, as a distinct profession, commenced with Otto, of Nu- 

 remberg, in 1516. Newspapers originated in Venice, in 1563 ; and 

 the first in England was printed in 1588. The first printing press 

 in the United States was brought to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 

 1639. The use of signals to convey information, was known to the 

 ancients ; and a Telegraph was contrived by the Marquis of Wor- 

 cester, as early as 1 663 ; but the first actual Telegraph was put in 

 operation in 1794, by Chappe, of France. 



The branch of which we are now treating may be distributed 

 under the heads of Writing ; Printing ; Engraving ; Paper Making, 

 and Book binding; and Telegraphies, or telegraphic communications. 



1. The art of Writing, also termed Chirography, is too simple 

 to require any long explanation here ; but we may remark that its 

 greatest perfection consists in its free and easy style, its neatness and 

 regularity of appearance, and especially its ready legibility. Much 

 depends upon having a good pen, which is best made from a strong 

 and elastic quill ; and much depends upon a good position of the 

 hand and body, such as freely to admit of the proper motions. 

 The body should be held as erect as possible, to prevent distortion 

 of the spine ; and the table or desk should be so low that the right 

 fore arm may rest upon it, without being carried very far from the 

 side. The pen should be so held between the thumb and first two 

 fingers, that the thumb can be bent with ease, and that the end of the 

 fore finger may be raised from the pen without letting go of it, The 



