DISCOVERY OF THE ART OF PRINTING. 45 



which has been destined to change the moral aspect of the 

 globe, is not its so called discovery by Guttemberg or Koster, 

 but the great length of time which elapsed before it was put 

 into use by the nations of Western Christendom;" for we 

 know that the Romans employed solid types or stamps, with 

 i aised letters, for the purpose of taking off short inscriptions, 

 and the Visigoths in Spain printed the signs which they 

 affixed to their deeds and charters. The silver letters of the 

 4 ' Codex Argenteus" are by some thought to have been pro- 

 duced by metal types. 



HENRIETTA. 



Pray, aunt, what is that 1 ? 



MRS. F. 



It is a copy of the translation of the Gospels by Ulphilas, 

 \vho was bishop of the Mreso-Goths in the 4th century. This 

 is the most ancient document extant of the Gothic tongue, 

 from which all the modem northern languages are derived, 

 and it is now preserved in the University of Upsal, having 

 formed part of the booty at the taking of Prague in 1648. 



FREDERICK. 



But why is it called JLrgenteus ? 



MRS. F. 



Because the binding of the book, and its letters, are of 

 silver. The parchment, I should also tell you, is purple. 

 But, as I mentioned before, metal types are by some supposed 

 to have been used in it; and block printing, we know, was 

 understood at an early period in China, where its operation 

 must have been witnessed by Marco Polo, the celebrated 

 Venetian traveller of the 13th century. 



HENRIETTA. 



I never heard of Marco Polo. 



MRS. F. 



Then I recommend you to read his life, because he is a 

 character of no small literary importance. Marco Polo is no 



