No. 199. j 347 



of intellect. The man was degraded to the mere animal, and the 

 creature of sense exalted above the being possessed of reason. We 

 can hardly imagine a worse condition than that of Europe during the 

 dark ages ; nor could it be expected that the arts would flourish, or 

 retain their previous excellence at such a period. It is only wonder- 

 ful, that, from this state of affairs, a time should ever arrive, when 

 the mind of man, thus fettered and bound, should become emancipated 

 tind free, or that, from this gross and thick darkness and ignorance, it 

 should once more emerge into knowledge and light. That so humble 

 an instrument, too, should be employed in effecting this radical change 

 in his condition, so as to transform his very character and nature, is 

 scarcely less astonishing than the change itself. 



To an obscure Mechanic of Germany, about whose name there is 

 even a question, are we indebted for the wonderful discovery of the 

 ait of Printing — an art which has done more to revolutionize mankind 

 — to raise the standard of excellence — to infuse a noble and laudable 

 ambition — to enrich the mind, and humanize the heart — to improve 

 the manners and regulate the opinions — and to ameliorate our indi- 

 vidual and social state than all others ; and in fact, one on which all 

 the rest are, in a measure, dependent for their introduction to general 

 use, and their progress toward completion. Since Piinting has been 

 known, the whole system of ethics, physics, both natural and moral 

 philosophy, chemistry, astronomy, as well as the application and com- 

 bination of the different principles of mechanics, have been improved 

 and advanced in a manner wholly unprecedented in any previous por- 

 tion of our history. The principles advanced by Lord Bacon — the 

 discoveries made by Sir Isaac Newton — the metaphysical opinions and 

 disquisitions of Locke, established a new era in the thinking and intel- 

 lectual world. The uncertainties of science which had before prevailed, 

 and which consisted in the most absurd dogmas, that were the subjects 

 of constant wrangling and debate, were abandoned, and facts were 

 substituted for arguments, and experiments actually made and that 

 \v('i f to be relied on, led to the formation of rules and opicions. The 

 man of science was thus enabled to proceed with confidence in the ap- 

 plication of his knowledge, and could reduce it without fear of failure, 

 to practice. Men could make use of what they had learned ; and their 

 efforts having been successful, they were incited to renewed and still 



