THE GERMAN PLAY AT VENICE* ' ^39 



talk with me farther, and learn who I am 5 thou muft 

 likewife anfwer me fome queftions. 



Why not ? Say on. 

 * Thou wert reading juft now in a packet, full of fuch 

 crooked and extraordinary figures as I never faw be- 

 fore; and yet it cannot have been written ? 



No ; that it was not ; thou wilt know it to be prin- 

 ted? 



Printed ? Printed ? No ; the idea is altogether fo- 

 reign to me. Tell me then, in what confifts the dif- 

 ference between this and writing ? 



In this; that 150 men could not write in a day the 

 half of what one lingle man can print within that fpace 

 of time ; that it is fairer, more uniform and more 

 lafting than the other method ; and that the price of 

 it, does not amount to one lixth part of the former. 



Important advantage ! indeed very important ! ex- 

 claimed the inquilitive thing, while he gently laid the 

 forefinger of the left hand on his aquiline nofe. — An 

 invention by which literature and the communication 

 of arts and fciences muft have been great gainers ! 



No doubt ! 



And the inventor of this ufeful art ? I have all pof- 

 lible veneration for him. Who was he ? 



A countryman of mine ; a German. 



He does thee honour, friend. He muft have had a 

 good head-piece. I would have given a great deal for 

 fuch an one. — But my curiofity is not yet fatisfted. 

 Thou haft there another contrivance that gave the hour 

 with aftonilhing exactitude f what might that be ? 



What but a repeating watch. 



A watch ? Hum ! in my time we only knew of wa- 



. ter- 



