C 393 ] 
He conje&ures that this very Paflage gave the fitft 
Hint to the Inventors of Printing about the Year 
1445. becaufe they retain'd even Cicero's Name for 
their Types, calling them Forma Liter arum, and 
made them of Metal, as he fays, aurea vel qu&fer 
libet. Moreover, in Cap . io. Lib . III. de Dtvina- 
tione , Cicero hath the very Phrafe imprimere lit eras. 
Brands for marking Cattle were in Ufe in Virgil's 
Time, Georg. Lib . III. wr. iy8. where he fays, 
Continuoque not as, & nomina gentis inurunt. 
‘Procopius, in his Hijloria Arcana, fays, the Em- 
peror Juftinus, not being able to write his Name, had 
a thin fmooth Piece of Board, through which were 
cut Holes in form of the four Letters Jj 
which, laid on the Paper, ferv'd to diredt the Point of 
his Pen 5 which being dipt in red Ink, and put in his 
Hand, his Hand was guided by another. Poflibly 
this may like wife have given the Hint to the firft of 
our Card-makers, who paint their Cards in the fame 
manner, by Plates of Pewter or Copper, or only 
Paftboards, with Slits in them in form of the Figures 
that are to be painted on the Cards, 
T e-t i XIL Met* 
