AMERICAN AGRIGULTURIST. 
FOR THE 
Farm, Grarden, and. Hoiaseliold. 
"ACKICCLTUKE IS THE MOST HEALTIIFCL, MOST CSEFUL, AND MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN."-w.i.„a,o» 
ORANOE JVDD & co.,1 ESTABLISHED IN 1842 ( «i.3o per annum, in advance; 
PUBLI3HEB8 AND PBOPHIETOKS. > ' -J SINGLE NUMBER, 15 CENTS. 
Office, « Park Row. (Tlmea Buildings) J Published also in German at S1.50 a Year. ( 4 Copies for S 5 ; lOforSia; 30ormore,«l eaH.. 
Entered according to act of Coagress In the year !%«, by Orassi JtJOD Sc CO, In the Clerk's Office of the DIstriot Conrt of tba United States for the Southern District of New-York. 
VOLUME XXV— No. 6. 
NEW- YORK, JUNE, 18G6. 
NEW SERIES— No. 23a 
THE "FIRST PROOF SHEET" — GUTTENBERG AND F A U S T . — Paintkd by Hillemacheb. 
^^Proofs" are the first impressions which are 
taken from types after they are set up, so that 
the matter may be read, and corrections made, 
previous to printing. A proof was a great deal 
more than that at the moment selected by the 
artist for the above picture. Think, what were 
the first impressions of John Guttenberg and 
John Faust, in that rude printing office at Mentz, 
in 1450, on examining the first proof-sheet 
taken from t-y-p-e-s. — It was indeed a proof. — It 
assured them of success, of fame, of honor, and 
perhaps it showed them some dim foreshadow- 
ing of the results to the world of the art 
of printing. Guttenberg, the poor mechanic 
with his great genius, had struggled along since 
1438 alone, until he found in Faust a genial, ap- 
preciative, liberal patron. Faust's face glows 
with surprise, pleasure, and interest at the de- 
monstration of the problem. To Guttenberg, 
however, it is tlie moment of modest triumph, 
the culmination of his hopes and labors. He 
offers to his friend and patron the proof that liis 
claims are just. The lever that will move the 
world he places in his hands. Think of what 
this first " proof" meant. Yet with true inven- 
tive instinct Guttenberg apparently takes no 
pride in it, but is intent on pointing out some 
little defect, and is already planning to do bet. 
ter. There are two other characters in the pic- 
ture : one a sturdy laborer, who thinks " Wliat 
fools there are in the world ! " The other i? 
Peter Schoeffer, the scribe, whose facility with 
the pen rendered liim valuable to Guttenberg in 
selecting styles for his type, etc. He t.-ikcs in the 
whole, and it was he who first cast metal in 
moulds to form type. Guttenberg first used 
moveable types of wood or metal, and made 
them up in forms for printing. — The above is 
from a fine engraving at Qoupil's, on Broadway. 
