Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-07-23
THE DEvu AND DOCTOR FAUsTUs.

TIE DEVIL AND DOCTOR FAUSTCS.
'.In the tenth year ofthis reign, 1870. ]
the first book printed In France, was eXecu-
Ted at Paris, by Uric Gering. The art Of
1rintingwhich had so powerful an influence
ON the Improvement of the human mind and
In reformation of government and religion,
known Co the Chinese, in a rude though eff
fcient mode, upwards ola thousand years
before. was rediscoyered, It is generally a.
creed by Laurentus Roster, wealthy cit
zen of Haerlem. in Holland, about the year
1870 Laurentius, tits stated byan early
writer on the discovery of printing, when
walking through the wood, picked up a
small bough of a tree which had been bro
ken ofTby the wind. He then sat down &
amused himself by cutting upon it some
letters, and wrapped uDiu piece of paper,
the part of which he had thus engraved.
lie afterwards fell asleep, and when he a.
woke, ne perceived that the paper having
been moistened bp a shower of rain, had
received am impression from the letters
which induced hlmto pursue the accidental
discovery, until he applied it to the purpose
of printing. Laurentius, however, pro
ceeded no further than the use of wooden
blocks, ON which were the words in the
manner of stereotype. To this jncIplent
mode and improvement was made by two
brothers named Gein6etcher of Guttum-
5urgh, who had been in employment OF
Laurentus, and after his death carried off
part ofhis printing blocks, to Mentz, IN
Ceremony; where they succeeded IN form
ing separate metal types, with engraved IA
ces. But the art was vet far from beng
completed Itseems to have been brought
nearly to its present state Of perfection be
Peter Schoeiter, of the latter city, who m
. the year 1850 cast a fount of type from
matrices, or moulds. previously cut with
. the several letters. With this invention,
John Fausms, now his partner, but for
merlv his employer, was so much pleased
f that he gave the ingious artist ms only
. daughter I'm marriage.
+ Inthe year 1890, Faustus Tor Faust, as
. me is sometimes called, and his partner
Schoetier. printed an edition of the Bible
+ This was a very expensive work, ana vas
f Eve years i'm the press. TWAS this edition
as some authurs relate, Of which Faustus
carried a number ofcopjes to Paris; where
he sold dom first for SIX numbered, then toi
five hundred crowns each, which were the
prices commonly given to the scribes, to
I very elegant copies ofthe Scriptures. IL,
afterwards. by degrees, reduced the price
10 thirty crowns. 1t is said that the pur
chasers were ignorant that these copie.
were printed; and that it was the policy o
Faustus to make them believe that they
. were written. They were an exact imita
ton of the best manuscripts. As he low
+ cred his price, his sales increased, and peo
|ple were astonished at his producing copies
as fast as they were wanted. When h
reduced the price to thirty crowns, all Par
his were amazed, both ON account Of theI
j uniformity and the quantity produced.
D. was believed that he made league wit
, the devil, and he was accused Of being
magician. The Catholic clergy were a
! harmed as they feared the Scriptures woul
= get into the hands oflaymen. His lOding
were searched by the officers OF Police