Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-06-15
THE INVISIBLE GENTLEMAN.

Ana, win nice ear. Keen eye ana arnte Wino,
Observes and solves Dur every " ord and act
T. From time to time he roughly scrbbes these,
Il For MS memento and YOUR comment.
|, The Prlntcr.-There he stands at his case
his eyes are fixed upon his copy, while his
fingers obcdient to his will, collect the letters
from their varons boxes. and place them to-
scther so as 10 form words, scntences-com.
plr'e articles Of news, politics, or literaiure.-
The musician at the piano can hardly com
pete with the printer in the rapdity and pre-
cison of his digtnl moeon--like the pianist
who plays with his music book and instrument
before him, the printer sees aud comprehends
at a glance, the ever varying result his fin
{ gers must produce: and does not hesitate n
moment to perform the necessary action, with
the rapldiiy Of lightning. Like notes from
the instrument, every letter, every pause, eve
ry stop. is called forth, in it's proper place, ill
Complete ensemble is formed which the
mind can receive and digest. But how diff
{, ~ cTe ;',o .,Hal effects produced in these
two instances. The musician creates series
of meodious, harmonious and enchanting
sounds which please the ear for moment aud
then die away; the feelings gay or sad, de.
spending or enthusiastic, mild or violent, are
excited for moment; but the charm soon
censes; and nought but the recollection of
past pleasure or pain remain upon the mind.
But he printers labors bear an everlasting
fr"it-he spreads before mankind the arcana
Of knowledge, and works with the sngcs the
laboratory Of rcason-he sends messengers
to every one of the family, ,hc invokes all men
to behold the beauties of truth, and seeks to
make the mass Of mankind consciou of those
immutnble tights with which man is invested,
at his birth, by nature aud by natures God.
rint.,r 1, h.,a c.,, ho 4
tury The active auxiliary of learning. The
day the Printer first struck off n sheet from n
rough block o:types--from that day we date
the universal spread of knowledge, and gru-
dual enfranchsement of mankind from the
bonds Of ignorance, superstition and oppres-
sion. From that day has man gradually ad-
vnnced to the general enjoyment OF free, en-
lightened and republican institutions, from
that day royalty and its concomitants began
to decay, and fair liberty to grow in their
place.
! might continne to show, i'm detail the cor
rectness Of The general outline have drawn;
but the immense benefits which the art Cf.
printing has conferred upon mankind have
been described by ADLER and more eloquent
pens than mine. Let me present n single
hypothesis: Suppose that the great protect
ress and teacher Of all arts and sciences
suppose that the art Of printing had never
been discuvered-at what a stage of progress
would we now find natural philosophy. as
trono,ny ,mechanics, navigation,and mary arts
which conduce so effectually to the comfor,
and preservation of mankind--where would
now be those liberties we hold so dear? Yet
in fiturity. The discoveries of n Newton
would have been the treasure Of an exclusive
few. Wait and Fulton perhaps, have never f,
on nj th. III CT Al ,,f, nd
franklin might never read book nor pub
!ished single principle tending to the lber
iy of his country. II
The aDcients of Greece ard Rome certain
ly numbered some great and wise men; but
beyond the circle in which these learned men
moved, how few received a glimpse of sci
ence? How few ever learned to read? And
how difficult was it to obtain instruction nr
books? Now through the agency of printing
our means of acquiring knowledge are un- 4
limited, aud its dissemination is UNIVERSAL
The consequence is that a greater number
labor To unravel and make useful the secrets
of nature; aud The progress OF mankind to-
wards perfection is a thousand times more
rapd. i!
The printer ns an individual, comes direct
'y under the constant influence of the ins.ruc-
tive and liberal art he profess"s. Pie prin-
ter reads more mud possesses more varied and :
general information, than the thrologian, law
yer or nvowed philosopher. II is the printers
trade TO read constantly day uticr day during
his whole life-he earns his daily bread by
reading; aye by reading slowly,and carefully, /
for he must follow and put works we read in.
to let'ers-he must dwell awhile on every /
sentence. Does tIe merchant know the pri-
cos OF cotton and other goods in distant coun-
~ lutp n 10 hsr n in .
ter before a merchant touches it. Does the
politician discuss the affairs of nations? he
owes his knowledge 70 the printer who is al
ways ahnad of him in pon. Of information.-I
Does the physician study the work Of some
profound Esculapius? let him look at the title
page, and he will see that he owes his work
to printer who has read it over and over to
gee tnnt no letter Is wanting nor n comma out
of place.-lhe same may be said of the law
yer, the minister and the scientific mechanic.
The printer stands AZ the door Of their learn /,
ing aud holds the keys which open it. Il,
The printer Is always good gralurnarian
md II frequently happens that men whose
productions are esteemed by the public, owe
il to the printer that they are not written down {
M ass. Oiicn,very often does il happcn,t tim,
is put into the hands of ;ile type .
setter full of grammatical errors-sentences
levoid OF sense, and without single point of F,
'unctnation or capital letter. J
When this has passed through his hand The
'rrors are corrected, the punctuation, and all,
re set Up in their proper places. The con-
cited author finds hltnssl II all at once gram 9
natical and logical writer and bnsks in the
nm Of popularity, which he owes to some un-
btr,sive son of Guttemburg. He takes care q
Tot to give credit to the proper person-bu e
IN the contrary, should some Of his blunders %
ema'n uncorfected,he is sure TO lay them all u
o the charge OF the ignorant prihters'-sucR. o