Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-03-09
From the Home Journal and Citizen Soldier.
BOOK OF cuRIosITIEs.
by JAMES REEe.
Printing-.OldB Books, Antiquities and
Curioslties.

built paper mill
Shakspcdr
The utility ofprin,ing, as far regards the
progress Of truth, is counteracted by the great
expense Of setting type (; for as all books sell
best which fattcr prevailing opinions aud ssp-
port vested interests, and as they are printed
chiefly at the risk of traders, who print for sale
and profit, so few (very tew) printed books con-
tain the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Before the art of printing, books were of in
credible price. From the 9th to the 18th cen.
tury many bishops could not read, and Kings
were scarcely able to sign their names; and
hence the use of seals and sealing. In the year
I47l, when Louis Xl. borrowed the works of
Rasis the Arabian physician. from the faculty of
medicine in Paris, he not only deposited n
pledge a cons derable quantity OF plate, hut was
obliged to procure nobleman to join with him
as security in Decd binding himselfun]er great
forfeiture to restore it. When any person made
a present of q book to a church or a monastery,
in which were the only libraries during several
ages it was deemed donatiye Of such paluc,
tina, he offered it on the ater, pro remedia an
i,ne sue, in order to obtain the forgiveness Of
his sins. These were the ages in which super
sti,ion, witchcraft and prics,crait obtained u
Universal an ascendency. From 500 to 1900 all
learning was in the hands Of the Arabs, Saras
nee and Chinese. 1t is supposed by many that
the art OF printing originated in China, where
il was practised before it was known in Europe.
The Romans had the possession Of the art long
before they were conscious Of the rich posses
sion. And II is curious fact, that well
known Italian, to whom learning owes much,
actually published treatise on the art ofread-
ing printed book, which was dcdica ted TO the
higher aud more enlightened class of society.
Copying was in ancient Greece and Rome,
productive employment, but ii afterwards fell
into the hands OF the monks who copied chiefly
theology A good copy ofthe bible, on Vellum,
employed two years; and the works of either
OF the Fathers still more time. Jerome states,
that he had ruined himselfby buying copy of
the works of Origen.
Books were originally boards, or the inner
bark Of trees, the word being derived from
Bench Beech tree. The Iiorn.Book, now u
sed in nurseries, is primative book. Bark is
still used by some nations skins are also used,
for which parchment was substituted. Papyrus
an Egyptian plant, was adopted in that coun.
try, and an article Of commerce, thin plates of
brass. were also used for the church service.
The Papyrus and parchment books were com
rnnnlv rollad nm MI sticlc with bo II a.
end, and the composition began at the centre,
the outer fold being its termination these were
called volumes The outsides inscribed jus, as
we now letter books.
The MSS. in Herculaneum, consist of Papy.
rus rolled, charred and matted together by the
fire, and are about nine inches long and one
two or three inches in diameter, each being a
volume or separate treatise.
Specimens of most of these modes Of writing
may De seen 10 the British Museum. No. Bats
in the Sloanian library, is Nabob's letter, on
piece OF bark, about two yards long, and richly
ornamented with gold. No. 1907, is bark o
Mexican bieroglphcs printed on bark In III,
same collection are various species, many from
the Malabar coast and the East. The lette
writings are chiefly on leaves. There are Sc
veral copies of Bibles written on palm leaves
still preserved in various collections in Europe
The snclents doubtless, wrote on any leave
they iesnd adapted to the purpose.
Among these early inventions many wer
singuldrly rude, and miserable substitutes TO
q better material. In the shepherd state the
wrote their songs with thorns and avis o
Rtraps of leather, which they wound round thel
crooks. At the town Hall in Hanover, ar
kept twelve wooden bars. oyerlad with bees
wax, on which are written the names ot ewr
ers Of houses but not the names Of streets
The DoodeH manuscripts must have exiSte
before l423, when Hanover was FIRST divide
into streets
The laws Of the twelve tables which the z,
mans chiefly copied from the Grecan COD
were, after they had been approved by the pc
pie, engraven on bTass. were melted by ligh
ming which struck the capitol and consum,
other laws: O loss highly regretted by Augu
tus.
Ofcourse as Books were scarce, and the a
of reading uncommon, they were very dea
The bequest of one at religious house, as Y
have already stated, entitled the donor to ma
ses for his soul, and they were commonly CHI
ned 10 te their station, and some to this day.
As specimens Of the prices Of books the X
man de Ia Rose vas sold for above 30l-anC
E,r shn nd