Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-01
An Event i'm ihe Printing Art

To signify that the elegant arts go forward
and not backward. and that literature is now
worthy of preservation on imperishable sheets,
as in the DAYS of parchment manuscript, as
we'll as parchment volumes printed from type,
point was made on Saturday of the printing
OF the first sheet of a new work velum, a ma
terial for the letter press portion of avOlume,
not heretofore employed in America. or even
in England. The Life of Philidor, formerly
monarch of chess, written by Professor Allen,
of the University, is the work to be so print
ed and the publisher. Mr.. E. II. Butler, shares
with the printer, Mr.. G. Sherman, aud with
the author, in the interest and honor of the
occasion. 1t was jointly agreed by them that
since America has placed the kingdom of
chess under prince of its own, and has seen
him established on the throne, beyond con-
tingency of being deposed, the life of Phili-
dor the Great should be freshly written, and
the art OF book craft should be exhausted to
place it in enduring form. Having completed
their preparations, and having obtained fro m
NJ Bossange, lat Paris. the most'perfect sheets OF
vellum now produced-whiter and finer than
that in use half century since-they invited
several persons to be witness of the act of
printing the first sheet in order to prove, by
eye witnesses, when it shall be necessary, that
NJ. Firmin Didot, whatever he did or may do
in Paris, did not do this printing in Phiiadel-
phia.
.
Sherman drew the first sheet from the press,
modestly assuming nothing for his personal
skill in the craft. 1t was received with accla-
nations by the judges, and was pronounced
Il triumph of the cOmpletest sort. The type
impression was as clear as a painting, and
when it is remembered that the material is
not absorbent, and that perfect delicacy of
lines and faces in letter-press upon vellum
is nearly as difficult as to print the finishing
A., =, l.,
seen what the requisite measure of skill must
be. Besides, avolume printed on vellum in
Paris, in the eighth year of the republic. or
about half century since, the letter-press
on the first sheets printed on Saturday APP
peared quite superior, exhibiting improve
ment on almost every point. IL is enough to
say that the undertaking was a complete sue
cess establishing the fact that the most ele-
CANT printing of any age is at perfect com
mand of our publishers and that they will
step to the front rank in their art when they
deem the occasion fit one.
Vellum printing was sometimes attempted
in the earliest use OF types, as a substitute for
the pen, but it was rarely and also inelegant-
ly done Manuscript on parchment is the
standard of all ages, when the writing is in
tended for indefinite preservation. but the pa
per of modern times was invented before the
use of types, and the use of its absorbent sur
first, so tar superior, to to cause almost an
entire discontinuance of other substances
At various subsequent dates, parchment or
vellum printing has been attempted. however
in especial cases. and in the last century the
French attained to high degree of skill in
these efforts. The English have attempted il
in but few instances none successfully
that we can find note of-but the artists OF
the continent succeeded better and the lite
Il hnfs 4 10
when some chance brings within his reach
one of these vellum volumes. We may pre-
sumo that hereafter thy will be quite as fire.
quently reproduced, since other printers and
publishers will emulate our victorious friends
of to-day.
II may not be known TO the hasiy public
that house such as that we were permitted
to visit on Saturday is by the oldest of rights
chapel. aud therefore place safe from the
intrusion OF unworthy feet. 1t may be easily
understood, therefore, that not one of the
party on the occasion escaped, mourning that
most ancient and honorable penalty, soLaee
These are some of the rules which, being un-
conscious of their existence. they unwittingly
did violence TO, and therefore came to require
soiGce; ''to lay straw "a straw ON the compo-
s.tor's desk, a soLdce - ''to let fall compos-
ing stick n soiacs; '.to dring in tho ehauei q
sotdce y "to talk of copy in the Kings print
ing house, a sotgcep There are many more
/ rules, forgotten then, and now. probably, to
all but the Fdther Of The Chapel, Mr.. Sherman
who, seeing sufficient violation of rules on the
part of each and all his guests before they
! withdrew, took them quietly TO another de
partment and sotGeed every one, enacting bis
part also, not severely as in the old times
'ut with degree of consideration aud kind
ness not soon to be forgotten by the offenders
Pal. ". american.