The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-01-15
The banker opened his eyes with aston
ishment. The German plodder was the
only millionaire In New York.
The Nobility Of Type-seiftng.

TIE NoodaD or 1Vpe-schhng'
The importance Of labor to make life
strong and truly noble was the subject OF
recent sermon by the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher. In the course of 1t he spoke OF
the nobility of setting type; printing being
the most direct road to distinction In al
most every branch of life, and printers
having turned out to be some OF the great
est men.
In time of Queen Elizabeth, printers
were received ut the court, and to this day
the King and Queen always have q special
ly appointed printer OF their own, who
| formerly, with the two Universities, had
the entire monopoly Of printing the b.
BILE.
Printers have ever been true. men, and
therefore have risen most where all things
were most free, and have done the most to
free mankind of any class OF men. Was
not Franklin man OF this classP who
wrcsted the lightnings Of Heaven, and the
sword from the hands Of tyrants; and
since his time, all over the country ut
least, through journalism and book print
ing, one of the most successful and safe
roads to public life has been through con-
nection with types.
Many things have contributed to render
this the case. 1t takes certain amount
of time and attention to comprehend the
ideas of any important work, and one
book well digested. Is worth twenty books
ordinarily read. The ideas Of every pro-
found work are many of them thoroughly
understood by those who set type for 1t.
In the measure of picking up the type and
carrying each sentence In the memory, ev.
ery thought Is examined and digested
thoroughly. An apprentice was put on
Gall and Spurzheim's Phrenology, and
soon began to feel his own bumps and
carefully observe the heads Of those
around him. Before he got through he
was not only q tOlerable practical phre-
nologist, but he had discussed many qlies-
tions such as the brain. the organ OF mind I;
he had, through the materialistic and
spiritual theories. learned that the right
consisted In the golden mean. the exces-
sivc or defective use of any faculty being
always erroneous; and In fact had got by
heart q pretty extensive system OF mental
and moral philosophy. and had learned to
study and enjoy works like COmbe on the
G institution of Man, and physical, men-
tai and moral science-that Is, human ma
ture, including all the humanities, became
one of the chief studies Of his life.
All the newest ideas. including science,
art, trade. and of politics, In this manner
become thoroughly digested by a class OF
Young men who are thus educated for
public life, by the setting up Of every
newspaper. No fact, or thought, or prac-
tice. or trick escapes them. They are up
10 everything by thinking how they would
4 H., nnn
life as Ii Is, not only In books, but In men.
They photograph the life and growth OF
each thought, and are well posted up In
all the latest. rs well rs the earliest
thoughts of men, on all subjects OF human
inquiry.
Il need not be said that there Is no such
school for English composition, spelling,
punctuation, grammar, as the printing Of
flee; and even the proprictics and bca,l-
ties Of style are no where SO quickly pick
ed up rs IN setting up types or reading the
proofs. There Franklin learned the value
Of simplicity and compactness. The sight
of the varying copy Of different authors,
with their various hand-writings, mistakes
and corrections, often gives the young as
pirant confidence In his own powers OF
composition. TO plunge ut first Into print
Is Ielt tO De u NcIy sctious stCP h "O w
every one but printer. All the steps are
easy to him, and the very faults OF Others
show him he can do better. This gives
him confidence to try-and he does try
and tries again-and he finds how easy 1t
l. for him to converse with the public
through the press-as easy us II Is for
other men to speak to n familiar friend.
He Is sure to start with t0lerable cor
rcctness as public man.
There is room for every particle OF
knowledge and learning to be employed,
that of ancient and modern languages be-
ing the most important, and yet II Is equal
ly astonishing how truly and thoroughly
educated man may become In the print
ing office alone, and from what small be-
ginning of knowledge he will often rise to
distinction In every branch Of thought and
active life. We have often wondered that
this profession Is not more crowded by
youths who thirst for future success In
life. but whose parents cannot afford them
a long eIucation. 1t Is self-supporting Mt
so early an age, and Is an unfaillng source
of independence at any time through life
should capital be lost and all else give
way. And 1t has a living interest within
itself, us well as In all to which II leads.