Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-09-03
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WHO PRINTED THE FIRST BIBLE?

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WHO PRINTED THE FIRST BIBLE?
In the year 1920 there was living in the
city of Harlem an old gentleman who kept
the KEYS of the cathedral, and who used, after
dinner, to walk to the famous wood that up
to this time is growing just without the city
walls. One day, while walking there, ne
found very smooth bit of beech bark, on
which-as he was handy man with his
knife-he cut several letters so plainly and
neatly that after his return home he stamped
them upon paper, and gave the paper to his
boy as "copy" After this, seeing that the
thing had been neatly done, the old gentle.
man-whose name was Lawrence Coster--
fell to thinking of what might be done with
such letters cut in wood. By blackening
them with ink, he made black stamps upon
paper and by dint of much thinking and
much working, he came in time, to tie stamp
ing of whole broadsides of letters-which was
really printing.
But before he succeeded in doing this we'll ,
he had found it necessary to try many expert
ments, and to take into his employ several
apprentices. He did his work very secretly,
and enjoined upon his apprentices to say moth
ing of the trials he was making But dis
honest one among them, after time, ran off
from Holland into Germany, carrying with
him a great many of the old gentleman's
wooden blocks, and entire pages OF a book
which he was about to print.
The Dutch writer's credit this story, and
hint that the runaway apprentice was John
Faust, or John Gutenberg; but the Germans
Justly say there is no proof of this. 1t is cer-
tain, however, that there was Lawrence
(Custos, of the cathedraD who busted himself
with stamping letters and engraving. His
statue is on the market.place in Harlem, and
his rough.looking books are, some of them,
now in the Estate Houh" of Harlem. They
are dingy, and printed with bad ink, and seem
to have been struck from large engraved
blocks, and not from movable types. They
are without any date, but antiquarians assign
them to period somewhat earlier than any
book of Faust, or of Gutenberg, who are COM
monty called the discoveries of printing.
John Gutenberg, at the very time when
this old Dutchman was experimenting with
his blocks in Holland, was also working in
his way, very secretly, in house that was
standing not many years ago in the ancient
city Of Strasburg He had two working part
ners, who were bound by oath not to reveal
the secret Of the arts he was engaged upon.
But one of these partners died !; aud upon this,
his heirs claimed right to know the secrets
of Gutenberg. Gutenberg refused, and there
was trial of the case, some account of which
was discovered more than three hundred
years afterward in an old tower Of Strasburg.
This trial took place in the year 1439.
Gutenberg was not forced to betray his secret /;
but it did appear from the testimony Of the
witnesses, that he was occupied with some way
of making books Cor manuscripts) cheaper
than they had ever been made before.
But Gutenberg was getting on so poorly at
Strasburg, and lost so much money in his ex-
periments, that he went away to Mayence,
which is German city, farther down the
Rhine. He there formed a partnership with
a rich silversmith, named John Faust, who
took an oath of secrecy, and supplied him
with money, on condition that after certain
.:..., 10 should De repaid 10 MIN.
Then Gutenberg set to work in earnest.
Some accounts say he had brother who as.
sisted him and the Dutch writers think this
brother may have been the robber of poor
Lawrence Coster. But there is no proof of
it, and it is too late to find any proof now.
There was certainly Peter Schofer, scribe
or designer, who worked for Gutenberg, and
who finished up his first books by drawing
lines around the pages and making ornamen.
tai initial letters, and filling up gaps in the
printing. This Schofer was shrewd fellow,
and watched Gutenberg very closely. He
used to talk over what he saw and what he
thought with Faust. He told Faust he could
contrive better types than Gutenberg was u.s.
ing; and, acting on his hints, Faust, who was
a skillful worker in metals, run types in
mould. This promised so we'll that Faust de-
termined to get rid of Gutenberg, and to car
ry on the business with Schoffer-to whom he
gave his only daughter Christine, for wife.
Faust called on Gutenberg for his loan,
which Gutenberg couldn't pay, and in conse-
quence he had to give up to Faust all his tools,
his presses, and his unfinished work, among
which was Bible, nearly two.thirds compile.
ted. This, Faust and Scoffer hurried through,
and sold as manuscript
There are two copies in the National Lii
brary at Paris; one copy at the Royal Libra
ry at Munich, and one at Vienna. 1t is not
what is commonly known as the Mayence Bi-
Bile, but is of earlier date than that.
1t is without name of printer or publisher,
and without date. 1t is in two great volumes
folio, of about 600 papes volume.
Itwas certainly the first Bible printed from
movable types; but poor Gutenberg got no
money from it, though he had done most Of
the work upon it. But he did not grow dis
heartened. He toled on, though he was with
out the help of Schoffer and of Faust and, in
a few years afterward succeeded in making
books which were as good as those of his ri
walls. Before he died his name was attached
to books printed as clearly and sharply as
books are printed to-day.
Donald G. Mitchell.
UNDERGROUND LONDON. Underground,
the city of London is certainly the most won
derful in the world. 1t is labyrinth of drain
pipes, water pipes, gas pipes and underground
railways. There are points in the soil Of