The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
HEBREWS AND cArHoL1Cs.
An Interesting Discovery at AvIEnon-
where the Jews set an Example that
Irish Catholics Should Now Follow.

| PARIS, Juno "a lS9O.-l learn from LnirerS
| OF this date OF o discovery which cannot fail to
be most interesting to all American scholars.
1t relates to the establishment of q printers
association In Avgnon, then n Papal city, in
| 1444. The discovery was made by q priest OF
Avignon, tho Abs Requin. who, while exnmin-
ing for quito different purpose the official
| registers OF the city notaries. stumbled upon u
series of contracts recorded there, all pertain
ing to the new and wonderful art OF printing.
The discovery o; these contracts and tran
| script OF the Same were communicated to Mr..
Leopold Dellsle, the Director General OF the
| National Library tBibliotheQue Ndtiondlsl Of
| Paris the man In all Europe best able to Judge
| OF the authenticity OF the AvRnon records.
The contracts In question are, says NJ. Dclisle,
probably the most ancient original atteetaton
known at this day concerning the very first be-
ginning OF the printers art
l here reproduce the substance OF Abb6
Reauins statements as contained in pam
phlet just published:
" In the beginning Of the year 1i44 jeweler
OF Prague named Procopius Waldtoghel, who
had settled In AviRnon revealed to a Jew Of
that city, Dawn de Caderousse. new method
OF writing (Scientia ct practicd scribendil Two
years later on March 10. Waldfoghel under
takes to deliver to DAWN, within q very brief
delay. tho material necessary for reproducing
Hebrew texts. tFdcere ct Jdctds reddere Ell re-
stituere riointi-septent itterds ebrdevcds
Jorndtds. scisds in Jer7'o una rum in
oenos de JIstu. de std0no et de Jerro.J Tho Jew
binds himself to keep the deepest secresy re-
garding the principles and practice Of the art
to which he was thus initiated
"On the Goth OF the same month Procopius
made the jew renew this promise of secresy
when he handed over to tho latter the mate
rials necessary for reproducing Latin texts
tomntd artificial ingenid et instrumental al Scr'i-
benduIn drtifciatter in Htterd latindA"
We now must 90 back to the first transaction
between these two in 1i44. On July OF that
year Procopius Waldfoghel acknowledged to
having in his house printing materials be-
longing to a student OF Avignon. Master Ma
maud Vital. a native OF tho diocese Of Dax in
Gascony. These materials ere described rs
two alphabets OF brass and two forms types
in iron. forty-eight forms in tin. as
we'll as divers other forms pertaining to the
art OF writing
Two years later in 1446 this Same Master
Manaud withdraws from tho society which
Procopius had entered Into with him and with
another Avignonese student. Girard Ferrose.
Manaud thereupon declares on oath that the
art to which he had been initiated is true
art. a most true art, and that the exercise
thereof was easy and profitable to all who had
the will and the taste to practice It,"
On Aug. IL 14i6. Procopius obtained from
capitalist, Georges de la Jardine. the funds
necessary to begin printing at once, with tho
understanding that their process should be
kept strict secret.
Such is the matter now engaging the atten-
ton Of the learned in France. AS the notaria
acts in the Registry Office Of AviGnon are en-
,ered there in chronological order while the
,,.lh hot n 70
arises. whether these contracts were not
drawn up several months or years before the
date OF registration.
At any rate. credit must be given to the then
city of the Popes for the earliest recorded at
tempt to print with cast or manufactured types
MOI cover. we find that the Jews Of AviInon
with the keen intelligence which invariably
characterized their race. were among the first
to take up and encourage the art OF printing
and aqs TdeT the 70 bs
1.-THE Jews Ahead Tho extraordinary success
of, Jewish pupils in the New York grammar
school examination is not an Unprecedented or
singular phenomenon. Tho antlI,SSemi,iol9ur-
the public schools Of the capital Of Germany.
The anti-semitic press OF Austria declaims. on
the other hand, against the fact that Jewish
tessorships in the national University OF
Vienna. Here In Paris the success OF the jew
ton Is not to be denied.
In every country where this ancient race is
comes manifest, This is a fact from which the
Christian populations OF all countries OF such
countries. especially. as our own. where every
race and every class only demand free field
and no favor. must take timely lesson.
In an interview which | had some months
ago with Baron II rsch. he mentioned the uni
versally acknowledged success ofthe Jews both
in the Fast and in the West, a5 due solely to
their intellectual superiority. In giving to tho
Russian Government $40 100000 for the estab-
mir ha n la n a nFn
ceding conversation that he gave this great
sum on the express condition that Jewish chill
footing of perfect equality with their Christian
neighbors, and without being obliged to wear
nation, civil or religious. hitherto imposed on
the Hebrew race to lower and degrade them.
that in ali these schools the pupils should he
taught the PRINCIPLES OF a sound Industrial and
commercial EDUCATION, enabling them on be-
ginning public life. TO become good business
His principal end, as he again and again ex-
plalned to me. Is, no! to enable the Jews to nc
quire a social or relig Gus superiority over the
Christian people with whom they mix, but.
rather to enable their children, by being thua
brought up on q footing OF perfect equality
with Christian children. to fraernize with
these In the school room first. aud thon after
Thereby, II the Christian society around them
were only true. in practice TO its own, proies;
be gradually won over to the Gospel truth in-
stead OF becoming hostile or antaGonistic ele-
ment in the natlon:
cuss 1t here. But what he says on this matter,
what ne has done. whnt his enormous wealth
and more than regal generosity may yet
prompt him to do are well worthy OF serious
consideration.
Ihad spoken to him OF another ancient race
ono OF tho oldest hristian nations in Europe
amid which we have tho same manifesto
lions OF superior intelligence although during !
centuries generation after generation of their
children had been degraded by systematic in
telIectual starvation. Is well "a by n chronic
poverty, the effect OF n cruel and skilfully de-
vsed land law system. which made or sought
to make. the Irish peasant more wretchrd |
being than the EsIuimau OF Davis Straits or |
the Inhabitants OF TERRA del Fuego or north |
ern Australia.
had seen in Ireland tho Catholic youth of
town and country, though heavily and hope |
lessly handicapped In their competition with |
the splcndidly endowed Protestant schools. |
assert in the public examination the same |
superiority which The SUS now attributes to |
the Hebrew pupils Of our New York grammar |
schools But in Ireland the army OF boys year
ly sent out by the Christian brothers have. to !
exercise TO any practical purpose. neither ma |
tive industries nor trades nor commerce.
What Is the use OF a young man having q |
splendid education and u superior intelligence |
II the Governmont which rules the destihies OF |
his country provides no career for the exercise |
knli V,.t has