Year: 1873

and that "his press was shaped like
the common wine-press. He is re-
ported to have kept his art secret for
about ten years, when in 144O one of
his "devils" stole his types and the
necessary apparatus, and after having
visited Amsterdam and Cologne,
settled at Mentz as a printer. These
details, however gratifying they may
be to national vanity, rest on very
slender foundation but even suppos-
ing that Coster did print with move
able wooden types, he was far from
having produced the art of printing
in 1t useful, practical form, for that re-
quires the production of metal taypes
by the cheap and rapid method of
casting but types cannot be cast
without a matrix or mould, and a
mould cannot be formed without a
punch Of hardened steel so that If it
be admitted that Coster succeeded in
printing with movable types of wood,
then that worthy triad, Gutenberg,
Faust, and Schoffer, can only claim
the honor of having improved the art,
but they are improvers of such a char
acter, that they bear the art of print
ing the same relation that Watt bears
to the steam engine. But, as we are
not writing book on the art of print
ing, but simply a few "reminiscences Of
its rapid progress to the present time,
we can but cursorily touch upon but
few, Of the many point of interest, in
connection with this invaluable art.


The color Of the ink in the early
printed books varied considerably
The earliest copies of the Speculum
and the Biblia Pauperum were printed
in an ink of a brown color. The
same colophons which gave represen-
tions Of the presses, show the method
of applying the ink to the types by
balls of skins stuffed with wool, a plan,
which continued in use up to within a
few years, then they were superseded
by the introduction of rollers now in
use, and, which, were invented by a
printer by the name of IIarild, (whose
given name forget,) but whose
honesty lnever shall forget, or cease
to admire. This man, after a severe
struggle in the printing business for
many years, ultimately failed, leaving
his customers to mourn over their
loss, and his want of success.


My father, who at that time used to
supply the printing offices in London
with balls and wool, happened to be
one Of this mans creditors, but having
done business with him for many
years, and always having found him
honorable in his dealings, sympathized
with him in his misfortune, and took
no further thought of the debt, and
had even crossed it from his books
This circumstances took place about
sixty years ago, when l was quite a
boy, and the indeliable impression left
upon my mind (and to which you owe
this alticle,) was created by this mans
honesty, who, after lapse of q think)
about twenty years, and when entirely
lost sight of by the trade, and his
failure forgotten, again, appeared in
the business arena, new actor, upon
the stage, in character of inventor, of
the roller, which has taken the place
of the old balls Of former days, and by
which he subsequently realized an
immense fortune, proving the truth OF
the old adage "Honesty is the best
policy


/ remember well, that while sitting
at dinner one day very handsome
carriage drawn by apair of beautiful
light bay horses drove into our premi
ses and footman in livery rang at
the bell and enquired for my father,
when a gentleman got out of the car
riage and came to the door offering
the usual salutation, yet, my father
failing to recognize him, he made him
self known, and was courteously re-
ceived, and invited to dinner, after
which, they retired into the parlor,
when, while taking their wine, (the
custom in those days,) he made known
the object of his visit which was rend-
cred interesting by his relating the
history of his life during the twenty
years intcrregnum, then taking from
his pocket book my fathers bill, with
interest computed to that very day,
he handed him the amount, saying, as
he did so, 81 mean to do this with
every one of my creditors, and which,
when done, will make me happy