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The credit of inventing the art which perpetuates the history and
achievements of all the arts and sciences has been obstinately
contested, several cities having advanced rival claims to the honour
of the discovery. This, however, should be no matter of surprise when
we consider that the inventor of a new art, unprotected by law, would
naturally endeavour to conceal its processes for his own use and
advantage. After due consideration, we agree with Isaiah Thomas in the
opinion that the probabilities point to LAURENTIUS (sometimes called
Coster, Koster, and Kustos) as the discoverer of the art of printing.[1]
Laurentius lived at Haarlem and was a man of property. He seems to have
been engaged in printing books from wood blocks or plates, well known
to antiquaries as the _Block Books_, in which the reading matter was
illustrated by rude pictures. Fragments of works so printed by him are
still in existence. Among others, the celebrated _Biblia Pauperum_,
executed between 1410 and 1420, has been attributed to him. It was only
natural that his thoughts should be led to the production of single
types, as a means of cheapening and facilitating his work. These were
first made of wood, and afterward of tin. The date of his invention of
separate types is given as about the year 1429. Other dates have been
stated, ranging from 1422 to 1436. The first of his printed books, it is
claimed, was the _Speculum Humanæ Salvationis_, of which about ten copies
are now known to be in existence. A small primer, or _Abecedarium_, in
our opinion, shows all the marks of the first attempt of an experimenter
in a new art. Koster died in 1439.
The necessity for employing workmen to assist in prosecuting the art
led to the divulging of the secret. Among these men, it is supposed,
was John Geinsfleisch, (or Gutenberg, Senior,) who, after learning the
processes, returned to Mentz, his native place, and communicated the
secret to his nephew, John Gutenberg, an ingenious artist of Strasburg.
It is in evidence that the latter, in connection with two partners, spent
a considerable amount of money in some private experiments. These appear
to have occupied several years, from 1436 to 1439, when a legal contest
arose as to the rights of one of the partners whose zealous activity had
caused his death. Gutenberg continued at Strasburg till 1444, when, his
means being exhausted, he rejoined his uncle at Mentz. Here he renewed
his experiments, and, needing money, he procured an introduction to John
Fust, a capitalist and money-lender, who seems to have been struck with
the importance of the work, and who advanced a considerable amount (all
the tools and presses being pledged as security) in furtherance of the
enterprise. Two years were occupied in making the types and necessary
machinery, when the great work of printing the Bible was begun. There
can be little doubt that, during all his years of experiment, Gutenberg
had executed smaller books, one of which is surmised to have been a
reproduction of the Dutch _Speculum_ of Koster. The _Donatus_ of 1451,
the _Appeal against the Turks_ of 1454, and the _Letters of Indulgence_
of 1454 and 1455, all appeared before the Bible,[2] which was not
published till 1455 or 1456. This great book marked an era in the art.[3]
It is painful to be told that about this time Fust foreclosed the
mortgage, and the entire work with all the materials passed into
his possession. It seems, however, that Gutenberg succeeded in
re-establishing a press, and continued to practise the art, but produced
no work at all comparable with the Bible. He died about 1468.
After securing possession of the establishment, Fust engaged the service
of Peter Schœffer, who had been apprentice or assistant to Gutenberg, and
who was distinguished for scholarship as well as mechanical skill. His
skill and the improvements made by him in the art soon led Fust to take
him into partnership, and the Bible, the Psalter, and other important
works were produced. Schœffer was further rewarded by the hand of the
grand-daughter of Fust.
From this rapid summary, we may conclude, 1. That the merit of the
invention of printing, however rude it may have been, belongs to Koster
of Haarlem; 2. That Gutenberg placed the art on a permanent foundation;
and, 3. That its economical application was insured by Peter Schœffer’s
invention of cast metal types.[4]
It was of course impossible to conceal the knowledge of an art so useful
to man, and within ten years after the publication of the great Bible
presses were established in several German cities, in Rome and other
parts of Italy, and soon thereafter in France and England.
William Caxton acquired a knowledge of the art in Germany, and carried it
into practice at Westminster in England. The year 1477 is now accepted
as the date of the introduction, the first book printed with a date in
England being the _Dictes and Sayinges of the Philosophers, emprynted by
me, William Caxton, at Westmestre, the yere of our Lord m.cccc.l.xxvij._
He had previously printed, without a date, _The Recuyell of the Historyes
of Troye_, which was followed by _The Game and Playe of the Chesse,
fynysshid the last day of marche the yer of our lord god. a. thousand
foure honderd and lxxiiii._ These were, however, printed at Bruges; so,
according to Mr. William Blades, “the first indisputable date we have to
stand on is the printing of _The Dictes_ in 1477.”
Though at that time over sixty years old, Caxton was notable for his
industrious habit. He was possessed of good sense and sound judgment;
steady, persevering, active, zealous, and liberal in his devices for
that important art which he introduced into England, labouring not only
as a printer, but as translator and author. The productions of his press
amount to sixty-four. In the churchwardens’ books of St. Margaret’s
Parish, Westminster, his death is thus recorded: “1491. Item, atte
bureyng of William Caxton, for iiii. torches vj_s._ viij_d._ Item, for
the belle atte same bureyng, vj_d._”
The Bible was printed in Spanish at Valencia in 1479 by Lambert
Palmaert, a German; but so completely was it afterward suppressed by the
Inquisition that only four leaves now remain in the archives of Valencia.
The first Hebrew Bible ever printed came from the press of Abraham
Colorito, at Soncino, in 1488—a very remarkable work. Iceland had its
printing-office in 1530, at which a Bible was printed in 1584.