Faust and Schoeffer’s Success.--More Books issued.--An Eventful
Year.--Greek Type.--Struck by the Plague.--The Parisians, and
Faust’s Descendants.--Schoeffer’s Death.--Testimony to
Gutenberg.--Extension of the Art.--Piety and Chess.--Education
in the Olden Time.--Unveiling the Statue.
To return to Faust and Schoeffer. After the lawsuit, as we have seen,
they mostly ignored the existence and services of Gutenberg. Soon after
the memorable separation, Faust went to Paris as before related, the
sales of Bibles in Germany alone being so limited as to bring in but
small returns for the money invested. It was evidently necessary to
take extraordinary measures to meet the emergency. In Faust’s cool,
business-like view, everything would be lost, unless some speedy and
marked success was attained. His experiments resulted better even
than he had anticipated; and returning flush with money, the printing
rooms soon presented a scene of unwonted activity. The “Litterariæ
Indulgentiæ,” with which Schoeffer and his journeymen had busied
themselves during Faust’s absence, was urged through the press and into
the market.
“What a difference a little money makes!” said Faust, as he saw how
well the book was selling. “We must hasten to finish the Psalter.”
This was ready for purchasers by August 1457. It was in the highest
style of the printing art of the age, and could not be excelled. As
Faust and Schoeffer gazed on its beautiful pages, how could they forget
the inventor who designed the publishing of the work, and labored with
them in executing it full thirty long painstaking months! Yet they
uttered few words of acknowledgment. For two years they were occupied
in striking off, binding, embellishing, and selling the Psalter, with
the additional labor of casting a new fount of type. While Schoeffer
and his assistants were engaged in this absorbing toil, Faust again
visited Paris to dispose of the Psalter. By this means he replenished,
once more, the treasury of the firm, and returning about the time the
new fount was finished, they printed the “Durandi.”
The next year, 1460, the “Constitutiones” appeared, and in 1462 a new
edition of the Latin Bible. This last was the eventful year in which
the city of Mentz was taken, sacked, and plundered by the Elector
Adolphus of Nassau. Such was the confusion and distraction occasioned
by this unlooked-for event, that almost all business was suspended.
The journeyman printers, being suddenly thrown out of employment, fled
panic-stricken to other countries; and considering themselves freed
from their oath, the great secret of thirty years was spread abroad.
Faust and Schoeffer, left almost alone in their printing rooms,
effected little for some time. At length Schoeffer’s busy brain hit
upon something new in printing; and with his usual patience and
assiduity he fell to casting a fount of Greek type, and in 1465, some
little time after Gutenberg had retired from his art, issued “Cicero de
Officiis,” using the new Greek type. On occasion of printing anything
of special importance, Faust continued to visit Paris, then the chief
seat of learning; and so great a work as this of Cicero in Greek would
of course be welcomed with avidity by the professors and students in
the University. As soon as possible, therefore, he hastened to that
city, furnished with a good supply of the much-coveted volume. This
was early in 1466. He was received with enthusiasm; for such had been
the reputation of the previous works circulated by him in the French
metropolis, that he had a large circle of admiring patrons and friends.
But alas for the uncertainty of earthly things! while yet in the midst
of success and gratulation, he was seized with the plague, and died
after an illness of a few hours! The Parisians were loud in their
expressions of grief, and a large concourse gathered at his funeral.
The learned men and nobility of the city assembled; distinguished
honors were paid him; and the sequel was, that in commemoration of
the signal services he had rendered them, they continued a generous
pecuniary reward to his descendants.
The dreadful shock occasioned by the death of his father-in-law, deeply
affected Schoeffer. May we not suppose that in his loneliness and
affliction, he sought a reconciliation with his old master, Gutenberg?
There is, indeed, evidence that this was the case; and we are permitted
to infer that the breach was healed, suitable acknowledgments being
made by Schoeffer, as he plainly saw that the mortgage act which made
Faust master of Gutenberg’s property, did not include his genius.
In later years he frankly confessed as much to Trithemius, Abbot of
Spanheim Monastery, a celebrated scholar and author. Says this writer,
after mentioning that he had his information from the mouth of Peter
Schoeffer, the inventor of cast metal types:--
“About this time that wonderful and almost incredible art of printing
and characterizing books, was thought of and invented by John
Gutenberg, a citizen of Mentz.”
Then follows some of the main particulars of the invention on which
we have already dwelt. He also mentions that “Gutenberg spent all
his substance in quest of the art, and met with such insuperable
difficulties, that, in despair, he had nearly given up all hopes of
success, till he was assisted by the liberality of Faust, and by his
brother’s skill in the city of Mentz.”
Schoeffer, having associated with him Conrad Henliff, nobly presided
over the interests of the great art after Gutenberg’s death, diligently
issuing elegant editions of various books. His last work was a new
impression of his master’s superb Bible in 1502, in which year he
died, after laboring thirty-five or thirty-six years as a printer. His
monogram is connected with Faust’s; and, as we have mentioned, some
suppose this also to have been the device of Gutenberg.
The name of Schoeffer means shepherd; and well did the thoughtful care,
caution, and ingenuity of this man aid in watching over the young art,
that needed such vigilant cherishing to bring it to maturity. He was
once Gutenberg’s right-hand man, next to him in genius in devising,
and, despite his doubtful course afterwards in leaving him, was an
honor and a blessing to his country. His son John succeeded him in his
office, and later still his grandson John chose the same employment.
Of Costar, little can be said. Some even suppose that no such person
ever existed; while others incline to confer on him honors which he
never earned. It is certain that he did not reach the idea of movable
types. He died in 1440, when Gutenberg had been familiar with their use
for years.
The capture of Mentz, in 1462, was the means of carrying the knowledge
of the art of printing to Hamburg, Cologne, Strasbourg, Augsburg,
and other cities; and in a short time books were issued from many
places. Twenty-four different works appeared between 1460 and 1470; in
the latter year two of Faust’s workmen commenced printing in Paris.
Also, in 1470, the art was practiced in Venice. Cennini, a goldsmith,
established printing at Florence; and so industrious were the Italians
that they printed between 1470 and 1480 twelve hundred and ninety-seven
books, two hundred and thirty-four of which were editions of ancient
authors. Presses were also established in the Low Countries, at
Utrecht, Louraine, Basle, and at Buda in Hungary; and, indeed, in the
course of a few years, every town of any importance possessed its
printing-office, so that books were greatly multiplied.
Several women of France early distinguished themselves in prosecuting
the art of printing. Prominent among them was Charlotte Guillard,
1490-1540, the widow of Berthold Rambolt, who for fifty years kept
several presses at work, and printed a great number of large and
very correct editions, both in Latin and Greek. Her best impressions
were issued after she became a widow the second time,--the Bible,
the Fathers, and the works of St. Gregory in two volumes, which were
so accurate as to contain only three faults. In brief, her fame as
a printer was so extensively known that the learned Lewis Lippeman,
Bishop of Verona, selected her to print his “Catena in Genesim.” With
the accomplishment of this, he was so well satisfied, that, after
assisting at the Council of Trent, he went on purpose to Paris to
return thanks to her, and also gave her his second volume to print,
the “Catena in Exodum,” which she performed with like precision and
elegance.
Elfield was more especially noted for its productions in printing,
since Henry and Nicholas Becktermange, successors of Gutenberg, there
wrought at his presses and other printing apparatus, which were the
latest efforts in the art. Says Dibdin, “The works of these men are
greatly sought after by the curious, as they afford much proof by
collation of the genuineness of the works attributed to their great
predecessor.”
The first English printer was William Caxton, mercer, or merchant, who
became acquainted with the art while engaged in mercantile pursuits
in Germany. Returning to England, he established the printing-press
at Westminster Abbey, in 1480. Although somewhat advanced in years
when he commenced, yet such was his industry and perseverance that he
translated and printed, in ten years, no less than twenty-five octavo
volumes. These were mostly useful literary and religious works, but did
not indicate high culture in England. The last work he issued, and on
which he was engaged when overtaken by death, was “The Art and Craft to
know well how to Die.”
After the death of Caxton, Wynken de Worde, his partner, continued to
print in his office, living in his house at Westminster, and styling
himself “Printer to Margaret, etc., the King’s Grandame.” He printed
the Acts of Parliament with the Royal Arms, also many Latin and English
books; in forty years over four hundred volumes.
It is not known that he printed any Greek works, yet he made many
improvements in the art of printing. His first care was to cut a new
set of punches; he sunk these into matrices, and cast several sorts
of printing letters, afterwards used in his books. He was the first
English printer who introduced the Roman letter into England, using it
to mark striking thoughts. His type was remarkable for its precision,
and for a long time was not excelled.
[Illustration: Wynken·de·Worde]
The art of printing was not long in extending to other places in
England besides London. It was started in Oxford in 1480, also at St.
Albans in the same year, and many other places, among which were York,
Canterbury, Worcester, Ipswich, and Norwich. The “Common Prayer” was
printed in Dublin by Humphrey Powell, in quarto, black letter, in 1551.
Before and after that period the authors of Ireland had their works
printed abroad.
“Euclid’s Geometry,” the first work in Latin printed with diagrams, was
issued from the press of Randolt, at Venice, 1482. Aldus also printed
the works of Virgil there, in Italic types, in 1501, the first attempt
at producing cheap books.
Blaeu, who assisted Tycho Brahe in making his mathematical instruments,
effected great improvements in the printing-press. He made nine
presses, and named them after the nine Muses. His fame soon reached
England, where his excellent printing machines were soon after
introduced.
Aldus Manutius, of Venice, during a career of twenty-six years in the
employment of printing, produced editions of nearly all the Greek and
Roman authors then known to exist. He was also the author of several
works of learning,--grammars and dictionaries of the Greek and Latin
languages, the last forming a folio volume, the first that had ever
been prepared.
For nearly one hundred and fifty years the Estiennes of France were
famous as printers. Robert Stephens, a member of this family, was
the first inventor of the verses into which the New Testament is now
divided, and introduced them in his edition of it published in 1551.
Harry, the eldest son of Robert Stephens, was one of the most learned
men of his time. “Thesaurus,” a dictionary of the Greek language, was
the fruit of twelve years’ hard application of the elder Stephens, who
also suffered persecution for being a Protestant, and fled from France
to reside at Geneva. The early printers were well educated; but time
and space fail us to note the many learned men who practiced the art
in different countries, who, availing themselves of the new sources of
information, added to the general stock of knowledge as they eagerly
grasped the shining treasures laid open by the discovery of printing.
It is well known that the first printers were learned; and, being
engaged in printing from ancient and classical manuscripts, were
naturally the associates of the first literary characters of the age.
Indeed, in the infancy of printing, and long afterwards, the occupation
was very honorable, and was only engaged in by well-educated persons.
It was the glory of the learned to be known as correctors of the press
to literary printers; physicians, lawyers, bishops, and even popes
themselves occupied this department; and a distinguished name, as
corrector of the press, being given in a work, it was far more highly
valued.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]