e had
gained stood not in the way of his being likewise a duteous, loving son,
and a good and pious man.

* * * * *

And thus our _story_ ends--but we will venture to add something of
the _history_ of Johann or John Gutenberg. Nothing, we believe, in
the foregoing story is contrary to _what is known_ of the real
history of the first inventor of printing, and it is certain that after
his return from Strasburg to his native city in the year 1438, he
established a printing-press in Mainz, and produced from it many printed
books, principally in Latin. He had for some time as a kind of partner
in his art, a man of the name of Faust, or Fust, the son of a goldsmith
of Mainz, who afterwards separating from Gutenberg went to Paris, where
he printed books, and in consequence was persecuted as a magician or
sorcerer; so wonderful was it thought to produce books so easily, and so
much like each other.

Gutenberg was afterwards assisted in the carrying on of his printing by
a rich burgher of Mainz of the name of Conrad Hammer, whom we may
suppose to have been the early friend through defence of whom he was
obliged to fly from home.

Shortly after the invention of printing, it would appear that paper was
made in sufficient perfection to be employed instead of parchment in the
formation of books. A celebrated Latin Bible, printed by Gutenberg in
1450, of which a very perfect copy is to be seen in the public library
at Frankfort, is beautifully printed on paper: and it must strike every
one with astonishment that such great perfection could have been
attained in so short a time in so difficult an art--especially when we
call to mind that each of the little letters with which it was printed,
had to be carved separately out of wood, since metal letters or
_type_ were not used till a few years later. The printing, too, is
remarkably clear, distinct, and regular, and is a striking proof of the
extraordinary skill and industry--and as he himself says in our story,
patience--which must have been employed over it.

The great superiority of printing over writing was so generally felt and
acknowledged, that before the end of the century in which Gutenberg
lived, printed books began to be common, and in the year 1471, an
Englishman of the name of Caxton, introduced the art into England, and
set up a printing press in Westminster.

We have alluded to the advantages we enjoy in our days from the
_commonness_ of boo