Led on by the romance of the broken betrothal, and afterwards most happy marriage, we love to linger over the art devised and cherished in the sanctity of the inventor’s home. Nobly did the Lady Anna exercise her “right” and to her, almost equally with her husband, are we indebted, since she cheered his way, inspiring courage in his work. In a cell of St. Arbogast, our hero found a quiet retreat for some of his secret experiments; never was an old ruin turned to better account. The Library and Scriptorium of the great Cathedral also paid tribute to this man’s genius. But magnificent things were accomplished in Mentz, after his unparalleled overthrow in Strasbourg. “Organizing victory out of defeat,” he took into partnership the two men of the time best fitted for the purpose, and engaged anew in his chosen vocation. One is startled at the sequel of this fraternal alliance in the estrangement of those so knit together in pursuit and interest; but the stupendous enterprise of the firm, and the stricken man mysteriously “betrayed in the house of his friends,” were alike upheld by an Unseen Hand. His persistence and noble purpose in inventing--how infinitely more worthy of a place on immortal records than are the deeds of the warrior! The design of our work allows only a brief sketch of the progress of the art subsequent to the days of Gutenberg. It is gratifying to note that certain ladies early engaged in the ennobling employment, and for many years won golden opinions. We gratefully acknowledge obligations to Messrs. Rand, Avery, and Frye, 3 Cornhill, Boston; and also to Messrs. H. O. Houghton and Co., Riverside, Cambridge, for their courtesy in explaining the various processes of their model establishments, to assist the writer in forming a correct idea of the present state of the art. ANDOVER, _December, 1870_. [Illustration] CONTENTS. I. PAGE Strasbourg and its Cathedral.--Gutenberg’s Early Life.--Civil Strife.--Romantic Lawsuit 7 II. Gutenberg in Exile.--His Trade as Lapidary.--Curious Law.-- Ancient Cuts.--A Picture of a Saint.--Legend.--The Bible for the Poor.--A Secret discovered.--Gutenberg’s Experiment 14 III. Ancient Books and their Materials.--Sculptures.--Printing in China.--Use of Metals.--Seal.--Stencils.--Waxen Tablets. --Bark, Leaves, Shells.--Papyrus.--Parchments.--Paper. --Palimpsests.--Books written by Hand.--The Scriptorium. --Copyists and their Habits.--Illuminations.--Character of Ancient Books.--Scarcity and Costliness of Books.--Richard de Bury and Library.--Statutes of St. Mary’s College.--Books chained.--Abundance of Books in Modern Times 29 IV.