1789.

The Advantages of the Art of Printing

mankind, that in the most famous afylum of arts and learning in the known world, a prefst is conducted by thofe who, in the edition of the beft writers, join to the orna mental excellencies of exquifite type and paper, the minuteft accuracy.

To this ancient and venerable feat of learning, where (though the clamours for unnecellary innovations are little regarded, real improvement is ever adopted with avidity) the invention of printing was introduced foon after its firft appearance. By one of thofe laudable artifices which prevent private avarice from with-holding public benefits, the art was stolen from Haerlem and brought to Oxford. Here it foon flourished with all the luxuriance of a tree tranfplanted to a foil congenial to its nature. The art, no longer to be confidered as a fojourner, found at length a home beneath the roof of the Sheldonian Theatre, and now poffeffes a manfion appropriated to itself, and adequate to its dignity. Where indeed with more propriety could it have fixed its refidence, than in an univerfity whofe members are acknowledged to be ever qualified to furnish it with employment, and fuperintend its operation? Here, however, while we are confidering the introduction of printing into England, not to commemorate the names of Bourchier, Turnour, and Caxton, who were moft inftrumental to it, would be an omiffion equally negligent and ungrateful. Nor fhould the tribute of praise be any longer with-held by neglect from earl Tiptoft and earl Rivers, who, at this period, were reftorers and patrons of learning, in our own country, and who contributed to its advancement in imitation of their cotemporary, Pius the Second, in Italy, both by their example and munificence.

The literary advantages derived from the invention are so obvious, that to point them out with all the formality of difquifition, were an abfurdity like his who fhould attempt, amid the effulgence of the meridian fun, to facilitate vision by the glimmering of a taper.

But the moralift, no less than the man of letters, finds himself interested in the confequences refulting from the mechanical mode. of multiplying the copies of books. To this caufe, he attributes that change in the manners and fentiments which has taken place within the interval of a century or two, and which cannot escape even fuperficial chervation. Philofophy, once preferved among a chofen few, with the felfifhnefs of Alexander, who reprimanded Ariftotle for divulging the secrets of science, has now led its influence on the mean as well as N T E. ↑ Clarendon Press at Oxford.

35 the great, the gay and the fair as well as the fevere and ftudious, the merchant and manufacturer as well as the contemplative profeffor. Pamphlets and manuals on every fubject of human enquiry are circulated by the affiduous trader, at a small price, among the loweft ranks of the community, the greateft part of whom have been furnished with the ability of reading by eleemofynary education. A tincture of letters, which was once rare and formed a fhining character, has pervaded the mafs of the people, and in a free country like our own, where it is not checked in its operation by political reftraints, has produced remarkable effects on the general fyftem of morality. Much good has refulted from it: happy, if it had not been mixed with that characteristic alloy of human happiness, much evil. Learning thus communicated to the vulgar, has taught the favage ferocity of grofs ignorance to yield to gentleness and humanity; but it has also fuper-induced a general indolence, refinement, and falfe delicacy. It has been the means of exhibiting to the beft advantage the image of virtue in her natural beauty; but it has also held up to view the meretricious charms of vice in the falfe ornaments fuperadded by a corrupt imagination. It has been a fteady light to lighten men in the path of truth; but it has alfo been an ignus fatuus leading them into the mazes of error, and plunging them at laft into the depths of mifery. If it has often tempted us to boast of living in an enlightened age, it has no lefs frequently induced us to regret the old times of ignorant, but innocent fimplicity. If we fometimes look back with a mixture of fcorn and pity on the unlettered ages that preceded us; we also fometimes confefs ourfelves ready to renounce the pride of fuperior knowledge for the folid happiness of that national probity, which, though it may not have receded, has not kept pace with our progrefs in fcientific improvement. Here, however, the old maxim will be fuggefted to every one, that a good argument against the ufe of a thing, cannot be drawn from its abufe. It will at the fame time be remembered, that the prefent times are ever seen through the fallacious mediums of prejudice and paffion; and that the cenfures of the fatirift may not arife from the real degeneracy, but that common propensity which has, in all ages, given rife to invectives against the prevailing manners. If it is true, that improvement in knowledge is a natural and laudable object of human defires; the more general that improvement, the happier and more perfect is human nature, and the more eftimable that art, from which it is principally derived.

But however equivocal the effects of the
E 2

36

The Advantages of

univerfal diffemination of literature, on the
morals of thofe who cannot judge and felect
with the fame cafe with which they can pro-
cure books; there is no doubt of their being
beneficial among others whofe judgment is
directed by liberal culture, and whole fenti-
ments are undepraved by fafhonable diffipa-
tion. Before the introduction of printing in-
deed, the ftudent, who revolted at the idea
of languishing in the floth of Monkery, had
fcarcely any fcope for his induftry, and ta-
lents, but in the puerile perplexities of a
fcholaftic philofophy, as little adapted to call
forth the virtues of the heart, as to promote
valuable knowledge: but fince that impor-
tant æra in the annals of learning, every in-
dividual, even the pooreft of the Mufe's
train, has been enabled to obtain, without
difficulty, the works of thofe great mafters
in practical and fpeculative ethics, the Greek
and Roman philofophers. He is taught by
the fame inftructors who formed a Xeno-
phon and a Scipio, and can hold converfe,
in the retirements of his chamber, with the
celebrated fages of antiquity, with nearly the
fame advantages as if he actually fat with Se-
crates beneath the fhade of his plane-tree,
walked with Plato in the Lyceum, or ac-
companied Cicero in his retreat at Tufcu-

lum.

Whatever tends to diffufe new light on the understanding of a whole people, or to effect a change in the general fyftem of manners, foon produces a fimilar revolution in their political character. Airy fabrics, which when feen through the mift of ignorance, were fuppofed to be realities, vanished at the light of learning, as the inchantment is diffolved by the operation of the Talifman. The fun of fcience arofe, the profpect clear ed around, and they who had fhuddered at the ideal phantoms of the night, ventured to walk forth and examine every object that folicited attention. To drop the figure; the prejudices on the fubject of civil government, formed by ignorance and foftered by the policy of power, when once the art of printing had multiplied books and roused the spirit of enquiry, foon gave way to the dictates of inftructed reafon. The natural rights of mankind became well underftood, the law, of nations was attended to, implicit obedience was neither exacted on the one part with the fame rigour as before, nor paid on the other with equal fervility. What remained of the feudal inftitutions could not long fubfift, when more liberal ideas of the nearer equality of Monkery were imbibed from books, and when a great degree of dig nity and power was attainable, not only by birth and riches, but by mere literary eminence. The diftinction of vaffal and lord foon ceafed to be the only one in the commu

the Art of Printing.

Jan.

nity, when men were led, by the cafe with
which books were procured, to afpire after.
the fine arts, philofophy, and erudition.
Such ftudies infused a noble generofity of
fpirit, which fcorned to pay an abject ho-
mage to ignorant opulence. Ignorant opu-
lence, indeed, could not maintain, or even
exact by force, that truly valuable refpect
which is naturally due and cheerfully paid
to perfonal dignity, Mer. by reading were
led to reflect, and by reflection discovered,
that they had been under an error when they
looked up to their governors as to a fuperior
order of beings; but at the fame time they
learned the happiness of living under a well
regulated conftitution, the duty of obedience
in return for protection, and the political ne-
ceffity of fubordination. Hiftory, and trea
tifes of politics, fuggefted juft notions of ci-
vil fociety, and a fenfe of expediency pro-
duced at length that voluntary acquiefcence
which was once exacted by pretenfions to
divine right, or by the immediate interpofi-
tion of authority. The luft of dominion
which difgraced the iron reign of the fullen
unlettered tyrant, was fucceeded, in the en-
lightened father of his people, by a spirit of
benevolence and philofophical moderation.
That power which was once placed on the
fandy foundation of popular prejudice
and fear, when thofe fears and prejudices
were diffipated by free difquifition, acquired

an

eftablishment on the basis of reafon. Nor let it be deemed idle fpeculation to attribute those falutary confequences to the invention of printing, fince to him, who attentively confiders all its remote as well as proximate effects, it will appear fully adequate to their production. When all ranks of people on a fudden were enabled to exert with vigour the faculty of thinking, which had only lain dormant for want of opportunity, the effect on the moral and political world must be as ftriking, as that which takes place in the phyfical at the return of day after night, and fpring after winter. Thus has Fauftus of Mentz, by an art invented and exercised with views of private emolument, ultimately contributed more to the happinefs of empires, and caufed more important events in their history, than all the efforts of the renowned conquerors and lawgivers of antiquity. That the fame art which has produced these falutary confequences, has also been the means of encouraging licentioufnefs, of animating fedition, and kindling the flames of civil war, is to be attributed to that lamentable condition of hu man affairs which is ever obferyed to counterbalance every good, with a proportion of concomitant evil.

To the art of printing, however, it is ac knowledged, we owe the Reformation.

ha

The Advantages of the Art of Printing.

been justly remarked, that if the books Luther had been multiplied only by the procefs of the hand-writing, they muft been few, and would have been easily red by the combination of wealth and er: but poured forth in abundance from prefs, they spread over the land with the dity of an inundation, which acquires adCanal force from the efforts used to obftruct progrefs. He who undertook to prevent the difperfion of the books once iffued from the prefs, attempted a task as arduous as the tion of the Hydra. Refiftance was , and religion was reformed and we who are chiefly interested in this happy re velation, muft remember, amidft the praifes betowed on Luther, that his endeavours had been ineffectual, unaffifted by the invention cf Fauftus.

How greatly the cause of religion has been promoted by the art, muft appear when is confidered, that thereby thofe facred books are placed in the hand of every individual which, befides that they were once lked up in a dead language, could not be procured without great difficulty. The nuous comments on them of every kind, which tend to promote piety and to form the Chriftian philofopher, would probably never have been compofed, and certainly would not have extended far their beneficial influence, if typography had ftill been unknown. By that ut, the light, which is to illuminate a dark world, has been placed in a fituation more advantageous to the emiffion of its rays; but if it has been the means of illuftrating the doctrines, and inforcing the practice of reli-, gion, it has alfo, particularly in the prefent age, ftruck at the root of piety and moral virtue, by propagating opinions favourable to the materialift, the fceptic, and the voluptuary. It has enabled modern authors wantonly to gratify their avarice, their vanity, and their mifanthropy, in diffeminating novel I systems fubverfive of the dignity and happi: tess of human nature: but though the perverfion of the art is lamentably remarkable in those volumes which iffue, with offenfive profufion, from the vain and hungry bookmanufacturers of North Britain and Switzerland, yet this good refults from the evil, that as truth is great and will prevail, the mat derive fresh luftre by difplaying the fuperiority of her strength in the conflict with Lophiftry.

Thus the art of printing, in whatever light it is viewed, has deferved refpect and eation. From the ingenuity of the contrivance, it has ever excited mechanical cu riality; from its intimate connection with learning, it has juflly claimed hiftorical notice; and from its extenfive influence on morafty, politics, and religion, it is now be come a fubject of the most important fpecu lation.

$7

But, however we may felicitate mankind on the invention, there are, perhaps, those who wish, that, together with its compatriot art of manufacturing gun-powder, it had not been brought to light. Of its effects in literature, they affert, that it has increafed the number of books until they diftract rather than improve the mind; and of its malignant influence on morals, they complain that it has introduced a falle refinement incompatible with the fimplicity of primitive piety and genuine virtue. With refpect to its literary ill confèquences, it may be faid, that though it produces to the world an infinite number of worthless publications, yet true wit and fine compofition will still retain their value, and it will be an eafy talk for critical difcernment to select thefe from the furrounding mafs of abfurdity: and though, with refpect to its moral effects, a regard to truth extorts the confeffion, that it has diffufed immorality and irreligion, divulged with cruel impertinence the fecrets of private life, and fpread the tale of fcandal through an empire; yet thefe are evils which will either fhrink away unobferved in the triumphs of time and truth over falfhood, or which may, at any time, be fuppreffed by legiflative interpofition.

The liberty of the prefs is a fubject not to be touched upon, but with trembling caution. Every ftudent muft abhor the thought of erecting the tribunal of a star-chamber, in the republic of letters; every lover of his country muft reject with difdain the propofal of filencing the voice of truth by the menace of authority; but at the fame time, every true friend to learning and mankind, who, free from the enthufiafm of party, understand their real interests, would rejoice to fee the day when the advantages of the liberty of the prefs fhall be unalloyed with thofe evils of its licentioufnefs; which, without fome expedient of controul, will in a degree prevail, as long as there are, on one hand, indigent and avaricious publishers, and on the other, factious and unprincipled readers.

But innovations in a particular intimately connected with civil liberty,will ever be guarded against in a free country, with all the vigilance of jealous circumfpection. Men will often patiently fupport the prefent evil, the nature and extent of which is afcertained by experience, rather than incur the hazard of a future detriment, which may poffibly outweigh the beneficial ends propofed. If then the unreftrained ufe of the prefs is, as it has been commonly termed, the palladium of liberty, may it never be taken from us by fraud or force; and perhaps the evils refult ing from the abufe of this privilege are of that kind, which, when permitted to take their courfe, untimately remedy themfelves:

38
themselves: for it is certain, that there may'
be a period, and perhaps our own times ap-
proach to it, when the petulant licentiouf-
nefs of public prints and pamphlets becomes
too contemptible to gain attention, and

Particulars of the Galley Slaves of France and Genoa.

therefore fails of producing a malignant effect. Avarice will ceafe to publish, when men are too wife to purchase; faction and vanity will be filent, when they no longer find an audience: but penal and coercive measures are known to give weight to the pert nonfenfe of fedition, by alarming that attention which it could not otherwife excite, and to occafion the evils intended to be obviated; as the means ufed to extinguish a flame fometimes increase its violence.

But referring the difcuffion of this complicated fubject to legislative wisdom, we may venture to exprefs an honeft with without danger of prefumption; and furely all the good and enlightened part of mankind fympathize in the defire, that the time may not be diftant, when the qualities of the heart shall be cultivated with the fame general ardour as the powers of the understanding; when the affectation of fingularity, and the love of money, fhall no longer multiply treatifes tending to teach the people a falfe philofophy, an erroneous belief, or a factious conduct: when the art of printing fhall no more be perverted to embellish vices and juftify folly, but, operating in the accomplishment of its proper purposes, at once promote the intereft, which cannot indeed without unnatural violence be feparated of found learning and unfophifticated vir

tue.

and Sprightlinefs of Expreffion, we give fome Extracts.

Avign

HE E pope is fo well pleafed with vice-legate, that he has juft cre him candlestick bearer, (porte chande of his chapel; this is a real promotion is holinefs's government,

I faw yefterday a man who is just fi from the galleys, to which he had been juftly, and ridiculously, condemned for years, on account of his having been aln convicted of murder, by this worthy can stick bearer. This unhappy fellow has dergone his fentence in full, in fpite of the efforts of the Intendant de Toulon, a the remonftrances of the public in gener His name is Lorenzo, and his innocence h been made manifeft in a very extraordina manner. The following fact was commi nicated to me by the intendant M. Malone a very humane and fenlible gentleman.-A Lorenzo was walking one day before the ar fenal of Toulon, another galley-flave fai to one of his comrades, There's a poor fuf ferer I cannot bear the fight of; he is her on the fuppofition of having murdered fuck a one, but I am the perfon who committed the crime.' Lorenzo heard these words what emotions of joy did he not feel at that inftant! He runs to the flave, and intreats him to depofit the fecret of his innocence in proper hands. The wretch difowns his words, the fource of pity no longer flows in his breaft, and the terror of condign pu nifhment appals his heart. Lorenzo obtained leave to be the flave's companion, and had

Various Particulars of the Galley Slaves of the conftancy, for two or three years, to

France and Genoa.

[From Sentimental Letters on Italy,' by M. Dupaty.]

The caufe of Liberty and Humanity has fustained a great Lofs in the recent Death of the excellent Writer of thefe Letters, M. Depaty, Prefident of the Parliament of Bourdeaux; a Gentleman, who devoted his whole Life to vindicate Innocence from Oppreffion, and to adminifter Confolation to the Wretched. About two Years ago, he publifhed a Memorial in Defence of three poor Men unjustly condemned to be broken upon the Wheel; and he was one of the eminent Lawyers, commiffioned by Government to reform the Criminal Code of France. The Reflections of fuch a Man, therefore, on the judicatory Proceedings of other Countries, muft be particularly interefting. On this Account we have felected the following Particulars concerning the Galley Slaves of the continent: and as all the Letters

L

continue bound at the fame oar with the dewhat endearing expreffions, did not Lozenzo pofitory of his innocence. What wordsufe, day and night, in hopes of moving the obdurate breaft of the murderer: but the wretch was inflexible. At the end of two years, however, affected, perhaps, by Lorenzo's inceffant tears, and earnest prayers, he revealed a fecond time the important fecret. Witneffes were placed within hear ing, and his confeffion, taken down in writ ing, was carried to the Intendant.-The delinquent was immediately thrown into a dungeon, and alas! by this imprudent act of leverity, the culprit folemnly denied all that he had before faid on a fubject of fo much importance to Lorenzo, who was forced, though innocent, to undergo the full pu nifhment annexed to his imputed crime. The five years are at length elapfed, and he is now free. But what was he condemned for? you will afk.-On the flightest prefumption! The deceafed had nine louis d'or in his pocket; three men were taken on fuf

189. Particulars of the Galley Slaves of France and Genoa.

Is were found in each man's pocket. These are the nine louis," fays the judge, eat belonged to the murdered man, and, quently, these three must be murderThey were condemned to the galleys wo of them died.

Such was the cafe in the affair of Langhde, whofe innocence was discovered afterwird: this is the confequence of judging without proof; and fuch is the cafe of all mminal tribunals, except those of England. The laws of that kingdom are afraid of cademning ;-the laws of France are afraid acquitting.

Our unhappy fufferer is going to Rome, where he hopes to obtain of the Pope a fecond trial. They fay his holiness is very bamane. I have obferved that men poffeff ed of humanity, or to make use of a simpler ¦cxpreffion, men are lefs prone to believe the Werft, and not fo often deceived. Humani yafelf is a light that guides us.

Toulon.

As I have taken Toulon in my way, I raft fay a word or two of its harbour and town. The latter is pretty enough, regularly built, and watered by a thousand rivulets, fall ing from the rocks and mountains which fur round it. A great number of fountains receive thefe waters, and diftribute them through the streets: the town of Toulon might really be taken for a fountain. Such copious fireams render winter, a little colder, but in return, allay very much the fummer's heat. The harbour is really wonderful. I have feen Le Heros, the flag-fhip of M. de Suffrein, which certainly did not ufurp its Lime. I paid particular attention to the manner of living in the galleys. The flaves are by no means ill-treated at Toulon: they work, and are paid. How fhocking is it to reflect, that there are perhaps ten millions of men in France, who would think themelves happy in rowing at a galley, were it not for the difgrace of being condemned to it! Formerly, at the expiration of the period of their fentence, the galley flaves who relapsed in their former courfes ufed to retur, but of late, the tribunals that admiailler juice at Toulon, inftead of fending the old offenders to the galleys, ordered them to be hanged.

The number of these people is nearly the fame every year; that is to lay, pretty mach the fame number of crimes is committed annually. Thus nearly equal is the quantity of water that enters daily into a veel, and the working at the pump is fill the fame; but were the veffel better confrufted, the ribs better joined, and the vi pilance greater, much lefs water would certainly enter. I have run over the lift of the palley Slaves. Hear them, and shudder

39

boys of thirteen condemned to the oar for having been found in company with their fathers, who have been declared by law to be profeffed fmugglers. Thefe are the very words-I have read them-for having been found with their fathers! Had they not been found with them they would have been' fent to Bridewell (à Bicêter). This is the equitable code of the treafury! To the treafury is this indulgence given! The blood of the innocent is fold to it, and yet we are filent !

I have seen many of these children; tears have been ready to drop; indignation kindled at the thought; and my foul could not have regained its wonted calmnefs, had it not been for the hopes of not dying, without having properly expofed all the horrors of our criminal legiflation. Ah! could I but contribute to deliver the young and innocent from those abominable fetters!-I hope to do it.

I likewife read in the regifter book, for pilfering, and ftrong fufpicion of murder, to the galleys for ever-for cheating and deceiving a great number of genteel people (gens bonnetes), to the galleys for one hundred years. This is a fentence worthy of the tribunal des Deux Ponts. France has imparted her manner of punishing to many fovereigns of Germany. I have read again, on ftrong fufpicion of murder and robbery, accompanied with burglary, to the galleys for ever.

I would give a high price for a copy of What intelligence the galley registers. would they not furnish! They might serve to afcertain the bloody harvest annually reaped by the different tribunals of France with the deftroying fword of criminal justice.

A fingular event plunged, fome time ago, the galley-flaves into the deepest despair. The Intendant of marine received orders to feparate, into three diftinct claffes, the deferters, the fmugglers, and the malefactors. The deferters and fmugglers, one fhould fuppofe, would have been overjoyed at this feparation. By no means-their grief was inexpreffible.

All the galley-flaves in reality look upon one another as in perfect equality; for misfortune, like death, levels all men. They forin among themfelves a body of unhappy beings, a fociety of feeble creatures overcome by the ftronger. Far from blushing at, and palliating the atrocioufnefs of their crimes, they actually boaft of them: "the eneiny,' for inttance, fuffered much in fuch a cale; courage and addrefs fucceeded in another.' &c. &c.

Thus the deferters, therefore, and the fmugglers, do not defpife in the leaft the malefactors: and by the intended feparation they were likely to lofe many advantages;