The Most Important Invention

The art of alphabetical writing is probably the most important invention ever made by man, and the glory of its invention belongs to the Phoenicians. The date of the invention is not definitely known.

The Greeks obtained their alphabet from the Phoenicians. The Romans adopted that of the Greeks, with some few changes; and the Roman is the basis of all modern alphabets.

Capital letters were first invented, and were in use for many centuries before the invention of small letters. The oldest manuscripts now in use, dating as far back as the third century, are written entirely in capitals, and without spacing between the words, or marks of punctuation. The small letters were first introduced about the seventh century, but for some time afterwards the capitals were used much more than they are now.

Punctuation (from the Latin punctum, a point) was unknown to the ancients. Aristophanes of Alexandria, about two and a half centuries before the Christian era, introduced some of the marks now used. But it was not until about the year 1500 that Aldus Manutius, a learned printer of Venice, reduced the art of punctuation to a system: the extreme beauty and elegance of his editions gave it general currency.

The art of printing was known to the Chinese as early as the sixth century. But their method is known as block-printing: each page is engraved by itself on a block of wood, and cannot be taken apart. The honor of the invention of printing from movable types has been disputed by two cities, Haarlem and Mentz. The Germans say that it was John Gutenberg of Strasburg; but the Dutch say that Laurens Coster of Haarlem was the inventor--that Gutenberg was Coster's workman. The first edition of the "Speculum Humane Salvationis" was printed by Coster at Haarlem, about 1440. The celebrated Bible, known as the Mentz Bible, without date, was executed by Gutenberg and Faust between the years 1450 and 1455. The secret of the method then becoming known, presses were speedily established in all parts of Europe.

William Caxton introduced the art of printing in England by setting up a press at Westminster about 1471. The first book printed was "The Game of Chess." Caxton translated or wrote about sixty different books, all of which went through his own press before his death in 1491. The first printing by steam was executed in London by Bensley & Son in 1817.