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Invention of the Art of Printing
a robe, embroidered coat, and a girdle. The colors were blue, scarlet, purple, and white. Embellishing all was abundance of pure gold, the latter curiously enwreathed and interwoven. On the head was worn a high mitre. A rich, broad girdle surrounded the waist, of fine linen, blended in which were the colors of the robe and coat. Two onyx stones, in which were deeply graven the names of the tribes, six on each stone, were affixed, one on each shoulder, into ouches, or_sockets, of gold. Upon the front was worn the Breastplate of Judgment, similar to the girdle in material (fine linen), workmanship, and colors. It was adorned with four rows of precious stones, in the following order: first row, a sardoin, a topaz, and a carbuncle; second row,an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst; fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Upon each stone was engraven the name of a tribe. The stones were firmly set in a frame of pure gold. This breast-plate was fastened in its place by golden chains passing through rings of the same metal. In the Breastplate of Judgment were the Urim and Tnummin. The robe having an aperture left in it was passsed over the head in attiring. The hems and borders were elaborately worked with gold in figures of bells, and pomegranates, intermingled with threads of the colors already mentioned. In the front of the towering mitre was placed a fine gold plate, on which was engraved the Hebrew legend, Holiness to the Lord. Such was the imposing garb of. the Jewish High-Priest, as he stood at the altar of the temple when the Roman legionaries waded through flame and gore, and dabbled the high place of Zion with the blood of the ministering servant of Jehovah.
INVENTION OF THE ART OF PRINTING. - To the German nation belongs the glory of this salutary discovery. The true inventor of printing being John Guttenburg (called also Gansfleisch), of the equestrian family of Lorgenloch (born 1397(, who conceived the first idea of this art, and executed it at Mentz, with the aid of John Faust (since 1450), a rich goldsmith of that place, and with the subsequent co-operation (since 1453) of Peter Shaeffer, of Gernsheim, who completed the invention. It arrived only gradually and slowly to perfection. Among the great events of the world, no one has been more important in its consequences, and more beneficial, than this grand invention. By this art, writing with letters, consequently also language, and, in general, the human intellect, were first enabled to fulfill completely their destinations; the word of one is transmitted to millions; the treasury of the knowledge as well as of the feelings of all men and of all times, are made the common property of our race-a possession that is partly attained by every individual. Its immediate effect was to render possible the union of nations, and, indeed, of mankind, into one great family.