tree, and then impressing them upon paper; types of wood were the next step, and eventually those of metal brought the art nearer to perfection.

At that early period all who acquired any extraordinary art or learning were frequently accused of sorcery, and when printing was first discovered, it was by the vulgar attributed to magic and the black art.

"His prayers!" exclaimed Gertrude, as she devoutly crossed herself; "do sorcerers pray to God?"

"Yes, my children," said the old man, apparently not having heard Gertrude's remark, "yes, I will indeed add my prayers to yours."

"You know then--" said Melanie.

"All," interrupted Coster, as he knelt down by her.

The prayer commenced; Melanie repeated it with even more than usual fervour and devotion; each time that her lips repeated the sacred name of the Saviour, she seemed to gain strength and composure; and when she arose from the attitude of devotion, her face was pale, but an expression of calm resignation rested upon it.

"Gobert, and you, my good Gertrude," said she, addressing the two old servants, who, silent and sad, appeared awaiting her orders, "the time has come when we must part-"

"You will not send us away?" interrupted Gobert, taking advantage of the emotion which obliged Mademoiselle de Sulgeloch to pause.

"I have no longer the means of keeping you in my service, my old and faithful friends," said she, taking a hand of each; "you know our family was once rich, and we possessed two estates-the first, Zum Gensfleisch, was sold before my dear mother's death, and now Zum Guttemberg no longer belongs to us. God gave us parents, a home, fortune; He has now seen fit to take it all away blessed be His holy name."

"Amen!" said Gobert, as he reverently bowed his head, and at the same time brushed away the tears he could not suppress; "but God gave you, also, me and my wife to be your servants; He has not taken us away-why should you send us away?"

"We are ruined, Gobert," replied Melanie ; " we have no longer a roof to shelter us."

"Where you and our young master go, we will go," said the old man, using, unconsciously perhaps, almost the words of Scripture; 66 we belong to you; we cannot leave you; under a thatched

roof, as in a palace, old Gobert and his wife will serve you, obey you, and labour for you if needful."

Gertrude spoke not, but her tears fell fast; John stood by his sister, grave and thoughtful; Laurence Coster, who had hitherto listened in silence, now took Gobert's hand.

"You are a good and faithful creature," said he; and turning to Melanie, who had covered her face with her hands, to conceal her emotion, he added, "Melanie, it is now a year since your brother found me, exhausted and having lost my way; he brought me here, where I was received as a father, and treated as a cherished friend; never in all my long life had I before found what I discovered here-an angel of goodness, of beauty; a pattern of every Christian grace and virtue; when I thought to depart, I found it impossible to tear myself away; each day found me more unwilling to go. As I could read the manuscripts which the chapel of this castle contains, and moreover practise the art of writing, your servants took me for a sorcerer; you saw in me only one whose life has been devoted to science: how glad I was to repay your hospitality by imparting a share of that knowledge which can transmit thoughts and science from town to town, from generation to generation, you well know. I am no sorcerer, but I possess that knowledge which may lead to fame, and carry a name to the remotest ages. It remains for John Guttemberg to secure the prize. And now let me offer to him, to you, and your old and faithful servants, what I have hitherto accepted from you→→ a home! I possess in the neighbourhood of Strasbourg, a cottage, surrounded by a garden; there will be room for all the garden will supply us with fruit and vegetables; come there, and make it your home?"

:

Before Melanie could reply, John Guttemberg seized the old man's hand, and with a countenance bright with grateful joy and hope, he exclaimed-" For myself, my sister, and our servants I accept your offer, my true and kind friend, and I feel that it will one day be in my power to repay your hospitality."

Soon after, the little party separated for the night.

THE DEPARTURE.

Poor Melanie felt she could not sleep on the eve of quitting the home of her childhood, the ancient inheritance of her family, it seemed to maintain a stronger hold on her affections, and every surrounding object acquired a greater value. When all was still, she left her apartment, and wandered into the long gallery, into

which it opened, and which was now lit by the soft light of the moon, as its silver rays fell full from the high and old-fashioned windows. Suddenly she fancied she heard a step behind her; she heeded it not, her thoughts were too busily occupied for her to indulge in vain and imaginary fears; she therefore walked on, till at a turn in the long gallery she found herself face to face with her brother.

"I cannot rest!" he exclaimed, as they met.

"From grief at having to leave this place?" said Melanie, sighing deeply.

"No, quite the contrary—from impatience to see others, and to discover Laurence Coster's secret."

He now led his sister to a balcony which commanded an extensive view: the castle, situated on a high rock, overlooked the surrounding landscape, with the town of Mayence, or Mentz, on one side, with vast forests on the other, over which the moon was now shedding its pure and silvery light. John passed his arm affectionately round his sister's waist, and for some minutes they contemplated in silence a scene so familiar to them, but which they were about to leave for ever; as John bent down to imprint a kiss on his sister's forehead, he gaily observed—

"You see, my little sister, that I am taller than you; God has placed me above you, and from this day I will be your protector.' "Alas, John! how can you be gay, when we have lost our home and all we value?"

"The world belongs to him who knows how to conquer it, Melanie," he replied, with the confidence of one full of hope and energy, as yet unchecked by disappointment or failure; "if we have lost one home I shall find the means of obtaining another."

How opposite are the effects produced by the same events on different characters! that which had apparently crushed the spirit of the young girl had but drawn forth and elevated the character and energy of the youth; the boy had become a man!

A few days later, Melanie, her brother, Laurence Coster, and the two old servants left the castle of Zum Guttemberg, and took the road to Alsace. When a sharp turn in the road was about to hide their home from their sight, poor Melanie, bathed in tears, bent eagerly forward to catch the last look of all she so fondly loved; a faint cry escaped her as the scene vanished from her gaze.

"We must not look back, sister," said young Guttemberg, as he pointed to the bright landscape before them, on which the first

rays of the rising sun now rested in golden splendour; "we must look to what is before us."

A deep sigh was the only answer.

"The past belongs to no one," resumed the youth; "we have the present and the future; we will make the most of it."

At that period, journeys were performed much less rapidly than at the present time: the journey from Mayence to Strasbourg occupied three days. Towards the close of the third day, Laurence Coster pointed out to them a small white house, situated on the side of a hill, saying to Melanie, at the same time" There is your new home, my dear young lady, to which you will be truly welcome."

Melanie thanked the kind old man with a sweet but half-melancholy smile.

Nature had been prodigal of its treasures around Laurence Coster's abode the road that led to it was through a beautiful wood of acacias, whilst each side was carpeted with a profusion of wild flowers; a garden ornamented the sloping side of the hill, the foot of which was watered by a clear and limpid stream; which, winding its way along, was eventually lost in the Rhine, whose blue waters and picturesque banks formed a beautiful feature in the distance. The travellers had scarcely alighted ere Melanie perceived there was no domestic of any sort to receive them; and she soon became convinced that their kind host could ill afford the inevitable expense of such a party.

The following morning Melanie imparted her fears to her brother, and at the same time suggested that as Strasbourg was but an hour's walk, he might endeavour to discover some means by which they might relieve their kind friend from the whole burden of providing for them, adding, that as she could write well, she might obtain employment as a copyist-an occupation which, before printing was known, was in great request. At that period few persons knew how to write, and the occupation of copyist was very productive. Many of the manuscripts of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were written in a beautiful manner, the large letters being drawn and coloured with brilliant colours, heightened with gold, and finished with great taste; these were called "Illuminated Manuscripts." The large letters in the first printed books were finished by hand, as is the case in "the Mentz Bible," printed by Faust and Guttemberg."

All was soon arranged in the little household, and each had their allotted work: old Gobert attended to the garden, whilst

his wife took charge of all the indoor arrangements. Laurence Coster and his young friend devoted their whole time to study. The ardour of the old man kept pace with that of his pupil, and both gave themselves up to unceasing labour in the pursuit after the discovery of that wonderful art, which commemorates all other inventions, hands down to posterity every important event, and, above all, extends and diffuses the word of God to all mankind.

Some years passed away, during which Melanie's health became visibly affected: little accustomed to constant work, she soon felt the effects of the close application to the wearying and fatiguing employment of a copyist; her bright colour faded, her strength and spirits failed. Laurence Coster was the first to mark the change, and ere long imparted his anxiety to John; then it was that the young man became fully aware of the many evils which are but too apt to follow in the train of poverty; but then, too, he remembered the vow he had made to be the protector and support of the sister who had so tenderly watched over his early years-his first and only companion. He at once insisted on her having that rest she so much needed; and, with the same decision of character which had marked his first outset in life, he forbade all further employment for her, whilst for himself he pursued with threefold energy his anxious labours and studies. The first printing-press was established at Mayence by Guttemberg and Laurence Coster in 1430.

The first characters used by Guttemberg remained for a considerable period at Strasbourg; they were cut in wood, and pierced laterally as for a wire, to keep them side by side. For ten years he worked with these types at Strasbourg; so that that great city may with reason be regarded as the cradle of printing. After the death of Coster, Guttemberg formed a connexion with Faust, a rich goldsmith, who furnished money to establish an improved printing-press, in which the Latin Bible was first printed, and a Psalter, which was eighteen months in printing, so much was the art yet in its infancy.

In 1465 Guttemberg was appointed gentleman-of-honour to the Elector Adolphus of Nassau; his sister, who had declined all offers of marriage, and resolutely refused to leave her brother, died soon after: John Gensfleisch of Sulgeloch, better known by the name of Guttemberg, only survived her three years; he died February 24, 1468, and was buried at Mayence, in the church of the Récollets.