children, he wrapped them carefully, placing them side by side in
an old piece of parchment which he happened to have in his pocket.
The bark from which they had been cut being fresh and full of sap,
and the letters being firmly pressed upon the parchment, the
result was the series of "pictures" which delighted the child and
gave to the world the first suggestion of a printing press.

And then a mighty thought flashed across the brain of the poor,
humble, unknown churchwarden, a thought the realization of which
was destined not only to make him famous for all time, but to
revolutionize the whole world. The first dim suggestion came to
him in this form, "By having a series of letters and impressing
them over and over again on parchment, cannot books be printed
instead of written, and so multiplied and cheapened as to be
brought within the reach of all?"

The remainder of his life was given up to developing this great
idea. He cut more letters from bark, and, covering the smooth
surface with ink, pressed them upon parchment, thus getting a
better impression, though still blurred and imperfect. He then cut
letters from wood instead of bark, and managed to invent himself a
better and thicker ink, which did not blur the page. Next, he cut
letters from lead, and then from pewter. Every hour was absorbed
in the work of making possible the art of printing. His simple-
minded neighbors thought he had lost his mind, and some of the
more superstitious spread the report that he was a sorcerer. But,
like all other great discoverers, he heeded not annoyances or
discouragements. Shutting himself away from the prying curiosity
of the ignorant and superstitious, he plodded on, making steady,
if slow, advance toward the realization of his dream.