Section 132 The Progress in the Art of Printing1
(Conclusion2 of a speech delivered at the Caxton Celebration, June 30, 1877, in London.)
I now call3 attention, in4 a few words, to the progress of this art. I hold up a volume in my (S. 43, N. 9) hand, to5 which I beg everyone to direct his eye, because I think it6 may be called the climax and consummation of this art. This7 volume is bound, as you see, and stamped with the arms of the University of Oxford. It is a Bible bound8 in a manner that commends itself to the reader—I believe9 in every sense an excellent piece of workmanship, containing more than one10 thousand pages. Well11, you will say: “That is very12 commonplace, why bring it before us?” I do so13 in order to tell14 you that this book sixteen hours ago did not exist—it15 was not bound, it was not folded, it was not printed. Since the clock struck twelve last night at16 the University Press in Oxford, the people (man) there have printed and sent us this book. They (man) have sent several copies17 to18 be distributed here in the midst of your festival. That shows what can be done, and that is what has been done, and19 it shows the state to which this great art is now happily arrived. If20 I began with a humiliating confession as to the small share we could claim in contributing to the early history of printing, we may21 leave off, ladies and gentlemen, in a better spirit, because I think that such a performance as this is22 one that will be admitted to be a credit in any portion of the world. Now I will trouble you no longer, but (S. 6, N. 10) will ask23 you to24 drink with me to the memory of this most distinguished name: “To25 the memory of26 William Caxton, the (S. 53, N. 9) first English printer, and a native27 of this our beloved country28.”—The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.
Notes
1 Die Fortschritte in der Buchdruckerkunst. The noun ‘progress’ is generally rendered by the corresponding plural form in German.
2 Schluß einer am 30. Juni 1877 bei Gelegenheit der Caxtonfeier in London gehaltenen Rede. William Caxton, der erste Buchdrucker Englands, wurde im Jahre 1412 zu Weald m Kent geboren, wohnte aber später als Bürger und Kaufmann in London, woselbst er auch im Jahre 1492 starb.
3 to call a person’s attention to a thing, einen auf etwas aufmerksam machen. Begin with the adv. ‘now’, and supply the personal object ‘Sie’.
4 in a = with; of = in.
5 = which I beg you all to look at (betrachten, v. tr.).
6 it — art = we may (dürfen) consider (an´sehen) it the climax and consummation (als die höchste Stufe der Vollendung) of (= in) this art.
[7] Say ‘As you see, this volume (here Einband) is stamped with the arms’, etc.
8 bound — reader = the binding of which must commend (App. § 18) itself at once (sich von selbst) to the reader.
9 Here insert ‘it is’; sense = respect, Beziehung, f.; piece of workmanship = ‘work of art’, which render by forming a comp. n. according to S. 36, N. 7, A.
10 ’One’ or ‘a’ before ‘hundred’ and ‘thousand’ is, as a rule, not translated in German.
11 Say ‘But (which place after the copula ‘will’) you will perhaps say’.
12 etwas ganz Gewöhnliches, wozu es uns noch zeigen?
13 The English ‘so’ in connection with a transitive verb is generally to be rendered by ‘es’. If we want to emphasize the object, however, we use either of the demonstrative pronouns ‘das’ or ‘dies’, and place it at the head of the clause; as—Do you think so? Glauben Sie es? No, I do not, Nein, das glaube ich nicht.
14 sagen or mit´teilen.
15 Say ‘it was neither bound, nor... nor...’
16 Render ‘at the’ by the gen. of the def. art.; and place the clause ‘at — Oxford’ after ‘clock’. Last night, vergangene Nacht.
17 ‘Copy’ in the signification of ‘specimen’ is rendered by Exemplar, n.; pl. e (= e); Kopie, f., is the written copy of any book, document or MS.
18 Say ‘in order to distribute them here during this festival’.
19 and — arrived = and it shows the high degree (Stufe, f.) of (der) perfection which this great art has reached now-a-days (heutzutage) (App. § 17).
20 If — printing = If I began with the humiliating confession that we in respect to (auf) our contribution to the (zur) early (früheren) history of the art of printing can claim (beanspruchen dürfen, which comes last) only a small (gering) share.
21 may = can; leave off = conclude; spirit = mood, Stimmung, f.; performance, Leistung, f.
22 is — world, überall in der Welt mit Ehren anerkannt werden wird.
23 ‘To ask’ in the signification of ‘asking a question’ is rendered by fragen or eine Frage stellen, but in that of ‘to request’ by bitten.
24 to — name = to empty your glasses with me to the (zum) memory (Andenken) of (an) this most (höchst) distinguished name; (‘your glasses to empty’ must be placed at the end.)
25 Zum Gedächtnis.
26 Use the Anglo-Saxon genitive here.
27 native = son.
28 country = fatherland.