Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

TYPOGRAPHIC POWER.—BIBLES.

Messrs. Editors: The Bible, containing what is called the Apocrypha, in the English language, contains nearly a million words. The words of the Bible printed on your sheet, if your newspaper form were composed of Pearl type, would occupy about 11 sheets. Two of your pressmen could easily print thirteen bibles in one hour or 130 in ten hours. In the dark ages, viz. before the Light of Printing arose, a bible was a rarity: it cost thousands of dollars and was chained to the pulpit of the parish church, and the priest kept the keys both physical and moral. For less than half a day's common labor any man or woman in the United States may now have a well printed bible. I am not sufficiently acquainted with the Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, Latin, or any other language in which the inspired wrote, to say how much less paper the bible, in either of those languages, would require: but the Literati tell me that those languages require less room or space to express an idea, than the English. On this subject, (the light of Printing) I have been almost charmed with the latter part of the 9th book of the Columbiad. I recommend the reading of that. The poetry of the intelligent, amiable, and patriotic Barlow, is well worth reading, I think; but perhaps I have no taste!