It is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streamsThrough it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the transformative power of the printing press in spreading knowledge and enlightenment.
Johannes Gutenberg emphasizes the revolutionary impact of the printing press as a tool for disseminating information and ideas. By comparing it to a spring of truth and a new star, he illustrates how this invention will illuminate minds, eradicate ignorance, and foster a more informed society, ultimately allowing God's Word to reach a broader audience.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of education, one might say, 'As Gutenberg stated, the printing press shall flow in inexhaustible streams of knowledge.'
Bend your minds and wills to the education of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, that haply the dissensions that divide it may, through the power of the Most Great Name, be blotted out from its face, and all mankind become the upholders of one Order, and the inhabitants of one City.
When I first started studying Greek, one of my absolute favorite parts was realizing that so many English words had these old, secret roots. Learning Greek was like being given a super-power: linguistic x-ray vision.
If you want a free society, teach your children what oppression tastes like. Tell them how many miracles it takes to get from here to there. Above all, encourage them to ask questions. Teach them to think for themselves.
Language pedants hew to an oral tradition of shibboleths that have no basis in logic or style, that have been defied by great writers for centuries, and that have been disavowed by every thoughtful usage manual.
The most essential and fundamental aspect of culture is the study of literature, since this is an education in how to picture and understand human situations.
Good writing is lean and confident.
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