A historical survey traces the emergence and spread of letterpress printing from early Chinese methods to its European perfection, explaining its cultural significance and role in disseminating knowledge and liberty. The author examines competing origin claims, evaluates material evidence such as paper, types, and costume, and recounts biographies and legal disputes surrounding early printers. Technical topics include press invention, type-founding, composing tools, and bindings, while discussions of block-books, movable type, and bibliographic and paleotypographic issues support the narrative. Appendices collect contemporary testimonies and scholarly debates that illuminate contested traditions and early practices.