She had been urged earnestly to hurry matters, as Abt Vogler had various works which he wished to have printed as soon as possible. Unfortunately my contract with the brothers Faber, which I had signed the day before, would have delayed me for many months. I tried, therefore, if I could induce them to permit me to spend a few months in Munich before I started their work in St. Polten. The excellent men agreed gladly, and even advanced money to me that I might have various copper cylinders made in Munich, so that I would be able to go ahead without delay later in St. Polten.
[PART III]
FROM 1806 TO 1817
I left Vienna with Herr Gleissner and his family in October, 1806. First we traveled to Cloister Atl near Wasserburg in Bavaria, which Freiherr von Aretin had bought recently, and where Abt Vogler awaited us. He proposed to erect the printery in the cloister; but when he saw that I was not at all pleased with the idea, he started with us for Munich.
Hardly had we arrived there before Abt Vogler suggested several plans which all contemplated only his own profit, and which would have redounded to Freiherr von Aretin's disadvantage. When he realized at last that we would not agree to his demands, and when Freiherr von Aretin insisted that Herr Vogler pay his share of the capital at once and in cash, instead of paying it by furnishing music whose value he set very high, he severed his connection with our company. There was also the added reason that the Royal Academy of Sciences did not reëlect him as a member, a fact which made him wish to leave Munich as soon as possible.
At this time a former workman of my younger brother Karl, a man named Strohhofer, commenced a printery. Madame Gleissner stopped this unlawful violation of our rights with the aid of the royal police, and this impelled Strohhofer to seek Abt Vogler, probably in order to gain his intercession with Freiherr von Aretin.
Vogler thought that he had made an important discovery, as the man knew how to speak very impressively of his knowledge and skill. He imagined that he could publish his works without our aid, perhaps even without cost. Therefore he promised to assist Strohhofer, made an appointment with him for a future day, and suggested to him how he could support himself meantime by selling the secret of the art.
Stuttgart was one of the towns suggested to him. Strohhofer circulated a pompous proclamation there, boasting of his talents and offering his services to anybody and everybody. Thus he came into communication with Herr Cotta. The inferiority and incompleteness of his knowledge were perceived very soon; but as even the imperfect results hinted at the importance of the new printing process, the result was that finally, through the assistance of an art-lover, Herr Rapp, the book, The Secret of Stone-Printing, was published by Herr Cotta. It was the first publication that showed true appreciation publicly of the art.
Immediately in the beginning of our establishment in Munich, our enterprise gained brilliant aspects through Freiherr von Aretin's activity. Several presses were operated, for music, for governmental work, and even for art. Then came the publication of Albrecht Dürer's Prayer-Book, which gave us an honorable reputation. This work was acclaimed by all art-lovers, and the conviction gained ground everywhere that the new process which hitherto had possessed few friends, was not so unimportant as had been believed generally.