essesallovernorthernEurope.In1476WilliamCaxtonsetuphisownpressinLondon,andEnglandbecameoneofthemostimportantcentresoftheprintingindustry.Thisspreadofprintedbooksledtoarenewedpassionforartisticexpression.Withoutthedevelopmentoftheprintingpress,theRenaissancemayneverhavehappened.Withoutinexpensiveprintingtomakebooksavailabletoalargesectionofsociety,thesonofJohnShakespeare,agovernmentofficialinruralEnglandinthemid-1500s,mayneverhavebeeninspiredtotakeupwritingasaprofession.WhatwesterncivilizationgainedfromGutenberg’scontributionisimpossibletocalculate.Venice,EndangeredCityTherecanbefewmorebeautifulcitiesintheworldthanVenice;butastheworld’ssealevelsriseduetothewarmingoftheatmosphere,thereisalsoadangerthatitsastonishingarchitectureandpreciousworksofartmayonedayendupatthebottomoftheMediterranean.
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