The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-04-17
MISC ELL NY.
SELECTED.
~a1I/NnT'1I-

Tgpes are stubborn hings.-The truth.
of this saying we have had frequent OPP
Portunity to test, and we look upon this
stabbornRess as no slight consideration
in the, long and gloomy list of troubles
with which Editors and Printers are sur
rounded and encompassed. They ase
expected to furnish all the interesting
Intelligence ofthe day. The Merchant
looks for his prices current, his ship
news, and if some do not happen TO find
what they wish, then the printer has
been neglectful. The Lawyer and Di-
vine look for legal and religious intelli-
gence; and folding the paper exciaim,
"What in the world can induce the ed
itor to devote so much of his journal to
commercial items?" The Agrieullur-
ist wishes to benefit by recent improve
ments; and being anxious to see every
tang on the subject, is surprised to find
a string of dull ship-news in the place
of interesting articles on husbandry.
The Mechanick wants a particular ae-
count of every new invention, and asks,
How can the editor fill his whole pa
per with matters relative to medicine,
surgery, yellow fever, and the small
p9x, instead of encouraging useful in
veniiens "a Immediately after comes
the Physician, and laments that more
tilae and space is not devoted to the
publication Of medical essays. The Mer-
chant who sends an advertisement, wish
es it always to appear in the inner form,
and thinks some paragraphs ought TO
give way for the purpose.--Thus are
the printers eterually doing wrong. If
they put " reading matter'' outside, in
consequence of having no room inside,
it is thought not worth reading. because
had it been, g II would not have been
crammed in dark ccTnen of the paper"
Or, if even this reflection is not made, it
is ten chances to one if it is not thought
that il was merely done TO "fiil up."-
Other readers want anecdotes and dread
fui accounts of dreadful murders: they
want more information On the subject Of
the bloody war between the Greeks,
and Turks; and they complain that we.
fill up our sheet with undressing local
matters, instead Diminishing more @For-
eign Intelligence Some readers want
an account of ali the deaths, both here
and every where; and the ladies are
not pleased unless we insert more mar
riages; fol they are surely more inter-
esting than a daily report of Corn.
Flour, Tobacco, and Auction Sales, and
Exchange Transactions Then comes
a body of writers and satyrists,. with
quires OF paper filed with their lucu-
brati"ns: they are astonished when told
that the press of foreign matter will de-
lay the Insertion; for, says one, how
unimportant is that, compared with my
essay All these things, and thousand
more, conspire to perplex the printer.
+, Ii is in vain for him to say atypes are
stubborn things" and that he cannot
compress the mass Of fifty columns
into tent it is all in vain for how
easily could you have inserted this, by
leaving out that? If the Editor writes
long essays, he runs the risk of being
called verbose, long-winded, and tire
some if be writes little, he is consider
ed lazy and if he writes nothing at
all, it is in charity concluded that he is
not able to do it.
Finally comes the unkiDdest cut OF
all.n--Afier patient endurance of these
things, when the printer asks for his
money, small as his claims are, many
persons seem struck with wonder that