The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-10-16
THE EDifoR.-hy ono.

= - = = = =
lot was Knocked down to him a bargain, and
il turns out to be take in. His land of
promise isa mountain stuffed with ,horns
His laurel wreath is garland of neules His
honors resolve themselves into a capital
hoax, his pleasures are heavy penalties. his
pride is the snnf of a candle, his power bat
volumes Of smokes. The editor is the most
ill-starred man alive. He, and he alone, a
thousand pretenders about town notwith-
standing is indeed the identical martyr,
commonly.talked of as the most ill-used in
dividual. He seems to govern opinion, and
is, in reality, victim to the opinion of 9TH
efs. He incurs more than nine -tenths of the
risk and responsibility, and reaps less than
one-tenth of the reward and reputation.
The defects of his work are literally assign
ed TO him, the merits are magnanimously
imputed to his correspondents. If bad ar.
ticle appears, the editor is unsparingly con-
demned if brilliant article be inserted
anonymous carries off the eulogium. The
editorial junction is supposed TO consist in
subst:atiohs of 'if it be-" for it is, and the
insertion of the word however, here and
10 impedethe march of fine style. Commas
and colons are the only marks he-is reputed
to make. his niche of fame is merely pa
renthesis !; he is but note of admiration to
genius; his life IS spent in ushering clever
people into deserved celebrity; he sits as a
charioteer, outside the vehicle in which pro
disious talents are driven to immortality. 1t
is his fortune 10 insert all his contributions
in the temple of glory, and TO exclude him.
self for want Of space. He always hopes TO
so in, bnt expires unblessed at last. He be-.
slows present popularity on thousands with
out securing posthumous renown as his
own share. His career in this life is tale
OF mystery ITO be continued in our next :"
lie is only thoight of when things go wrong
IN the Journal. Curiosity then looks out the
corner of his eyes, and with brows and lips
pursed up, queriously CALCULATES "wEo is he!'
If by chance, praise instead of censure
should be mediated, the wrong man, is i'm.
mediately mentioned. People are only GER
tain OF their editor when they are going 10
cowhide him. Is there bright passage or
two in an indifferent article, you may be
sure that they are not indebted for that pol
ish to the editorial pen. Is there dali
phrase or harsh period in some favorte con-
tribulion? Oh! the editor has altered it, OF
neglected 10 revise the proof But If the
editor is abused for what he inserts, he is
twice abused Tor what he neglects. 1t is a
curious feature in his destiny that if he
strikes out but a single line Of an article,
whether in poetry or prose, that very line is
infallibly the crowning beauty of the pro-
duciion. 1t is not little odd that when he
declines q paper, that paper is sure 10 be
far the bes! thing The author ever wrote.
Accepted articles may be bad I; rejected ones
are invariably good. 1t is admitted tha,
judgment is exactly the quality which the
editor has not. An author is praised in a
review, he is grateful 10 an individual wri.
ter, whose name he has industrosly inquir-
ed for an author is condemned in review
he is unspeakably Disguised with the editor.
Week after week, month after month, the
said editor succors the oppressed, raises up
the weak, applauds virtue, exalts talent; he
pens or promulyates the praise of friends,
of their books, pictures, acting, safe.
ty lamps and steam paddles, but from the
catalogue of golden names his own is an
eternal absentee. -Hi .'t. =,