Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-03-14
Drytown Correspondence.
DRYrowN, March 10th, 1876

/
ED. LEDeER:-I hope you will pardon me
for asking place in your columns for this
communication. Writing for a newspaper is
something that have not heretofore attempt
ed; not because | have no desire to see my
self in print, but because am conscious of
my inability to write good article, such as
should he placed before the intelligent read
ers of the numerous papers of our enterpris-
ing State.
If / understand the matter correctly, "and
the court thinks she does" those leading ar
ticles in papers that profess to be for the en-
/ lightenment of community, and aim to be
passed off as new, should not only be written
in plain style, but with an eye to some, at
least, of the rules of English grammar, not
forgetting the photography; for without this
the best of ideas will be so hidden as to be
entirely worthess-no better than nonsense.
Myself and partners are engaged in the
not very intellectual business of mining, and
have no time to devote to searching old
historical works and ancient legends. Yet
all are not situated as we are. There are
some able (?) gentlemen of leisure, better
known as asses who not only find opportuni-
ties to explore the literature of the olden
time, but revamp it, and endeavor to pass it
off as new
Now, sir, am reader of the Ledger and
the Sentinel, both Of which should be patron
lied, for they contain much of interest to the
people of the county, and more especially to
those who do not have access to the daily
papers.
/ have just read in the Sentinel an article
purporting to come from some one who has
just discovered something; yet what it is | am
utterly unable to perceive. The article is
very well commenced, probably the first of
it was corrected by the editor who quit it in
dispair, and | really expected good thing
was before me, that would be of benefit to a
understanding to enlighten me on the
history of gold. But lo on reading the
thing through, | find it to be mere des-
poiler of history; and what is worse the vic
tim is robbed of its fair proportions.
Would it not be a good rule, that when
ever an author processes originality, to set
him down as a plagiarist?
Such an article as the one of which l am
writing, neither reflects credit on the author
nor the paper that publishes it; whereas, an
ably written piece enhances the reputation OF
both
l may be singular in my notions, but
like an article that is brief, full of ideas, and
possessing some degree of originality The
writer may introduce as many proofs from
history as he pleases, but he should not fail
to give due credit for what is borrowed
There may be some hidden good in the ar
ticle in the Sentinel, referred to; if SO, and
you have found it, will you be so kind as to
give it to us in readable shape? | have
endeavored to analyze, translate, re-arrange
or transmogrify it so as to make sense of it,
but it is no use. The chirman of my com.
mittee of "Ways and Means has reported
it to be a fiimsey attempt to convince the
readers of the Sentinel that the author is a
profound asSayist.
If his halucnation could be dispelled, Che
is certainly laboring under some cloud Of in
tellect, he would find that he is only render
ing himself an object of ridcule to all, not
excepting his friends.(?) Probably he is ex-
pecting monument of pure gold to be erect
ed to his memory by grateful world for
deep researches in the mineral kingdom, and
his large contributions to the stores Of knowl-
edge.
One thing is certain, had the verbose con-
trbutor of the Sentinel lived in the days Of
Pope, the poet, he would have been placed
high among the heroes Of the "Dunciad."
PLAINDEALER.
KILLED IN QUARrz MILL.-On Tuesday