Weekly Trinity journal., 1859-12-24

Editorial LiEe---A True Picture.


Did you ever pause IN looking over newspaper
to think of the ceaselrss toll that is necessary to
provide for you the columns and the paragraphs
you so easily scan This editorial writing what
q cpaseless tapping of mans brains it isl No
matter how he fees-the paper must be out at
the appointed time, and his usual contributions
must ill the accustomed niche.
The limited space of Il newspaper column does
not allow the editor to treat any subject at large.
He must not attempt an extended discussion, no
matter what he writes about but he is expected
to touch upon a variety of themes every week,
and to just touch them nothing more so that
his readers may not be wearied by long articles.
To write long essay or series, would sometimes
be great relief But If he does either, ten
chances to one he will hear of it.
Once or twice, in a long editorial service, we
have ventured to do this dangerous thing. For
tunately we heard no complaints, though we have
no doubt many were uttered, Now and then,
however we have been complimented by u broth
er saying to us "That was II very good article
of yours in last weeks paper as far as r'ad
but it was so long was called off before had
time to finish itr
Editorial writing is pleasant enough. and easy
enough to a man accustomed to it--when he has
once determined what he shall write about. But
this selection of topics is not easy. For single
paper or two, any man will find subjects at hand; ;
but when it comes to writing to the same readers,
year in and year out--when one calls up the sub
jects already presented, some briefly, Others more
elaborately, either by himself or by correspOn-
dents, the difficulty of selecting so as to avoid
selfrepetitou, is quite embarrassing. As to
waiting till something suggests iself-till it
comes to you--that is entirely QUITO the ques-
tion. The respectable but ill.named boy is at
your door already. He is calling for copy. You
must sit down and write ut once. What II half
dozen persons in the Office are earnestly discus
sing church matters or politics What if you
are interrupted every moment or two by some
irrelevant lnterrogatory, urged with singular
indication of obvousness of what you are
about You must hold on to the thread of an
idea, If you happen to have one, aud still do the
agreeable to your friends you must write with
some appearance Of understanding what you are
saying, whether. in reality, you know what you
are about or not; you must feel your way
through, like man walking in narrow pass
during dark night and, having reached the
end OF your sheet, you may take a long breath,
and turn away in search after some other subject.
And there is no end to this, for as soon rs you
nave succeeded IN arranging tor one number,
the burden OF another is upon you, from the first
week in January ill the last in December.
But to the writing of editorials is to be added
the aggregate Of other duties Here Is CORES
pondence we'll meant and full of sensible say ylngs.
But it is badly written, perhaps badly spelled,
perhaps poorly put together. You must go over
it, You must dash out AN unnecessary word
here. aud put in an omitted word yOnder. You
must be grammarian for the writer, who either
has never learned grammar, or has permitted
himself to write without revision. Yoa mlst, in
short, prepare his irregular composition for the
press and where you cannot make ont precisely
what he intended to write, guess at it, aud let
your readers have the benefit of your guessing.
To read II newspaper for pastime Is very n
vting employment. But here are twenty received
by the morning mail. You take the scissors in
hand aud glance over them What a treat would
these be to some peope--people who have leisure
to read them through But your work is to scis.
sorise. Iou are looking for scraps. Here is one;
but it was in your paper last week Here is an-
other ; but it is too sectaran. Here is third
but it is one Of last years creation, that has
lodged awhile on the shores OF lorgetfulness aud
is now swept again ou the tide of news to float
until it can find another standing place. After
an hour or two OF search, you gather up the re-
suit. 1t il your column of clippings from the
exchanges What a search for so meagre a re-
ward
Well. have you done? See, there is a roll of
proofs. The type is set, aud the foreman wishes
to make up the form. Here is letter upside
down-there is word you never saw before
mere Is sentence without meaning What are
you TO do? Look at every lctter--rcad every
line-mark every intended correcton--and send
IL back to be printed after your alterations Shall
have been made. You must do this at once.
" Delays are dangerous" You must not take
hall day for it. Drop everything you have be-
fore you, and read your proofs. Tho press will
he waiting for you, und unless you are in time
your place will he taken by another, aud your
issue delayed Happy the editor who, when his
sheet is out, does not find a dozen errors that be
could not fad before, Thrice happy be who, be-
sides all this, does not find many that he did see
still glarlng upon him in all their ugly deiornty
and provoking calmuess. despite of all his care.
u s. Journal