The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-02
Newspaper Correspondents.

right stamp, is desideratum. But i
requires 30 small knowledge, talen
and capicity OF observation to be ,
good correspondent. The wise MAJ
seesreverything. Tl.> .blockhead TIA;
vels. from Dan to Bcersheba, and
though the route. is u long one, he sees
nothing. His self-estecm or vanity
shuts his outer eye. He looks only
within, and. naturally enough, dis
covers nothing but emptiness. We
have :. large class pf this sort, WIG
yet pretend to insight; but, when yo,
read, you discover nothing but near
sightedness OF over-siShteuuess Thcy
look too low. o.. look too far. to. dis
cover the probable AMI the certain.
Their capital is wonderfully small. and
the slightest basis OF fact wi serve to
make staple. enough for Il stupendous
lie. The first essential to Il good
traveller is to be able to obscrEt. This
seems to most Of the tribe /, Very I'M
essential matter But il il absolutely
vital to thtSr uses NIiss NTartilcau,
u very wrong-headcl spinstcr, who
rodd'a hobby Which She insisted upon
washing into white from hl:,cll. once
wrote u very Clever book, entitled
''fIow to Observer The. vulgar world
laughed 1T s1,ch title. How t.
observe, quothe!' "Why." said they,
''evrlyholy can observer Yes, in-
deed, if They would only take the,
pains to. learn. Bat observing does;
not exactly come BY nature We have
to learn tho art. O5Styri~y is not
mere sceinA Pontirls plate asked for
tho truth. but refused to wait for the.
answer. Most travellers 60 abroad
not to see, but to be seen, aud thus it
is that vanity shuts up the pcrpcr:;.
Observing requires training and clu-
cation You must not expect to lc.:11
the qualities Of Il thing by more sec
, ing. requires both analysis and
n,nthe,i.,. So,. :n,sa 1t once combine
and take apa1t- -disinteYratc and nut
together dig below the surface before
you can appreciate what lies upon the
surface. and use - good plain inch. il
you would ascertain the depth OF Il
fountain, which will yet reflect You
back ALI the images OF trees and shrubs
along the banks. We Go not now
recoilect exactly what rules Miss Mar
tlneau lays down for correct olscrvl-
ton. but YOU may be SIRE OF this.
that. III the ease OF SO shrcw;Sh a per
son, Gnsane enough when hobby
riding, she has not shot Very widely
of the mark in her counsels to the
student. To observe is the fist step
towards thinking. He who docs not
know how to observe, docs not Know
how to thAll,, and he who knows
neither, knows not how to act O,syr-
v;tion, thought and energetic action,
under thought, constitute the whole
secret OF success in Life. And quite as
necessary arc. those two lirst exercises
TO the good traveller who aims to he :.
good reporter How to observe, what
to observe, how to convey to others
the fruits OF observation, are the lust
requisites for the good correspondent.
But our ordinary journalists, writing
S>n'e ReHAs IN "no, do not heed these
conditions. Their sdlcs test is the
degree of sensation which they can
Occasion. How to-s',il. how astonish
the hlcar-eyed to make folks stare
to START" the simplc--stt wonder
asape-irishtep old maids with all the
iJ,.. cf :, o...Iya OIL .,,.1