, 1879-06-21
THE BOSTON NEWS LETTER.

The Fountain Head Of american Literature.
Written for The 1rfbmms.
Tic first newspnpcr ever published Tn this
continent was tho Boston Ntmt Later. It was
beGuu lu April. 1704, and was continued as d
weekly publication for fifteen years hclorc q
rival journal nado IT. appearance.
In looking over h quantity of old family pa
peFs many years stnce, came upon sinrle
copy Ut this rare old paper, hearing date, " For
the week from Monday, Aug. 10, 10 Monday,
Aug. 10, 17oo, ''-whcn the paper was In Its third
year. preserved Il No ono OF the choicest gems
In amuti treasury Of relics Of similar chnrac-
ter which from time 10 time havo como into
my possession, and havo thought that un ac-
count Of It might possess general tntercst.
Files Ut newspapers of The tiu,c OF tho Revo-
luton may DO found III many libraries, and yd
frequently sec quotations from them Of 1uatut
advertisements, or other evidences Of tho prin,l-
tive condition Of ltfo in those days, whcn jorr-
ney from Boston 10 Now York or Ph!ladep pbla
wss q more perilous undertaking than a voyage
to Europe Is to-day.
But ttat was IN aye OF luxury compared with
the period Of which vo arc now treating, and
fow peoplo ut this day havo ever seen paper Of
10 remote d date.
1t Is printed on both sldes Of single sheet,
~ by IL inches In Size. A few cxtracta from
1@s cosunns Will give better conception than
any description could do Of the changes which
hive taken place In the rclativn conditions OF
mind md motter Bince tho dny Of its publIca-
ton.
The first pngo Is mostly filled with news from
Europe, the latcst date being April 3, four aud
half months previous,
nom ,n.sl,ocn,a o., Il, ,,,a .,or.n,o,,,
~ ormi.s ,he rn,,or. ~ wnr, nd ,ha o.,,.,. -
noittriona.
r,,
xyo. ,oneht fnriro - ,hs ,arv want ,,., mt,
n.n.r 49, ,rh,,ahad 1A,r n 1-nn % ~, ,"'e .,s
nn,r1o ~ ro.ta, ~s.e .nst o.t,,,,'. ~ ~
tha r,ovnman,. ,yh,,t, .nrs - n,,,,,.,,nt ~, .,,at
evcnt .nd tr,,no-t.,,-o u. ,,ar., rso,a w.
n.1,,a ~" 49,. ~ ta,,".,,,r t,".s, Aa.ua. 'A'
,.n,,.. r,A..e, ns,..'.. "ss aa'su
-, ~! ~ Eestot Is'atno nas p1omtsea tnat part
o. ~ troops saall % IN ttaly oy Me 10Th inst,
nta tne iest on the UanHoe on tile!r way thllner.
fllvate letters rom tarta say that the Duke OF
nnlGus 1avE ,rs.t 10 Rasa 1ns sega; xas
bore noro !, tmpatieutly e1oested, aud n tne mean
.!!ne ~ tn!nss sFe nspoeloe Oh Luis s'oe iof
E 49, ~. 50,
.s.s.ta ss ~ -s so"s uu'e ~, "o ieAtn 'uAe
apptehe1slons "e1e ic't Of the iaalure ol tle
siege OF barceiona, owing to the dispersal Of the
FEeHGu uEtk ny 4L0FIQ, IN WHICH IL H1u guuCteu
Severely. VA ara also informed thot-,
i.11,c .tegs of Tnrin !. certotn1v -ceo,v.a
,,r,. ~ slIts M, +sa, ~ ~ sa.y sGkolxsa
upun ~ tns sta - ~ ~ o.Seseu LOT 9ne
oi,ns n.nrt,. ~ ~ 4a p'ees' " ea""ou' oc"
e'41n T1,..' a'o.ta.e '.,.'. ~.
WIN What sense Of a Spectral visitation TO
VIC look to-day upon the contemporary record
Of events which then were full Of living In,er,
est, and read tho nanr. of nctot. Than ,,n@n
~" .t.r~ ~, ,rhon; ~: oxss ~ ~, 49,. 80, ep
wv 'a*ot W "r"A' ~, uA0; c'ss VI a'i ulc "oF'a
"rfe tuFnedI we can almost fancy TINT We
hear tho rust!ing'of ghoaty garments ~ their
shadows rise before us from the silcnce aud
oht,vto, ~ the ,,nr hnrloa ro,+
.,n ts,,as =, 49, ".~ eAs. ~.
Anu' 'o"eoo'-'A W. enooae 30 10 coas7ofr II,
what mtmento OF life, md death, aud vAnt-
" ID this frail sheet which serves ~ the tails
,,an to summon to our presence tbeae ,l,,tons
=, a.. no.., ~,,da .a',s,, ,..,,, Hs'o,."
VI herc t. ft MGau suer n,d iot lis u.s.
s, et noto ~ ~ VIII every worn u'a-
se,,3u fi,nt arn III ~, ,1,. u, nas s s aHu ~
sv"rv i,,nnn hrinu who rn, iirr sEn' ;ioGsa