Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-17
NO. 272.
Miseellaneous.
DELANE'S WORK on THE LONDON
TINES.

Deriving from nature large gifts, and
by circumstance clothed with vast means
OF acting upon the volitions OF men, and
sometimes even ruling events. Delane. rs
may be supposed. did not show the real
eagerness of his nature in the weak. bust
ling way of people reckoned for nothing.
whose time is of scarce any worth and
indeed he had the outward composure, the
air oil power not vet put forth that be-
comes strong man of action; but il al
ways could be seen that his energies were
rather compressed than lulled--that the
furnace. if SO | may speak. had its fires
'hanked up" in the daytime. vet still was
always aglow, alwuvs ready 10 blaze into
action an hour or two before midnight.
When already in his carriage and moving
to the scene of his midnight labors, kind
nature used to grant him some minutes of
sleep. upon which. because giving him
fresh strength. he used to set a great value
but from the moment Of his entering the
editors room until four or five O'Clock in
the morning the strain he had to put on
his faculties must have been always
great, and in stirring times almost
prodi gious; although of course the
great bulk of the manifold work required
for constructing II number of The Times
was performed by subordinates. and al
though it rested with others-perhaps |
might say with one other-to determine
what-at least for while-shoud he the
chosen policy of the Journal. its editor had
to execute the general design: and these
were the hours of night when often he had
to decide-to decide. OF course. with great
swittness-between two or more courses
of action momentously different: when.
besides, he must judge the appeals
brought up to the paramount arbiter from
all kinds of men, from all sorts of earthly
tribunals; when dispatches of moment.
when kilograms iraught with grave
tidings. when notes hastily scribbled IN
the Lords or Commons. were from time to
time coming in to confirm or disturb-per-
haps even to annul-iormer reckonings;
and these, besides, were the hours when
ON questions newly obtruding. yet so
closely. so approximately present that
| they would have to be met before sunrise
he somehow must cause TO spring sud
den essays. invectves and arguments
which only strong power of brain with
even much toll could supply
In conversation one day. a great lead
ing article writer conveyed an idea of
his craft by using one of those metaphors
all the work of long statements ITO
write u leading article he said, "mav
take only from two hours to two hours
, and half, but then all the rest of your
time you are crouchng tiger. waiting.
waiting, TO make your spring" To be
lord of these ''crouching tigers" and be-
fore 2 O'Clock in the morning-say which
would spring. and at whom-that was one
l,f fbn ,,,i1pi. .,bf tao al.
itor. But only one out of many. II high
organization averied too anxious hurry,
it could not dispense with the strain put
on numbers of men who by concert must
achieve great and varied labors within
fast narrowing space OF hours. and finally.
minutes, And, of course, labors fraught
with great consequences TO numbers of
mortals could not 90 on uninterrupted by
molestation from without. Because of
insstance below, great in name. or mighty
in earnestness, the janitors charged to
protect a great editors too precious mo-
ments would from time To time be impor-
tuned to take in card with eager words
written in pencil and amongst the mis-
sives thus pressed. there used to be now
and then one which could not be safely de-
spised. nor even indeed withstood.
| I'M" Va ""' "ppo"'o H"'n W thcSc
might drive its way through all barriers,
would depend upon the vigilance of the
outposts, and discriminating sagacity ex-
ercised by an inner line of sentries on
guard but meanwhile comes time when
the editor sees laid before him strip of
newly-printed paper. and understands at
a glance that one of the ''croucbiug IL
gers has now made his spring for what
he holds in his fingers is proof OF the
"leading article"-onc perhaps OF great
moment-ior which he gave his brief or
der some three or four hours before. For
the delicate task then awaiting him any
other than he would require to be in II
state OF tranquility; would require to have
ample time. But for him there are no
such indulgences. Whilst scizing the i'm
port and range of the new creation, and
bringing it into smooth harmony with it's
general design-nay, even into conformity
with his standard Of literary excellence
he sees the hand Of the clock growing
more aud more peremptory, and the time
drawing nearer when his paper must,
must be made up. ."-Kinglake.