Year: 1859

Did it every occur to you, most agreeable
reader, that editorial life is not an unruf1ed
sea Did you ever pause in looking over
newspaper to think of the ceaseless toll that
is necessary to provide for you the columns
and paragraphs you so easily scan ? This ed
itorial writing-what a ceaseless tapping of
mans brains it is No matter how he feels
the paper must be out at the appointed
time and his usual contributions must fill the
accustomed niche.


The limited space of 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 on 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 be 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. Fortunately we heard
no complaints, though we have no doubt many
were uttered. Now and then, however, we
have been complimented by brother saying
to US That was very good article of yours
in last weeks paper, as far as l read but it
was so long was called off before 1 had time
to finish it !" ~s.5 .# ..= .a .


Editorial writing is pleasant enough and
easy enough to 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 subjects al
ready presented, some briefly, some more elab-
orately. either by himself or correspondents
the difficulty of selecting so as to avoid self
repetition is quite embarrassing. As to wait
ing till something suggests itsef-till it comes
to you-that is out of the question. The re-
spectacle but ill.named boy is at your door
already. He is calling for copy. What
if half dozen persons in your ofice are earn
estly discussing Church matters or politics
What if you ore interrupted every moment OF
two by some irrelevant interrogatory urged
with singular indication of obliviousness o


what you are about or not you must fee


your way through, like man walking in 6
narrow pass during dark night and, having


reached the end of your sheet, you may take
long breath, and turn away in search of some


other subject. Aud there is no end to this


for as soon as you have succeeded in arranging
for one number, the burden of another is up


on you, from the first week in January till the
last in December.


But to the writing of editorials is to be ad


ded the aggregate of other duties. Here
is correspondence well meant and full o


sensible sayings. Bot it is badly written, per
baps badly spelled, perhaps poorly put togeth
er. You must go over it. You must dasl


out an unnecessary word yonder. You mus
be grammarian for the writer, who eithe
has not learned grammar, or has permitted


himself to write without revision. You must
in short prepare bis irregular composition TO
the press, and, where you cannot make ou


precisely what he intended to write. guess at il
and let your readers have tho benefit of you
7 guessing F 15 ',7