The Times and the Morning Herald are giving daily proofs
of the propriety of the epithet applied to the Newspapers, of " the best possible instructors ;" for since their sphere of usefulness in the political world has been narrowed by the closing of the Parlia- mentary session, they have zealously applied themselves to the task of pointing out the minor defects of style, &c. into which they have each fallen through haste in composition. The conductors of both these journals are emulous in this " labour of love ;" and the disinterestedness of the feeling which prompts them to the diligent performance of so ungracious a task, can only be appreciated by a knowledge of the fact that they are rivals. " Two of a trade can never agree," says the old proverb ; but the wonderful unanimity of the Times and the Herald in the work of mutual improvement, shows its fallacy. So earnest are they, indeed, that they grow impatient of one another's errors, and even incur the imputation of petty jealousy and meanness, by the energy and perseverance with which they expose very excusable lapses. The good taste and liberality of feeling displayed by each must repel the insinuation that they are picking boles in one another's coats. Or, if some ill-natured persons should apply the term abuse to such epithets as " Grandinamma" and " Granny," which the Times endearingly lavishes on the Herald; or that of " The Blockhead," which it jo- cosely bestows on the Standard ; and to the Heralds designation of the Times as "The Puddledock Oracle," "Goody Awful," &c.; at least. they will allow that such scholastic phraseology is worthy of imitation by the cads of rival Omnibuses. The viragoes of Bil- lingsgate, whom the street-preacher Boatswain Sauna has, ac- cording to Mr. GoLDHAm's testimony, reformed by his exhortations, may yet study the Times and the Herald with advantage ; proficient as the old dames are in the elegant vocabulary of nicknames.
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