A Hundred Years Ago
THE "SPECTATOR," NOVEMBER 17TH, 1832.
THE PRESS AND THE PunLIc.—In discussing, last week, Mr. Bulwer's idea of a Literary Union, we accused the Masters of the Press generally (that is to say, the conductors of Newspapers and other Periodicals), of being ill qualified to perform their duties, and of having been appointed to them rather from a combination of accidents than from any regard to aptitude. This is a charge subject to some very distinguished exceptions, and is capable of being met half-way at least by another : if the Public Instructors are ill qualified, would the Public listen to more enlightened ones ? Does it not frequently happen that writers are compelled to write, not what they would wish to teach, but what they would wish to be read ? For if an editor does not get his paper circulated, there is an end to both teaching and writing;, and, what comes home exceed- ingly close both to business and bosom, there is an end—alas, that we should he reduced to so earth-born an expression !—there is an end to pot-boiling.
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