- Impact
- 38
Sorry friends, way too busy with a personal project so no time to properly read up on (let alone post about) the latest bump on the road.
Just thought I would quote here the (hopefully) self-evidently (especially after adding my emphases
relevant words of the first editor of the original Times - the UK’s traditional newspaper of record - in the January 1st 1785 launch issue, for the discovery of which full credit to others was given in my earlier post here).
P.S. For those wondering about the newspaper title in the image linked below, this is the relevant quote from the long article in Wikipedia available via the link above:
“The Times was founded by John Walter in 1785 as The Daily Universal Register, with himself in the role of editor. Walter changed the title after 940 editions on 1 January 1788 to The Times.”
So here goes (apologies for any typos, it’s getting too late on the East Coast):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
< To the Public>
To bring out a New Paper at the present day; when so many others are already established and confirmed in the public opinion, is certainly an arduous undertaking; and no one can be more fully aware of its difficulties than I am:
I, nevertheless, entertain very sanguine hope, that the nature of the plan on which this paper will be conducted; will endure it a moderate fanfare at least of public favour;
But my pretensions to encouragement, however strong they may appear in my own eyes, must be tried before a tribunal not liable to be blinded by self-opinion;
to that tribunal I shall now, as I am bound to do, submit these pretensions with difference, and the public will judge whether they are well or ill founded.
It is very far from my intention to detract from the acknowledged merit of the Daily Papers now in existence. ...
It is intended then … that the speeches will not be given on a large scale; the substance shall be faithfully preserved, but all the uninteresting parts will be omitted.
…and compared to the other morning papers it will be found to have the merit of containing in substance what they give in long detail (which men in business cannot well spare the time to read)…
…
The inconvenience of the old and tedious mode of composing … first suggested the idea of devising some more expeditious method…
But the bare idea was merely the opening, not the accomplishment or the perfection of the improvement. …
This was a work of inconceivable difficulty.
I undertook it however, and was fortunate enough, after an infinite number of experiments, and great labour, to bring it to a happy conclusion. …
…
The [Times], in its politics, will be of no party: weakened as the country is by a long and expensive war, and rent by intestine divisions, nothing but the union of all parties can save it from destruction.
Moderate men, therefore, I trust, will countenance a paper, which has for one of its objects to cool the animosities, stifle the resentments, manage the personal honour and reconcile the principles of contending parties;
while the favours of those will be courted who support principles, by fair argument, and think that a good cause may be injured by personalities, and low invective … abuse and attack the man rather than the measure, will always be disregarded.
Such is the plan … laid out for the conduct of this paper: he now sends it forth into the world, in hopes that it will appear to the public deserving of their encouragement.
…
J Walter
[Jan 1, 1785]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full copy of the original here, courtesy of the NPer sometimes known as 'trix:
http://www.kuijsten.de/ouwekranten/sub/k0011_01.html
Happy New Year!
:imho:
Just thought I would quote here the (hopefully) self-evidently (especially after adding my emphases
relevant words of the first editor of the original Times - the UK’s traditional newspaper of record - in the January 1st 1785 launch issue, for the discovery of which full credit to others was given in my earlier post here). P.S. For those wondering about the newspaper title in the image linked below, this is the relevant quote from the long article in Wikipedia available via the link above:
“The Times was founded by John Walter in 1785 as The Daily Universal Register, with himself in the role of editor. Walter changed the title after 940 editions on 1 January 1788 to The Times.”
So here goes (apologies for any typos, it’s getting too late on the East Coast):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
< To the Public>
To bring out a New Paper at the present day; when so many others are already established and confirmed in the public opinion, is certainly an arduous undertaking; and no one can be more fully aware of its difficulties than I am:
I, nevertheless, entertain very sanguine hope, that the nature of the plan on which this paper will be conducted; will endure it a moderate fanfare at least of public favour;
But my pretensions to encouragement, however strong they may appear in my own eyes, must be tried before a tribunal not liable to be blinded by self-opinion;
to that tribunal I shall now, as I am bound to do, submit these pretensions with difference, and the public will judge whether they are well or ill founded.
It is very far from my intention to detract from the acknowledged merit of the Daily Papers now in existence. ...
It is intended then … that the speeches will not be given on a large scale; the substance shall be faithfully preserved, but all the uninteresting parts will be omitted.
…and compared to the other morning papers it will be found to have the merit of containing in substance what they give in long detail (which men in business cannot well spare the time to read)…
…
The inconvenience of the old and tedious mode of composing … first suggested the idea of devising some more expeditious method…
But the bare idea was merely the opening, not the accomplishment or the perfection of the improvement. …
This was a work of inconceivable difficulty.
I undertook it however, and was fortunate enough, after an infinite number of experiments, and great labour, to bring it to a happy conclusion. …
…
The [Times], in its politics, will be of no party: weakened as the country is by a long and expensive war, and rent by intestine divisions, nothing but the union of all parties can save it from destruction.
Moderate men, therefore, I trust, will countenance a paper, which has for one of its objects to cool the animosities, stifle the resentments, manage the personal honour and reconcile the principles of contending parties;
while the favours of those will be courted who support principles, by fair argument, and think that a good cause may be injured by personalities, and low invective … abuse and attack the man rather than the measure, will always be disregarded.
Such is the plan … laid out for the conduct of this paper: he now sends it forth into the world, in hopes that it will appear to the public deserving of their encouragement.
…
J Walter
[Jan 1, 1785]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full copy of the original here, courtesy of the NPer sometimes known as 'trix:
http://www.kuijsten.de/ouwekranten/sub/k0011_01.html
Happy New Year!
:imho:
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