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Poem
March 21, 1798
The Kentucky Gazette
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
What is this article about?
A satirical poem defending the printing press as a means to circulate truth, counter error and vice, and resist tyrannical limits on freedom.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
THOUGH riches circulate not will,
By coining and by minting;
The printing art is nobler still—
TRUTH circulates by Printing.
Since truth is Truth, as all allow,
It cannot suffer printing;
Pernicious Error rears her brow
When Tyrants limit Printing.
Since Freedom's self sometimes runs mad,
The thought is well worth minting;
Let useful hints be modestly clad,
And then go on with Printing.
But Vice, you'll say, with hideous leer
At Virtue will be squinting;
Well, if vice squints and looks to queer,
We'll mend her sight with Printing.
By coining and by minting;
The printing art is nobler still—
TRUTH circulates by Printing.
Since truth is Truth, as all allow,
It cannot suffer printing;
Pernicious Error rears her brow
When Tyrants limit Printing.
Since Freedom's self sometimes runs mad,
The thought is well worth minting;
Let useful hints be modestly clad,
And then go on with Printing.
But Vice, you'll say, with hideous leer
At Virtue will be squinting;
Well, if vice squints and looks to queer,
We'll mend her sight with Printing.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Epigram
What themes does it cover?
Liberty Independence
Political
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Printing
Truth
Tyrants
Freedom
Vice
Virtue
Poem Details
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
Truth Circulates By Printing.
Pernicious Error Rears Her Brow
When Tyrants Limit Printing.
We'll Mend Her Sight With Printing.