Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Literary
December 1, 1823
New Hampshire Statesman
Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
In a dialogue, the narrator and Uncle Toby discuss the printer's difficult task of pleasing all subscribers, facing criticism from various readers like poets and politicians. Trim asserts he would print independently, unswayed by whims, and pursue a straight course.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
THE PRINTER.
"I pity—I pity the printer," said my uncle Toby. "He is a poor devil," rejoined I. "How so?" said my uncle Toby "In the first place, he must endeavour to please every body, and ten to one if he pleases any body. In the negligence of the moment, perhaps a small paragraph pops upon him; he hastily throws it to the compositor—it is inserted—and he is d—d to all intents and purposes!" "Too much the case." "Nor is that all," continued I, "he sometimes hits upon a piece that pleases him mightily, and he thinks it cannot but go down with his subscribers; but alas! who can calculate? He inserts it, and all is over with him. They may forgive others, but they can't forgive a printer. He has a host to print for; and every one sets up for a critic. The pretty Miss exclaims why dont he give us more poetry and bon mots? Away with these stale pieces. The politician claps his specks on his nose, and runs it over in search of violent invective; he finds none: he takes his specks off, folds them—claps them in his pocket, declaring the paper good for nothing but to burn. So it goes. Every one thinks it ought to be printed expressly to please himself, as he is a subscriber and thus weekly, it is brought to the grand ordeal."
Trim could no longer contain himself but rising, and making a stride to the middle of the floor, with his arms akimbo, and his head upright, exclaimed with a loud and audible voice, "If I was a printer, an't please your honour, I'd please myself. I'd never give up the ground to any one, or renounce one sentiment. I would not be swayed by the whim, caprice or folly of any one, but would mark out a straight line and pursue it." [Here Trim traced with the point of his stick, a right line from my stool.] "If I could not succeed in a plain and independent course, I'd freely kick the beam."
"I pity—I pity the printer," said my uncle Toby. "He is a poor devil," rejoined I. "How so?" said my uncle Toby "In the first place, he must endeavour to please every body, and ten to one if he pleases any body. In the negligence of the moment, perhaps a small paragraph pops upon him; he hastily throws it to the compositor—it is inserted—and he is d—d to all intents and purposes!" "Too much the case." "Nor is that all," continued I, "he sometimes hits upon a piece that pleases him mightily, and he thinks it cannot but go down with his subscribers; but alas! who can calculate? He inserts it, and all is over with him. They may forgive others, but they can't forgive a printer. He has a host to print for; and every one sets up for a critic. The pretty Miss exclaims why dont he give us more poetry and bon mots? Away with these stale pieces. The politician claps his specks on his nose, and runs it over in search of violent invective; he finds none: he takes his specks off, folds them—claps them in his pocket, declaring the paper good for nothing but to burn. So it goes. Every one thinks it ought to be printed expressly to please himself, as he is a subscriber and thus weekly, it is brought to the grand ordeal."
Trim could no longer contain himself but rising, and making a stride to the middle of the floor, with his arms akimbo, and his head upright, exclaimed with a loud and audible voice, "If I was a printer, an't please your honour, I'd please myself. I'd never give up the ground to any one, or renounce one sentiment. I would not be swayed by the whim, caprice or folly of any one, but would mark out a straight line and pursue it." [Here Trim traced with the point of his stick, a right line from my stool.] "If I could not succeed in a plain and independent course, I'd freely kick the beam."
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Dialogue
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Printer
Subscribers
Criticism
Independence
Publishing
Dialogue
Literary Details
Title
The Printer.
Key Lines
"If I Was A Printer, An't Please Your Honour, I'd Please Myself. I'd Never Give Up The Ground To Any One, Or Renounce One Sentiment. I Would Not Be Swayed By The Whim, Caprice Or Folly Of Any One, But Would Mark Out A Straight Line And Pursue It."
[Here Trim Traced With The Point Of His Stick, A Right Line From My Stool.]
"If I Could Not Succeed In A Plain And Independent Course, I'd Freely Kick The Beam."