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Poem
September 2, 1835
Republican Herald
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A printer's verse soliloquy complains about subscribers neglecting to pay arrears, highlights printing costs like paper and ink, and urges readers to pay promptly to sustain the press.
Clipping
OCR Quality
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Excellent
Full Text
THE PRINTER'S SOLILOQUY.
"Tis strange! tis most prodigious strange,
That our subscribers are so careless grown
'Bout paying their arrears. They cannot think
That we alone, who publish to the world
News from all nations, and delight to spread
Useful instruction through our spacious land,
Can, meanwhile, live on air: 'tis flesh and blood
That works the press, and turns the blackened
sheet,
Well stored and ready for their eager eyes.
This flesh and blood must be recruited oft
As well as theirs, or else the press must stop.
This calls for Cash. And then how many reams
Of paper are struck off and scattered wide,
For which no length of credit will be given,
If given at all-besides the type and ink,
And many things required by those who print,
For which our money must be answerable
Oh ! that our readers would consider this!
And while they, laughingly, look our paper o'er,
And gather information from its page,
Would pause, and this one, two, three, or four
Years past, the Printer who supplies me with
This sheet? And O! that he should only add,
"I will go even now and pay him." So should
we
Well pleased receive, and with light heart pursue
Our useful toil; while conscience would applaud
Their conduct, and give relish to the zest
We may prepare. Come, then, good friend, and
soon.
"Tis strange! tis most prodigious strange,
That our subscribers are so careless grown
'Bout paying their arrears. They cannot think
That we alone, who publish to the world
News from all nations, and delight to spread
Useful instruction through our spacious land,
Can, meanwhile, live on air: 'tis flesh and blood
That works the press, and turns the blackened
sheet,
Well stored and ready for their eager eyes.
This flesh and blood must be recruited oft
As well as theirs, or else the press must stop.
This calls for Cash. And then how many reams
Of paper are struck off and scattered wide,
For which no length of credit will be given,
If given at all-besides the type and ink,
And many things required by those who print,
For which our money must be answerable
Oh ! that our readers would consider this!
And while they, laughingly, look our paper o'er,
And gather information from its page,
Would pause, and this one, two, three, or four
Years past, the Printer who supplies me with
This sheet? And O! that he should only add,
"I will go even now and pay him." So should
we
Well pleased receive, and with light heart pursue
Our useful toil; while conscience would applaud
Their conduct, and give relish to the zest
We may prepare. Come, then, good friend, and
soon.
What keywords are associated?
Printer Soliloquy
Subscribers Arrears
Payment Urging
Printing Costs
Moral Appeal
Debt Payment
Journalism Expenses
Types':['Satire'],'Themes':['Satire Society','Moral Virtue','Commerce Trade']
New Types':Null,
Poem Details
Title
The Printer's Soliloquy.
Subject
Urging Subscribers To Pay Printing Arrears
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
"Tis Strange! Tis Most Prodigious Strange,
That Our Subscribers Are So Careless Grown
'Bout Paying Their Arrears.
This Calls For Cash.