north america-2-第89章
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rature is the child of leisure and wealth。 It is the produce of minds which by a happy combination of circumstances have been enabled to dispense with the ordinary cares of the world。 It can hardly be expected to come from a young country； or from a new and still struggling people。 Looking around at our own magnificent colonies； I hardly remember a considerable name which they have produced； except that of my excellent old friend Sam Slick。 Nothing； therefore； I think； shows the settled greatness of the people of the States more significantly than their firm establishment of a national literature。 This literature runs over all subjects： American authors have excelled in poetry； in science； in history； in metaphysics； in law； in theology； and in fiction。 They have attempted all； and failed in none。 What Englishman has devoted a room to books； and devoted no portion of that room to the productions of America？ But I must say a word of literature in which I shall not speak of it in its ordinary sense； and shall yet speak of it in that sense which of all； perhaps； in the present day should be considered the most ordinary； I mean the every…day periodical literature of the press。 Most of those who can read； it is to be hoped； read books； but all who can read do read newspapers。 Newspapers in this country are so general that men cannot well live without them； but to men and to women also in the United States they may be said to be the one chief necessary of life； and yet in the whole length and breadth of the United States there is not published a single newspaper which seems to me to be worthy of praise。 A really good newspaperone excellent at all pointswould indeed be a triumph of honesty and of art。 Not only is such a publication much to be desired in America； but it is still to be desired in Great Britain also。 I used； in my younger days； to think of such a newspaper as a possible publication； and in a certain degree to look for it； now I expect it only in my dreams。 It should be powerful without tyranny； popular without triumph； political without party passion； critical without personal feeling； right in its statements and just in its judgments； but right and just without pride； it should be all but omniscient； but not conscious of its omnipotence； it should be moral； but never strait…laced； it should be well assured but yet modest； though never humble； it should be free from boastings。 Above all these things it should be readable； and above that again it should be true。 I used to think that such a newspaper might be produced； but I now sadly acknowledge to myself the fact that humanity is not capable of any work so divine。 The newspapers of the States generally may not only be said to have reached none of the virtues here named； but to have fallen into all the opposite vices。 In the first place； they are never true。 In requiring truth from a newspaper the public should not be anxious to strain at gnats。 A statement setting forth that a certain gooseberry was five inches in circumference； whereas in truth its girth was only two and a half； would give me no offense。 Nor would I be offended at being told that Lord Derby was appointed to the premiership； while in truth the Queen had only sent to his lordship； having as yet come to no definite arrangement。 The demand for truth which may reasonably be made upon a newspaper amounts to this； that nothing should be stated not believed to be true； and that nothing should be stated as to which the truth is important without adequate ground for such belief。 If a newspaper accuse me of swindling； it is not sufficient that the writer believe me to be a swindler。 He should have ample and sufficient ground for such belief； or else in making such a statement he will write falsely。 In our private life we all recognize the fact that this is so。 It is understood that a man is not a whit the less a slanderer because he believes the slander which he promulgates。 But it seems to me that this is not sufficiently recognized by many who write for the public press。 Evil things are said； and are probably believed by the writers； they are said with that special skill for which newspaper writers have in our days become so conspicuous； defying alike redress by law or redress by argument； but they are said too often falsely。 The words are not measured when they are written； and they are allowed to go forth without any sufficient inquiry into their truth。 But if there is any ground for such complaint here in England； that ground is multiplied ten timestwenty timesin the States。 This is not only shown in the abuse of individuals； in abuse which is as violent as it is perpetual； but in the treatment of every subject which is handled。 All idea of truth has been thrown overboard。 It seems to be admitted that the only object is to produce a sensation； and that it is admitted by both writer and reader that sensation and veracity are incompatible。 Falsehood has become so much a matter of course with American newspapers that it has almost ceased to be falsehood。 Nobody thinks me a liar because I deny that I am at home when I am in my study。 The nature of the arrangement is generally understood。 So also is it with the American newspapers。 But American newspapers are also unreadable。 It is very bad that they should be false； but it is very surprising that they should be dull。 Looking at the general intelligence of the people； one would have thought that a readable newspaper； put out with all pleasant appurtenances of clear type； good paper； and good internal arrangement； would have been a thing specially within their reach。 But they have failed in every detail。 Though their papers are always loaded with sensation headings； there are seldom sensation paragraphs to follow。 The paragraphs do not fit the headings。 Either they cannot be found； or if found； they seem to have escaped from their proper column to some distant and remote portion of the sheet。 One is led to presume that no American editor has any plan in the composition of his newspaper。 I never know whether I have as yet got to the very heart's core of the daily journal； or whether I am still to go on searching for that heart's core。 Alas！ it too often happens that there is no heart's core。 The whole thing seems to have been put out at hap…hazard。 And then the very writing is in itself below mediocrity； as though a power of expression in properly arranged language was not required by a newspaper editor； either as regards himself or as regards his subordinates。 One is driven to suppose that the writers for the daily press are not chosen with any view to such capability。 A man ambitious of being on the staff of an American newspaper should be capable of much work； should be satisfied with small pay； should be indifferent to the world's good usage； should be rough； ready； and of long sufferance； but； above all； he should be smart。 The type of almost all American newspapers is wretchedI think I may say of allso wretched that that alone forbids one to hope for pleasure in reading them。 They are ill written； ill printed； and ill arranged； and in fact are not readable。 They are bought； glanced at； and thrown away。 They are full of boastings； not boastings simply as to their country； their town； or their party； but of boastings as to themselves。 And yet they possess no self…assurance。 It is always evident that they neither trust themselves； nor expect to be trusted。 They have made no approach to that omniscience which constitutes the great marvel of our own daily press； but finding it necessary to write as though they possessed it； they fall into blunders which are almost as marvelous。 Justice and right judgment are out of the question with them。 A political party end is always in view； and political party warfare in America admits of any weapons。 No newspaper in America is really powerful or popular； and yet they are tyrannical and overbearing。 The New York Herald has； I believe； the largest sale of any daily newspaper； but it is absolutely without political power； and in these times of war has truckled to the government more basely than any other paper。 It has an enormous sale； but so far is it from having achieved popularity th
