第68章
加入书架 A- A+

  Toyourrequestofmyopinionofthemannerinwhichanewspapershouldbeconducted,soastobemostuseful,Ishouldanswer,`byrestrainingittotruefacts&soundprinciplesonly。’

  YetIfearsuchapaperwouldfindfewsubscribers。Itisamelancholytruth,thatasuppressionofthepresscouldnotmorecompleatlydeprivethenationofit’sbenefits,thanisdonebyit’sabandonedprostitutiontofalsehood。Nothingcannowbebelievedwhichisseeninanewspaper。Truthitselfbecomessuspiciousbybeingputintothatpollutedvehicle。Therealextentofthisstateofmisinformationisknownonlytothosewhoareinsituationstoconfrontfactswithintheirknolegewiththeliesoftheday。I

  reallylookwithcommiserationoverthegreatbodyofmyfellowcitizens,who,readingnewspapers,live&dieinthebelief,thattheyhaveknownsomethingofwhathasbeenpassingintheworldintheirtime;whereastheaccountstheyhavereadinnewspapersarejustastrueahistoryofanyotherperiodoftheworldasofthepresent,exceptthattherealnamesofthedayareaffixedtotheirfables。Generalfactsmayindeedbecollectedfromthem,suchasthatEuropeisnowatwar,thatBonapartehasbeenasuccessfulwarrior,thathehassubjectedagreatportionofEuropetohiswill,&c。,&c。;butnodetailscanbereliedon。Iwilladd,thatthemanwhoneverlooksintoanewspaperisbetterinformedthanhewhoreadsthem;inasmuchashewhoknowsnothingisnearertotruththanhewhosemindisfilledwithfalsehoods&errors。Hewhoreadsnothingwillstilllearnthegreatfacts,andthedetailsareallfalse。

  Perhapsaneditormightbeginareformationinsomesuchwayasthis。Dividehispaperinto4chapters,headingthe1st,Truths。

  2d,Probabilities。3d,Possibilities。4th,Lies。Thefirstchapterwouldbeveryshort,asitwouldcontainlittlemorethanauthenticpapers,andinformationfromsuchsources,astheeditorwouldbewillingtoriskhisownreputationfortheirtruth。The2dwouldcontainwhat,fromamatureconsiderationofallcircumstances,hisjudgmentshouldconcludetobeprobablytrue。This,however,shouldrathercontaintoolittlethantoomuch。The3d&4thshouldbeprofessedlyforthosereaderswhowouldratherhaveliesfortheirmoneythantheblankpapertheywouldoccupy。

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