198 THE PERIODICAL PRESS. 



tent, not exceeding the bounds of an ordinary letter; but after 1713, 

 in which year the newspapers were first stamped, it became neces- 

 sary, as much from this circumstance as from any other, to enlarge 

 the size, as well as to raise the price. Notwithstanding, however, 

 the important scenes that from that time up to the year 1750, 

 were acting on the theatre of Europe, and the stirring events that 

 took place in England and Scotland, the inventive powers of the 

 editors appear frequently to have been at a stand-still ; they were 

 often puzzled enough in what manner to fill up their columns, scanty 

 as they still were; and in the latter year the editor of the Leicester 

 Journal a paper which was printed in London and sent down to 

 Leicester for publication actually had recourse to the Bible to help 

 him out, and filled up his empty space with extracts from it ! He 

 commenced at the beginning of Genesis, and continued the extracts 

 in every succeeding number, chapter by chapter, as far as the 10th 

 chapter of Exodus 1 



The press, says an eminent American writer, wields a power over 

 every " reading community " not easily described ; it is a mere 

 power, and its operation for good or evil depends entirely on the 

 motives and direction given to it by its conductors. THERE ARE 



STRONG TEMPTATIONS TO MISLEAD THROUGH THIS POWER ; think, 



therefore, that we all owe thanks and gratitude to those independent 

 and able men who have given their time and talents to the press, 

 during this controversy. And here I may ask, what would have 

 been the case if the u press" had taken a wrong direction? If no 

 exposition, no foretelling of the advance of evil had been made by 

 it, is there not danger that before the people could have been roused 

 to a just view of their situation, the government of the country would 

 have been, in a great measure, changed ? 



The following members of the Press have held public situations : 

 Lord Brougham, formerly a chief editor of the Edinburgh Review, 

 late lord high chancellor of England. The Right Hon. J. W. 

 Croker, one of the editors of the Quarterly, late secretary of the 

 Admiralty. T.he Right Hon. F. JefFery, chief editor of the 

 Edinburgh Review, late lord advocate of Scotland. Mr. Roebuck, 

 one of the editors of the Westminster Review, a member of parlia- 

 ment. E. L. Bulwer, Esq., late editor of the good old Monthly 

 Magazine, a member of parliament. John Walter, Esq., one of the 

 proprietors and co-editor of the Times, a member of parliament for 

 a county. Mr. Grote, one of the proprietors of the Chronicle, mem- 

 ber for the city of London. Colonel Torrens, late proprietor and 

 chief editor of the Globe, member of parliament, holding some place 

 besides. Mr. Praed, editor of the Morning Post, member of parlia- 

 ment, and secretary to the India Board. Mr. Baines of the Lieds 

 Mercury, member of parliament. Mr. Coulson, formerly editor of 

 the Globe, one of the late commissioners for enquiring into the poor 

 laws. Mr. Chadwicke, late one of the editors of the Examiner, now 

 secretary to the poor law commission. Mr. Wakley, editor of the 

 Lancet, member of parliament. Mr. D. W. Harvey, late editor of 

 the Sunday Times, a member of parliament. Mr. Buckingham, of 

 the Calcutta Journal, of the Argus, &c. &c. &c., member of parlia- 



