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Article THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF PETER PORCUPINE; ← Page 4 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
The best way of giving the reader an idea ofthe generosity of my bookseller , is to tell him , that on going into business for myself , I offered to purchase the copy-rights of these pamphlets at the same price that I had sold them at . Mr . Bradford ' s refusing to sell , is a clear proof that they were * orth more than , he gave me , even after they had passed through several editions . Let it not be said then that he put a coat upon my back . My concerns with Mr . Bradford closed
with The ProspeS from the Congress Gallery ; and as our separation has given rise to conjeaures , 1 shall toubie the reader with an explanation of the . matter . I proposed making a mere colleaion of the debates , with here and there a note by way of remark . It was not my intention to publish it in numbers , but at the end of the Se-sion , in one volume ; but Mr . Bradford determined on publishing in numbers . When
about . half a number was finished , I was informed that many gentlemen had expressed their desire that the work might contain a good deal of ori ginal matter and few debates . I was consequently requested to alter my plan ; I said I wouid , but that I would by no means . undertake to continue the work .
The first number was published , and its success led Mr . Bradford to press for a continuation . His son offered rne a hundred dollars a number instead of ei ghteen , and I should have accepted it , had it not been for a word that escaped him during the conversation . He observed that their customers would be much disappointed ; for that his father had promised- a continuation , and that it should be made very interesting . This opened my eyes . What , a bookseller undertake that I
should write , and that to please his customers !—No ; if all his customors , if all the Congress , with the President at their head , had come and solicited me ; nay , had my salvation depended on a compliance , I would not have written another line . I was fully employed at this time , having a translation in my . hands for Mr . Moreau de St . Mery , as well as another work , which took up a great deal of my time ; so that I believe I should not have , published the Censor , had it not been to convince the customers of Mr . Bradford that I was not in his pay .
I now come to the assertion—that I am or have been in : he pay ofthe British Government ! In the first place , the Democrats swear , that I have been ' frequently visited by a certain agent , ' meaning , I suppose , Mr . Bond ; . to this I answer that it is an abominable lie . I never saw Mr . Bond but three times inmy life ,. and then Iliad business with him as the interpreter of Frenchmen , who wanted certificates from him , to secure their property in the conquered colonies . I never in ,
my life spoke ro , corresponded with , or even saw , to my knowledge , either ofthe British Ministers , or any one of their retinue . It is hard to prove a negative ; it is what no man is expeaed to do ; yet , I thiiik 1 can prove that the accusation of my being in British pay , is not supported by one single faa , or the least shadow of probability . When a foreign Government hires a writer , it takes care that his labour shall be distributed , whether the readers are all willing to pay for them or not . This we see daily verified in the distribution of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
The best way of giving the reader an idea ofthe generosity of my bookseller , is to tell him , that on going into business for myself , I offered to purchase the copy-rights of these pamphlets at the same price that I had sold them at . Mr . Bradford ' s refusing to sell , is a clear proof that they were * orth more than , he gave me , even after they had passed through several editions . Let it not be said then that he put a coat upon my back . My concerns with Mr . Bradford closed
with The ProspeS from the Congress Gallery ; and as our separation has given rise to conjeaures , 1 shall toubie the reader with an explanation of the . matter . I proposed making a mere colleaion of the debates , with here and there a note by way of remark . It was not my intention to publish it in numbers , but at the end of the Se-sion , in one volume ; but Mr . Bradford determined on publishing in numbers . When
about . half a number was finished , I was informed that many gentlemen had expressed their desire that the work might contain a good deal of ori ginal matter and few debates . I was consequently requested to alter my plan ; I said I wouid , but that I would by no means . undertake to continue the work .
The first number was published , and its success led Mr . Bradford to press for a continuation . His son offered rne a hundred dollars a number instead of ei ghteen , and I should have accepted it , had it not been for a word that escaped him during the conversation . He observed that their customers would be much disappointed ; for that his father had promised- a continuation , and that it should be made very interesting . This opened my eyes . What , a bookseller undertake that I
should write , and that to please his customers !—No ; if all his customors , if all the Congress , with the President at their head , had come and solicited me ; nay , had my salvation depended on a compliance , I would not have written another line . I was fully employed at this time , having a translation in my . hands for Mr . Moreau de St . Mery , as well as another work , which took up a great deal of my time ; so that I believe I should not have , published the Censor , had it not been to convince the customers of Mr . Bradford that I was not in his pay .
I now come to the assertion—that I am or have been in : he pay ofthe British Government ! In the first place , the Democrats swear , that I have been ' frequently visited by a certain agent , ' meaning , I suppose , Mr . Bond ; . to this I answer that it is an abominable lie . I never saw Mr . Bond but three times inmy life ,. and then Iliad business with him as the interpreter of Frenchmen , who wanted certificates from him , to secure their property in the conquered colonies . I never in ,
my life spoke ro , corresponded with , or even saw , to my knowledge , either ofthe British Ministers , or any one of their retinue . It is hard to prove a negative ; it is what no man is expeaed to do ; yet , I thiiik 1 can prove that the accusation of my being in British pay , is not supported by one single faa , or the least shadow of probability . When a foreign Government hires a writer , it takes care that his labour shall be distributed , whether the readers are all willing to pay for them or not . This we see daily verified in the distribution of