English newspapers in the first quarter of the century, 
     however, were by no means designed to appeal to the 
     whole population. By modern standards they would be 
     considered too dull to interest more than a small minority 
     of serious readers. . . . Early nineteenth century 
     newspapers were run largely for the genteel. Their style 
     was stiff and formal, ranging between Addisonian 
     gracefulness and Johnsonian elevation. The contents 
     consisted of small advertisements, of local affairs and 
     national politics, especially of commercial news and long 
     transcriptions of parliamentary reports. . . . the best 
     current literature was noticed in the newspapers. . . . ‘In 
     those days’, Charles Lamb recalled, ‘every morning paper, 
     as an essential retainer to its establishment, kept an 
     author, who was bound to furnish daily a quantum of 
     witty paragraphs. . . .’ And since the divorce between the