It did not occur
to us to call these efforts "literary." I know that I wrote just
as I did for our little "Diving Bell,"--as a sort of pastime,
and because my daily toil was mechanical, and furnished no
occupation for my thoughts. Perhaps the fact that most of us
wrote in this way accounted for the rather sketchy and
fragmentary character of our "Magazine." It gave evidence that we
thought, and that we thought upon solid and serious matters; but
the criticism of one of our superintendents upon it, very kindly
given, was undoubtedly just: "It has plenty of pith, but it lacks
point.
The "Offering" had always more of the literary spirit and touch.
It was, indeed, for the first two years, edited by a gentleman of
acknowledged literary ability. But people seemed to be more
interested in it after it passed entirely into the bands of the
girls themselves.
The "Operatives' Magazine" had a decidedly religious tone. We
who wrote for it were loyal to our Puritanic antecedents, and
considered it all-important that our lightest actions should be
moved by some earnest impulse from behind.
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