XIII

THE MALLEABLE INFORMATION ENGINE IS EMPLOYED TO PROCESS PUBLICK INFORMATION

I meet The Scrivener General of the Cabinet of Official Intelligence. Some discourse concerning the press. Broadsheets and Smallsheets. How The Malleable Information Engine is employed to process publick information.

THE TRAVELLER. An interested observer on the forenoon of the day following would have espied Albert and myself striding under the elaborate lintel supporting the main doors of the Cabinet of Official Intelligence, there to be greeted by The Scrivener General. This high official, who I learned later had been a school fellow of Albert, was a man of deep experience concerning the assembling and dissemination of printed information.

Leading our small party to room set aside for the hospitality of visitors, refreshments were served. We drank from heavy crystal glassware, a distilled liquor, I knew to have its origins on the misty islands off-shore in the Far North of Herttach, a most potent brew to take, in my judgment, for so early in the day. Mine own measure I sipped with reserve, not wishing the focus of my observation to be blurred, though I could not help but contrast this with my companions who seemed to suffer little trouble imbibing copious draughts and without a measure of water aabout which I myself insisted.

ALBERT. “Consider Sir,” said Albert, addressing me directly “How in former times did the citizen gain news of what had occurred outside the borders of their own particular locality?” pouring another measure into his glass from a copious decanter. “The Pedlar in addition to his stock-in-trade of ribbons, needles and thread, would convey news of an insurrection, a royal marriage, about sailors reaching haven, gave hearsay concerning war between the Khan of the Northern Plains and the ancient civilisation of Hi Liu. The peripatetic preacher hinted darkly about metropolitan immorality and licence. The Son of the Squire, fresh down from some ancient university, would gossip unwisely within earshot of serving-maids, these savoury tit-bits becoming the substance of tittle-tattle when meeting their followers in the local ale-house. In essence most news was borne on the lips of men. In those times few understood the printed word. Now most are literate after a fashion. Circumstances had altered, the need for clerks, book and record keepers, required persons from humble origins to gain tolerable literacy, not specifically to further their advantage, but for the utility of bludgeoning commerce and industry.”

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. Pouring another measure of the pale amber liquid for Albert and himself. “Broadsheets and Smallsheets we have in plenitude. Every street corner is the pitch of some news vendor. But take a moment to consider the hazard inherent within the uncontrolled dissemination of news and opinion. All from The Ancients to recent times agree concerning the power of that what is written down. The almost universal and timeless assumption that the printed word and truth are synonymous.”

The printed word and truth are indivisible.

The Minikin Blue Book. Saw LV II

Wise men know factionalism undermines. Think of a seemingly stable land under which exists small saves and fissures, through which run waters made acid by the peat through which they filter. Acid waters steadily eat away the rock, enlarge fissure, weakening still further the strata on which top soil rests, the terrain honeycombed and weakened. Divergence of opinion too filters through and enlarges the fissures on which the top-soil of society is constructed. Differing opinion can be permitted, in so far as the majority are in general agreement, we knowing well the stuff of minority opinion matters little, the hot air of mere words rarely being able to transmogrify irritating breezes into a tempest. Indeed tis my considered opinion, and that of others wiser than myself, that light winds are best allowed to puff at will and in so doing render themselves even more impotent.”

THE TRAVELLER. I assented that it is to the advantage of society to build upwards from firm foundations, and could see the possible mischief of opposing views creating disorder and turmoil, but could not but add that divergence within a Press, free from constraints, must be regarded as something of absolute importance by the truly civilized state.

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “My good Sir! such worthy sentiments must by their very nature be agreed with.” Raising his glass to me in salute.

ALBERT. Answering the salute with a flourish of his own tumbler “Therefore my good friend of these days past, reflect upon the advantage of many presses, but where most agree in principal.”

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “In Herttach the multiplicity of print provides tasty meat to suit most palates. Smallsheets report news of Cock Fighting. The Baiting of Bears. Knuckle Contests. The Game of the Leathern Ball. The Racing of Speedy Solar Carts. All manner of other divers sports. Accounts of the private doings of performers. The wealthy and notable. Most ordinary folk crave hearsay concerning the manners of people whose mode of living is far removed from their own. Much is made of the stupidity of those whose misfortune it is not to have been born in Herttach. Our mode of life is praised, illustrating how our institutions and general conventions are in all ways superior to those found elsewhere.”

THE TRAVELLER. He stopped for a moment and smiled with apology, remembering my own origins. Albert rescuing him from his faux pas by timely sleight-of-tongue, jesting that such was the regard in which they held me, I might well consider myself to be an Herttachian by default. Having no other recourse, I thanked them for their consideration.

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “Smallsheets also contain pages wherein are displayed engravings of comely young women posing in the scant costume such as was worn by the goddesses of the ancient world. There is discourse on growing flowers and vegetables. Simple riddles involving words or numbers, some offering prizes. For those who find pleasure and satisfaction in having their person subjected to shock, lurid reports of crimes, trials and punishments.”

THE TRAVELLER. “And Politick?” I asked “What of Politick? Consideration and analysis of this most important subject is explored fully?”

ALBERT. “Most fulsome accounts, my good Sir. Politick is central.”

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “The proprietorship of Smallsheets and Broadsheets rests within few hands. No more than three persons of wealth and standing control the Fourth Estate. Tis fortunate most subscribe towards the opinions held dear by the bulk of our citizens.”

ALBERT. “Or required, if called upon to do so, help shape those views, if needs be, towards desired ends during certain and most crucial times of national life,” continuing almost in an undertone. “Dissent with the official view is betimes exploited, though those most affected fear little, knowing from well noted experience that during those periods of crisis to the interests of those who rule, these cracked voices will in betimes mew with sweet harmony.”

THE TRAVELLER. Both refilled their glasses, again taking liberal draughts of the northern liquor, inducing a glassiness of eye and tongues that perhaps lacked their usual degree of guile.

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “Betwixt Smallsheets and Broadsheets you will discover a middling kind of press, not sought out by our lower classes, not admired by the upper. Printed words of comfort and platitude. Middling folk are desirous of a wish to rise and yet haunted by the horror of the ever present possibility of fall. Such classes of people delight and find strength daily in written confirmation of their own rightness. Certitude lends confidence. Middling folk love confidence and certitude above all other virtues. They despise those situated below them, considering this strata to be the source of all uncertainty. Though many do, paradoxically, envy, fear, and perhaps even despise some of those above them. They desire order above all else, quietude, conservation of manners past, harking back towards a golden age when, they believe, stability, well ordered society, when certainty and The Island of Herttach were synonymous.”

ALBERT. “Broadsheets in general serve the needs of those who consider themselves, in reality or supposition, to be up within the vanguard of society. Men and women of government. Administrators. Persons holding court in universities. Chair-persons of committees. Members of The Money Exchange. The Editors of Small and Broadsheets. Principals of Joint-Stock and other publick companies. Playwrights. The customary gaggle of poets, writers, artists, and sculptors.”

THE SCRIVENER GENERAL. “In reality much of this class are akin to the lower orders in attitude, wishing instant gratification of what they desire with little consideration of consequence. In their style of life resemble what persons without access to wealth would do had they but the means. Food. Drink. Fine clothes. Pleasures carnal and venal,” Draining the decanter down to the last drop, dividing the golden liquid remaining between his own and Albert’s now emptied goblet. “Broadsheets display the desired style of living. Solar Carts of superior design. Opulent furnishings. Fine apparel tailored with silks and satins. Artefacts of costly foreign manufacture. All manner of baubles whose desirability rests upon the notion that they lack usefulness. Rare and unusual meat and drink. Patronage of eating-places where a single plate costs a sum greater than that paid in daily wages for a man of labour.”

THE TRAVELLER. Did any Broadsheets or Smallsheets that gave space to more considered views, forums where the available balance of evidence could be weighed and considered without prejudice? Anxious to hear of some amelioration to what I thought an otherwise bleak description of the condition of the Press in Herttach.

ALBERT. “Some Broadsheets do attempt to present other views for the delectation of their subscribers. It is indeed appropriate that those who exist within a minority should have a means by which they may perceive an echo of their own voices. Though I can assure you without fear of contradiction most other folk would rather wrap kitchen-scraps in such journals than peruse their contents.”

THE TRAVELLER. The decanter of liquor having been drained and a quick search of the store-cupboard revealing no further supplies, my two companions vacated their chairs and indicated that the moment was now right to repair to where The Malleable Information Engine was located. Following in the path of their unsteady footsteps we found ourselves some minutes later entering a large room situated on the top floor of the building.

Outside in the corridor, sitting on a long wooden bench, were in excess of twenty men, all youthful and dressed lightly, mostly occupying themselves leafing through Smallsheets or indulging a few moments of repose. It was explained they were all employed as messengers, ready at any instant to carry written dispatches direct to the editors of Broadsheets and Smallsheets, and sundry other persons who must be told without delay of events that were current.

Albert closed and locked the door behind us and I found myself confronted by a device bearing a remarkable similarity to The Malleable Number Engine. Several clerks were attentively working, intent on entering the contents of papers and parchments piled high beside their work-stations.

Albert commandeered a place in front of a position that was vacant. Our official host, The Scrivener General, I assumed knowing full well Albert’s profound knowledge of what operations took place within the room, more than content to allow him to elucidate for mine own curiosity, sat down deeply within a well padded chair set close by the wall and fell into a deep slumber. Albert bade me sit near to himself, the better to observe his actions and hear his words.

ALBERT. “This machine we see before us, was no doubt you will recall the one I alluded to earlier. It was devised and constructed under the direct supervision of the inventor of The Malleable Number Engine. As to its use the most effective course is to furnish you with a demonstration.” Selecting a sheet of paper from hand-written documents heaped in a pile on the floor beside his chair, he smoothed it out on the desk-top and considering it for a moment, read aloud, first explaining, “Herewith is a report from one of our agents whose task it is to compile news from the Court of F…..” naming a great and ancient kingdom some fifty leagues distant after crossing The Great Bridge. Beckoning he indicated that I should look across his shoulder to absorb what was written.

Report from the pen of J.W. Wardle-Snagg Official Correspondent to the Court of ……. June 22^nd. Our Ambassador attended The Superior Council on the forenoon of Thursday in the Sixth Month of Succession. No agreement was reached with any foreign delegates regarding the proposed treaty, a state of affairs he conveyed to me being far less a triumph than anticipated prior to this day and without dispute inimical to the interests of The Island of Herttach.

THE TRAVELLER. With practiced fingers Albert entered this text verbatim directly into The Engine by deft use of the keyboard and this part of the task concluded turned the protruding windlass that activated the internal mechanism. After so doing he sat back in his chair, took a pinch of snuff and waited.

Sounds of cog-wheels in motion, the whirr of spindles, escarpments engaging, could be dimly heard coming from the interior of the apparatus, arriving at a crescendo that was concluded some minutes later with the sudden ejection of a sheet of paper from a slot above the work-desk. Albert grasped a hold of it even on the instant it appeared read the following.

ALBERT. “Report from the pen of J.W.Wardle-Snag, Official Correspondent to the Court of …….. June 22^nd: Our illustrious Ambassador attended the Inferior Council on the forenoon of Thursday in the Sixth Month of Succession. We denied agreement to any of the foreign delegates who presented for our consideration the proposed treaty, a most satisfactory state of affairs, he conveyed to me, far better than we had anticipated and was in no detail inimical to the overriding interests of The Island of Herttach.

THE TRAVELLER. Thus malleablized, this communication was duplicated in triplicate with practiced haste by a copy clerk, thence to be pushed through a hatch in the wall between the room and corridor, there to be taken up by one of the waiting messengers, thence to be delivered with all haste, ensuring general publication that very evening.

Albert by way of confirming the efficacy of the process I had just witnessed, shewed me several other examples of this process of transformation. Otherwise disagreeable intelligence was promptly transformed:

HEWERS OF COAL

Were indeed content to see one hundred mine-shafts sealed.

THE COIN OF HERTTACH

Most singularly valued by other nations.

PERSON OF HIGH RANK

Seven times married, on one occasion to a nanny-goat, lead what in was in general a creditable example of the moral life.