He first showed the material he was made of in the "Salutatory," of the _Herald_, viz., "Our only guide shall be good, sound and practical common-sense applicable to the business and bosoms of men engaged in everyday life.
We shall support no party, be the organ of no faction or coterie, and care nothing for any election or any candidate from President down to constable.

We shall endeavor to record facts upon every public and proper subject stripped of verbiage and coloring, with comments when suitable, just, independent, fearless and good-tempered." Joseph Hunter was a carpenter, Robert Burns a ploughman, Keats a druggist, Thomas Carlyle a mason, Hugh Miller a stone mason.

Rubens, the artist, was a page, Swedenborg, a mining engineer.

Dante and Descartes were soldiers.

Ben Johnson was a brick layer and worked at building Lincoln Inn in London with trowel in hand and a book in his pocket.
Jeremy Taylor was a barber.