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Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 785, 17 October 1878, Page 2

" Perdition catch my soul; but I do love thee !" so says one of the characters in Mr. Puff's tragedy of the "Spanish Armada," which occurs in the play of "The Critic." When charged by one of the players with pirating the language of the "immortal" Shakespeare, Mr. Puff excuses himself by saying that two great men had hit ujjon the same idea, and the only thing in bIIAKF.spere's favor was that he had it first. TV e are led into this train of thought by seeing an announcement in ouv contemporary, by winch it appears that it intends to do its best to imitate our example and produce a monthly supplement containing matter agricultural, pastoral, and mining. It is somewhat strange that our contemporary should have followed so closely upon our heels ; but it is more strange that so common an idea was not originated and carried out by the conductors of our _ contemporary during the many years that it has existed. We believe that the proposed monthly edition will considerably enhance the value of our contemporary and render it even more readable than it is now. It is true that there are two Riciimonds in the field ; but it is also certain that they will possess characteristics which will ensure their identification. One will be as necessary as the other ; for, whilst we are producing a paper that will be the authorised medium of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and, as such, will penetrate to every corner of this county and the adjoining counties, and largely circulate in other parts of the Colony, the proprietors of our contemporary, with laudable enterprise, intend to improve their publication by adding a monthly sheet as nearly as possible similar to that announced by us, which is to make its appearance every month just before ours. The arrangement is admirable. Our contemporary's sheet will be our avant courier, and will, like sherry and bitters before dinner, whet the appetite of the readers of ouv contemporary for " The New Zealand Agriculturist." But whilst the two monthly publications—our contemporary's and ours—will differ in some important particulars, appearances—such astheintei'vals at which our contemporary's sheet is to be published, the time at which it is to be published (just before that fixed for ours), the size, and the nature of the matter—would lead one to suspect that we have played no unimportant part in securing for the readers of our contemporary an extra sheet monthly. If we gain no other advantage than this from the grandeur of our conception, we shall rest satisfied with the knowledge that we have been the means of improving our contemporary and benefiting its readers. Our contemporary has our permission to make use of our ideas whenever it chooses, and that without any acknowledgment, when, as in the ijresent instance, the author is apparent.