Such has been the birth and parentage of the ‘Aberdeen Journal,’ whose life now presents the somewhat singular feature of having reached its hundredth year during the lives of three successive generations of the same family. The few following extracts from No. 1. of the ‘Journal’ will give some idea of newspaper writing one hundred years ago, and also indicate the state of public feeling at that day towards our Gallic neighbours: “As the publick may be alarmed with the report that ran so currently yesterday upon the Exchange, that a contract is negociating for the delivery of 400,000 quarters of wheat to our mortal enemy the French, we hope every Englishman will judge so tenderly of his neighbour, as not to believe it possible any merchant can entertain so pernicious a thought, or be such a traitor to his country, at a time when our allies the Dutch have totally prohibited all commerce with that perfidious nation under the severest penalties.” “However the report yesterday might arise, of a particular contract for sending 400,000 quarters of wheat to France, it is certain that an article from Bourdeaux, in a late Dutch Mail, mentions that a large number of English ships, laden with corn, had put in there, and caused a sudden plenty in the midst of scarcity; adding, that these ships had sailed under a pretence of being bound for the Mediterranean. If these were private traders only, who ventured thus to risk their fortunes, in contempt of their duty and allegiance, the affair deserves to be particularly enquired into, that the delinquents, if taken, may be punished. But if their voyage was in virtue of a contract, that is a _jobb_; the business is the more iniquitous, as it must be a transaction among persons of no small distinction. We shall not pretend to guess who the jobbers may be; but it was very imprudent of the French who were to be essentially served, to blab a secret that may prevent their friends here from making a little more profit of our present plenty. “We hear that it having been affirmed, in a certain H—— Assembly, that a practice of sm——g would never have arisen to its late pitch but for the encouragement of some R—— H—— persons, one, who seemed to be severely wrung, exclaimed loudly on the occasion, and affected to clear himself and friends, by calling for such proof as he knew it was impossible at that time to adduce.” While the initials and dashes in the last quotation form a striking contrast to the out-spoken manner of the press now-a-days, the following _jeu d’esprit_ denotes the unchangeable and everlasting grumble against taxation: “NO MORE GAMBOLS.