The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-06


stole or lost inserted in the Boston .Netcs Letter,
at reasonable rate. from twelve pence to five
shillings, and not to exceed" In those days
we are speaking of century and half since
the philosophy of trade was SO Ill understood
that the rich alone burst embark In commerce;
to the poor man it was almost inevitable ruin.
He who had Golfers well filled with gold and
precious stones might lend on usurious inter
est and safe mortgage, to spendthrifts Of good
family; and the owner of half dozen portly
argosies might double his funds by fortunate
venture in the produce of the Mediterranean or
the Indian countries. A Shylock might enhance
the wealth of his house by receiving crown
jewels in pawn; and a high born Antonio might
reap golden treasure from his monopoly Of the
trade with Barbary or Mexico But petty
traffickers" who 'curtsied reverence" to the le-
viathans on Change were devoutly to be pitied.
Crushed by yexatious exactions. which the
wealth Of his rivals enabled them to escape,
hampsred by restrictions which were absurdly
supposed to protect trade and overpoweredsby
the superior facilities enjoyed by more power
full competitors. the young merchant Of the
seventeenth century had many reasons for en-
wing the condition of the mechanic or the hus-
bandman. His talents might be far greater
than those of his next-door neighbor. Cr9sus;
his enterprise might enable him to undersell all
his rivals; his tea might be the most fragrant Pc
koe, his broadcloth of finest texture and his ruff
files of richest Valenciennes-al these claims to
preference were valueless, from being unknown.
He had no means of apprizing the world of
their existence Thrifty housekeepers lived
and died in ignorance of the cheapness of his
sugar or the merits of his calico. The crowd
passed him in silence to flock to the emporium
where they had been accustomed to deal.
Loud talking in taverns, jealous exertions of
friends, and even the bellman could not reach.
every ear. To the majority of those who might
have been his customers, it was the work of
years to convey an intimation of his claims to
patronage.
Hence grew the advertisement. Not without
many struggles. much contempt and often re-
peated sneers, did its infancy ripen into Adde'S
cence A sad tale is told in the appeal ''To all
Persons who Love Public Good. which honest
John Campbell, Postmaster, and proprietor of
the Boston .Ne,cs Letter, was wont to issue at
the change Of seasons. But it had common
sense on its side, and of course prevailed in the
end. Storekeepers found their sales increased
by periodical notice in the paper. Men of
property were besieged by applicants for lots
and houses as soon as the little paragraph-"For
Sale or to Let" had been scattered through
.In INT IN oro
go great profits for the sake of large business
made terrible inroads on their rivals customers
by the help of brief announcement of their
design in mignon. All focked to the newspa-
per, as the real dispenser of success and for
tune.
Of all the members of the community. the
young merchant is perhaps the one who owes the
most to the advertising system. 1t places him at
once before the public on level with old estab
lished houses-if he have aught to say in favor
of himself. he can speak out unhesitatingly. and
all the world hears him. Complaints of I'M
merited neglect are absurd where the advertise
ment is known. But though perhaps the great
est, he is by no means the only gamer by the
advertising system. All who buy or sell, rent or
hire. employ labor or work themselves, regard
it as their safest resource in time of need. Pro
fessional men seek notoriety through its in
fuence; politicians use it as substitute for the
gathering-cry of cid; publishers, authors, thea
tres hotels. steamers. railroads, would think
their doom sealed if its benefits were denied
them And when we remember that one half
the world expends it's life in vain endeavors to
find the other half, it will not appear strange
that people should even resort to the newspa-
pers for the qualification Of necessities OF less
tangible and business character.
The Germans, and others not quite 80 far
from home, wish their friends happy new
year" and many returns" ola birth day in an
advertisement. We Gothamites have not yet
reached this pitch of civilization but we
are decidedly progressing. " Matrimonial in
vitations." as they are called in Germany,
are becoming quite familiar to our readers.
Our columns frequently contain modest
announcement that gentleman of pre-
possessing appearance" and in comfortable
circumstances" is DESTROYS of meeting with
lady of agreeable exterior" ." average accom-
plishments,r and we blush to add, possessing
a small competency" to relieve him from the
ennui of celibacy. Few of these soft-hearted
bachelors are solicitous about beauty; spurning
the conventional prejudces Of the day, they
rightly set the graces of the mind above those
of the person, and are ready to overlook pug
nose for q smattering of French and compromise
their aversion to red hair for the sake of a
corner lot in Forty-ffth street. Themselves,
they generally paint in sober but pleasing
colors; unlike foreigners, who, in the like
case, deal largely in hyperbole.
With us, ladies seldom advertise American
women are still hampered by old-fashioned
notions of propriety. Not so the bellies
Vienna. The Austrian papers frequently con-
tain advertisements from a widow, cbildless,