The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-20
NEWSPAPERS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

| OF newspaper are among the most i'm
portant, for no man really becomes acquainted
even with the news OF the day until he has
| thoroughly perused the advertisements. They
are the pulse OF commerce and universal ac-
| tvty. They contain not only rare specimens of
| human ldiosyncrasies but aGoId O general view
of life in every possible phase. They aid the
arts and sciences; they minister TO 1--we; they
speak OF change; sometimes they excite a smile,
sometimes tear. To the sick man they pro-
mise health; TO the poor man they offer wealth;
the pleasure seeker is posted in amusements;
the book buyer learns the title and price of the
last new work; the house hunter reads of de-
sirable ard eligible tenement Tor "a family
without cLildren;" the traveller Of the best
means of conveyance; the unemployed of
employment; in fine, every Imaginable want
is supposittiiously supplied by the advertising
department of a daily newspaper.
Different theories may be held ON the art and
science of advertising. This paper, however
viii neither advocate old ones, nor advance any
thing new. Its design is rather to illustrate
history by some of the curiosities of Advertising
and TO show how many secrets of social and
commercial life are locked up in a column of
advertisements which by some people is never
read.
1t would be gratifying to the curious to be
made acquainted with the real origin of news
paper advertisements. We believe 1t to be
wrapped IN obscurity, SO numerous ARE the ver-
slons That have been given The latest we have
seen is by an Englishman, who has been over
hauling the back files of the English news
papers preserved in the British Museum and
elsewhere. He claims to have discovered that
the earliest advertisement published in the
English language was the offer OF q reward for
the recovery OF a "plebald nag inserted in the
Moderate "a London newspaper), March 27,
fwn hs n for fhp a
Charles /. The same writer processes to give
the origin OF qUack medicine proclamations
To one Mrs. Claudia Faber belongs the ques-
tionable honor OF commencing il. She adver-
tised an article called "Aurem Potable
doubtless some exhilarating cordal-in the
London Gazette of 1852, and the court beauties
of the "Merry Monarch's" reign patronized the
philter.
About the same time also, the art of news
| paper putting seems 10 have been introduced.
The origin of the word puff as applied to
| newspaper article is French. In France, at
| one time, the head-dress most in vogue was
! called a pouf. 1t consisted of the hair raised
| as high as possible over horsehair cushions.
| and then ornamented with objects Indicative of
| the tastes and history of the wearer. For in
| stance, the DuChesse d'Orleans. ON her 6rst ap-
| pearance at Court after the birth of a son and
heir had on her po'gt representation in gold
and enamel, most beautifully executed, of
nursery; there was the cradle and the baby, the
nurse, and whole host of playthings Madame
| d'Egmont, the Due de RiChelieu's daughter
| alter lef fatner mad taken Port MahOn, wore
| OF her pOegf little diamond fortress, with SEN
| tinels keeping guard-the sentines, by means OF
mechanism eeing made 10 walk up and down.
This advertisement-th po4f-is the origin OF
the present word 'putf" applied to the mutations
| of newspapers. Putting commenced early, even
before the word was thus used. In the reien of
James ii, a journal told the people that ''about
| forty miles from London is "A schoolmaster who
| has had such success with boys as there are
almost forty ministers and scEoolmasters that
were his scholars" Not very good grammar
his but in Other @ respects Vesy % much IKE the
Jain members OF Congress, and men learned in
taw and divinity, will vouch for the excellence
of some collegiate school, they or their sons
"haVing been educate atthat institution By
the-way, the schoolmastep who had such sue
cess with the boys in the seventeenth century
had heipmate who deserves mention. "Hls
wife," says the penny-a-lner, teaches girls
laee-making, plain work, raising paste, sauces,
and cookery to the degree of eXactness +"
A few specimens Of antique advertising may
show that, while we have i'm proved in ortho-
graphy and punctuation, we have make scarcely
any advance in the true ant of advertising. The
following proves. that Isaac Punchard was
man OF all work." His advertisement appeared
in paper published in Aylesham, county of
Norfolk, England, IN 1850, and reads thus, per-
batlnl et Eteratine:-
BY his Majesty g ,etters patent, Boards taken off
and Registered by ISAAC PUNCHARD, Barber, Perez
wig maker, Surgeon, Parish Clerk Schoolmaster,
Blacksmith & Man Miuwlfe. shaves for Denne,
cuts hare 1or two ponce and oyld and Powdird IN
the bargane, young Ladies gentely educated, lamps
lIcd by the year or quarter, young Gentlemen also
taut their Grammer language In the neatest manner
& gIeat keer takm OF their marres & Spelen. Also
Saline Singing and Horce showing by the reel makir,
likewise maks and Mends all sorts of butes az
shews teaches the Ho boy and Jews harp, uts
coIns, bedes and Bisters on the lowest terms Cow
tlions and other dances taut at home and abrode,
also deals hoesale aud retail in Perumery in all its
bIanc sells al sorts of Stashinary ware together
with blackin ball, Red herins, Gingerbread Coles,
sweetmeats, Likewise God.iather's cordial, red red
In'es. Iatoess, sasnges' Black Puddins, and other
p S. teeches Goggnty & and all them on
lsnpuaged kind Of things. bawl on Wensday
and Friday. All performed God willon by me IsA Ao
PUNoHARD. To be hard off at my Warehouse were
you may be sarved with the very best BaccO, by the
ounce, reom, qulre, or single sheet,
N. Also Likewise, beware OF C0unterleets for
such is abrode.
Travellers between New York and Philadel-
phia will be not little edited by the following
which appeared in Bradtord's Phlddeipbid
Mercury, March, l732-3:-
THIS is to give Notice unto Gentlemen Merchants
Tradesmen, Travellers, and Others that So.onsor
Smith and James Moore OF Burlington keepeth two
Stage Wagons, intending TO go from Burlin0ton tC
AmbOy, and back from Am6oy to burlington again
They have also very good storehouse, very com
modious for the storing of any sort OF Merchants
Goods Tree from any charges, where good care viii
| be taken OF all sorts OF Good,
One of the earliest poelcal advertisement.
i with which we have met appeared in the Phda
desphia Gazette in l746. Here it is;-
Two handsome chairs
With very good geers,
With horses or without,
To carry friends about.
Likewise saddls horses II gentlemen please
10 cany them handsomely much at their ease,
Is to be hired by A0ram Carpenter, cooper,
Wen known as very good cask hooper
Shows were "rayther skecren in the older
times, and caterers had to make the most out
| OF little. The copy of an advertisement which
appeared IN the New York Gdzette or Weeky