The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-11
ODD THINGS
WE FIND IN THE ADVERTISING
COLUMNS

It 10 q great mistake to suppose tina
advertisements are of comparatively
modern origin, for it is asserted that
there were bill posters in ancient Greece
and Rome. The ruins of Pompeii and
Eerculaneum afford examples of the an
Gent mode OF advertising, the walls in
the most frequented parts being covered
with notices painted in black and red.
Announcements of plays and gladiatorial
con tests are common, of couese, and so
are those of salt water aud fresh water
baths. Often. too. it was announced that
certain articles came from Rome, just as
the willy American milliner of today an
nounces her hats and bonnets imported
direct from Paris"
The populace was reminded of the loca-
ton and existence of school by the sign
Of boy undergoing a thrashing, of the
dairy by the sign of a goat. and of the
bakei py a milestone or sheaf of wheat.
These symbols were. made Of stone or ter
RI Gotta relieve, set in pilasters at the
side of building, and more extensive
announcements were made in tablets
affixed to pillars. The physician dis
and the surveyor measure.
Henry Sam pson, in his history of ad-
vertising. says that in England the first
bona fide attempt at newspaper work was
in 1912, when the outbreak of the civil
Wal caused great demand for news and
suggested to bookseller the idea OF
printing weekly newspaper. After one
or two attempts he acquired sufficient
confidence to issue long advertisement,
but his enterprising spirit was not appre-
ciated, for it is said that innovation of an
advertisement was met in the literary
world with a shower of invectives."
What is generally supposed to be, but
il not, the first authenticated advertise
ment in England appeared in the Mefcu-
RUS Politicus for January, 1862, and read
thus:
Irenodia Gratulatoria. an Haroick Po-
EN-, being a congratulatory panegyrick
tor My Lord Generals late return, sum
ming up his success in an exquisite man.
ner. To be sold by John Holden in the
New Exchange. London. Printed by
Thomas Newcomb, 1862.
In 1852 one John Houghton. FRS,
who combined the business of apothecary
with that Of dealer in tea. coffee and
chocolate in Bartholomew lane, started
perseverance,, thought and study, he may
be said to have trained his contempor-
aries in the art of advertising and also
to have left an example which might be
followed by editors CT the present day.
for, when mum Der of quack advertise
he put mark above them with the fol-
lowing broad hint:
''Pray mind the preface to this half
sheet-Like LAWYERS. l take all causes /
may fairly; who likes not may stop
here"
journals of the last two centuries through
the phraseology of the times used in
their advertisements. The announce
ment of the curious new drink called
''tay" or "tee'' points to the seventeen tn
century. And in the Daily Post for 1772
appear two curious advertisements which
20 to prove that the new woman existed
over q hundred years ago, and in no
undeveloped form. The advertisemen ts
are as follows:
Challenged, Elizabeth Wilkinson of
Clerkenwell. having had some words with
Hannah Heyfeld. and requiring salts
faction, do invite her to met me upon
sach woman holding haif crown in each
hand, and the first won who drops the
money to lose the battle.
The answer is:
l, Hannah Heyfield of Neweate Market,
hearing of the resolution of Elizabeth
Wilkinson. will not fail, God willing. to
give her more blows than words. desiring
home blows and from her no favor. she
may expect humping,
From which it may be judged that we
have lost one employment for women in
dulged in by our ancestors.
the idea of paper for advertisement
only is 200 years old. for in 1892 the City
Mercury of London was published gratis
for the promotion of trade. but the pro-
prietor promised only distri button of a
thousand copies week among the coffee
houses. taverns and book shops.
In England the same names that ap-
peared in advertisements at the end of
the last century may now be found. For
instance in the London Times of 1898
are to be found the virtues of certain
powder set forth in exactly the same
words as it is now advertised.
The purely literary. or rather fowery
advertisement has quite died out. George
professor of this art and he died some
thirty years.ago. His advertisements OF
estates for sale were works of art and
we're as eagerly read as the pages OF
Punch. Once after describing an estate
on ''terrestrial paradise he. admitted
1hsf It had one drawback, and that was
tstbo litter Of the roseleaves and the noise
of the niRhtingales.
Previous to 1858 Great Britain had a
duty on all advertisements. and this con-
1rlbuted nj small sum to the revenues,
the duty for that year being IT, $40
sounds. This system Of taxation was
8erv uneqnal and oppressive. the duty
ko1nR the NBame on an advertisement OF
6ke sale Of an estate and servants ap-
xlioation for a position.
NoWadays it . hardly possible to look