New-York tribune., 1909-07-17


printed ana an Introductory Note by George
pT. Xii 3OS Houghton Miff?in Company.
It was the opinion of Addison that adver-
rents were "of great use TO the vulgar" and
considering them as instruments Of AMBITION he
said: A Man that is by no Means BIZ enough
for the Gazette may easily creep into the Ad-
vertisements by which Means we often see an
Apothecary in the same Paper Of News with a
pIenipotentiary. or a Running-fOotn1an with an
Ambassador" He confessed that ii was his
custom. "in a dearth Of news" to entertain him
self with those Collections OF Advertisements
that appear at the End OF all our publick
Prints" Taking his cue from Addison. the COM
piler OF this novel little volume has found
entertainment in the advertisements Of THE
Spectator" which the reader appreCiatively
shares. The historical value of these waits and
strays in the Journalism of the AUgustan age is
not perhaps quite 50 serious as Mr. Lewis
would have us believe. but there is no doubt
about the amusement to be derived from them
by any one who cares for things quaint and
curious. They appear TO special advantage in
the present volume. the eighteenth century form
q which is very beguiling.
AIr. Lewis lays stress upon the fact that The
Spectator" which always think of as max
ing part of English literature was also busi-
ness venture. Its advertisements formed an in
dispersable source Of revenue. Taxation ulti
mately bore heavily upon them, with cruel re
suits for the management of the enterprise but
for time all went merrily, and the periodical
was fCated the high tide Of prosperity
largely through the free use which was made
Of IL by the venders of new books and quack
remedies the proprietors OF theatres, the wine
merchants and dancing masters, and all the
other Londoners who had wares or services to
bring 10 the attention Of the public. Addison
and Steele were far from squeamish. They
were quite willing. on occasion, to give an ad-
vertiser a reading notice" and, indeed, they
We're. in their way, arrant Yellow Journalists,
admitting TO their pages advertisements at
which your modern editor, save in the rarest in
stances. would be bound to look askance.
The charlatans in ''physck' duly de-
nounced by Mr.. Spectator as "Imposters and
Mu-derers," yet they throve on patronage slim
ulated by the notices which they inserted in Mr.
Spectators chaste pages. Side by side with the
advertisement Of a ."COnsort Of Musick" one
might find news of certain famous Drops for
Hypocondriack Melancolly'' or of liquor war
ranted TO give such a delightful blushing colour
70 the Cheeks of those that are White Pale
that il is not be distinguished from natural fine
Complexion. nor perceived TO be artificial by the
nearest Friend What tinid maiden could have
resisted that last subtle touch? The ladies of
the time We're addressed in hundreds Of these Old
advertisements If they We're given TO ''Vapours,
sick Fits, Paintings. &C."-and to be given to
such pretty disturbances was the prerogative Of
every eighteenth century dame Of fashion-they
had only TO search the current number of The
Spectator" in order to find where they could
buy in neat Flint bottles fit for the Pocket
high compounded spirit Of lavender described by
the maker as the most Glorious Cf the Express
sion may be us'd) Enlivenng Scent and Flavour
that can possibly be" Decidedly the ladies
~ -.Er;,
of The Spectator"
Incidentally as NJ Lewis is keen TO point out,
his advertisements shed their little rays Of light
on the manners of the time ard one may even
trace among them the workings of this or that
political or literary controversy But the charm of
this book resides chiefly in what it has to show
us in the way of oddly turned phrases queer
little modes Of thought \ Frenchman is in
search Of a position valet. He announces to
the world that he speaks English and Latin,
and can give very good Account OF himself"
The fugitive thief was pursued with delightful
suavity of language. OF Master Charles GULL,
a Tall lean Raw bond, Broad Shoulder'd Man,
OF a Pale, Lean Visage," a naughty employe of
the Bank Of England. it is stated that he with
drew himself from the service of that institu-
tiou. in company with several Exchequer- Bills
and Banll-Ngtes-" The purveyors Of n1iscela-
neoUs amusement the managers Of puppet
shows. juggling troupes and the Iila were no
less ready than the dramatic and operate pro-
prietOrs 10 use The Spectator" Their adver-
tisements make some Of Mr.. Lewis's most di-
verting Iages. There is one superb puff of the
famous Posture Master Of Europe who far ex-
ceeds the deceased Posture Masters Clarke and
Higgins" Surely Messrs- Clarke and Higgins
would have turned in their graves if they could
have learned what this individual was wont to
DO. According to the advertisement:
He extends his Body into all deform'd Shapes;
makes his Hip and Shoulder Bones meet together;
lays has Head upon the Ground and turns his
Face from the Place. stands upon one leg. and
Yard abo1s his Head aRd extends his BODY !'i rom
a Table. with his Head a Foot below his Heels,
With several other Pastures too tedious to men
lion.
II was in the winter Of 17I1 that this pro-
.--gious artist was holding audiences speIlbound
in The great room at the Duke Of Narlborough's
Head III Fleet Street" and the fame Of hirl. one
would think must have resounded for months.
Yet less than a year later he had fallen into
strange oblivion. evidently superinduced as it
were, by malicious gossip. At all events. in the
autumn Of 17l2 The Spectator contained this
advertisement:
Mr.. David Cornwall, who performs the DeXterty
on the Cards The Hen and Egg- Bag and the
feTs94s That @ they will PsTforn as usual during
Of St Georges church; and then they go for
Holland
There are many more advertisements collected
by Nj Lewis which are as quotable as the fore
going. They arc but trines. it is true but
somehow. as he presents them they seem trifcs
worth having
4 BOG STORY
Edward = Robertson IN 7-r. 7 ,,,,s-r, s-z.-.