Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-02

exact science. originally, adVerlls-
ing was defined as the art of max
ing known; later, it became the art
of making known to the largest
number of people, and today it has
become the combined art and
science of making known to the
largest number of selected people.
The first form of advertising de-
veloped by the race was probably
gossip. The early cave men doubt
less depended largely upon their
wives t. advertise their proves and
possessions. Women, because of
their natural ~loquacity, inquisitive-
ness and practically, it is thought,
did the advertising for their tribes.
The tribal artists were also adver-
Users, as they made known in pic
ture form the customs, pursuits
and possessions of their clans.
Later on when the art of letter
ing was developed, the poster i'd
vertisement was introduced. The
Greeks and Romans were especially
fond of this form of publicity, and
the thoroughfares of some of thSir
cities-notably Pompeii and Hercu-
laneum-were lined with pictur-
esque hoardings announcing plays
and gladiatorial shows; describing
the joys of the fresh and salt baths,
and informing the public of real
estate sales, of articles lost and
found, of the disappearance of run
away slaves and of absconding debt
ors, and of the latest police regu-
lations.
The public crier also held a posi-
ton of great importance and dig
nifty in ancient days. He was a per-
sonage who made his rounds in
state accompanied by a musician
and delivered his announcements
with fowery %eloquence. Through
the Middle Ages the Office of public
crier was likewise held in high
esteem, but, as commerce expanded
the position deteriorated until
eventually hawkers and employed
apprentices took over the greatest
part of his work, making their an
nouncements directly to the public.
Press Advertising Noiseless
In this connection it is interest
ing to note that the average city of
medieval times was not the quiet
haven romance has painted it, but
was quite as noisy as any modern
metropolis. Compared to the inces-
SAINT, raucous clamor of the street
hawkers and apprentices of those
days, indeed, the roar of our TWEEN
tieth century street traffic is proba-
bly, mild. Press advertising has
greatly mitigated the noise of our
modern cities. Back in the eigh-
teenth century people lived in a
perpetual babel of advertising.
The birth of press advertising
dates from 1477 when William Cax-
ton introduced his printing press
into England. He started out by
printing advertising posters and
pasting them on the walls of tav-
ems. town halls, and churches,
where they created a tremendous
sensation. Printed pamphlets and
civil war, between Charles I. and
Cromwell, when the need for news
concerning the combatants of both
sides became so acute that weekly
journals came into existence as a
matter of course. 1t is recorded
that one Nathaniel Butter was the
first editor to accept a trade an
nouncement, thereby inventing one
of the greatest sources of revenue
ever known.
The Importance of Mr.. Buffers
example "a not lost upon his COL
leagues. and the acceptance of trade
announcements soon became a gen.
eral practice. Even the early Amer
lean journals contained ADVERTISE
ments of merchandise, such as to-
bacco, boots, horses and slaves. All
of these were of extremely modest
size. seldom occupying more than
four or five lines of inconspicuous
print. At that time no one dream
ed of the possibility of a fulI-page
ad. Indeed. the development of adj
vertising on a large scale was due
less to the ingenuity of men than to
accident.
In his book on Scientific Distri-
button" Mr.. Charles Frederick
Higham tells an amusing story Of
how an early publisher of the New
York Ledger, Mr.. Robert Bonner
happened to discover the value of a
l-arge-spaced ad. Mr.. Bonner, il
seems. wrote a modest advertise
ment for the New York Herald con.
tanning only eight words-"Read
Mrs. Southworth's New Story in the
Ledger" and marked it for one
line. His penmanship was so il.
leigble, however, that the Herald
mistook his tone line" for zone
page" Next morning, therefore
the poor nan was Mortified to be
hold an entire page of the Herald
devoted to the seemingly internin