PROPOSALS for Publishing by Subscription, a HISTORY OF SNUFF AND
TOBACCO, in two Volumes.
Vol. I. to contain a Description of the Nose--Size of Noses--A
Digression on Roman Noses--Whether long Noses are symptomatic--Origin of
Tobacco--Tobacco first manufactured into Snuff--Enquiry who took the
first Pinch--Essay on Sneezing--Whether the ancients sneezed, and at
what--Origin of Pocket-handkerchiefs--Discrimination between Snuffing
and taking Snuff; the former applied only to Candles--Parliamentary
Snufftakers--Troubles in the time of Charles the First, as connected
with Smoking.
Vol. II. Snufftakers in the Parliamentary army--Wit at a Pinch--Oval
Snuff-boxes first used by the Round-heads--Manufacture of Tobacco
Pipes--Dissertation on Pipe Clay--State of Snuff during the
Commonwealth--The Union--Scotch Snuff first introduced--found very
pungent and penetrating--Accession of George the Second--Snuff-boxes
then made of Gold and Silver--George the Third--Scotch Snuff first
introduced at Court--The Queen--German Snuffs in fashion--Female
Snufftakers--Clean Tuckers, &c. &c.--Index and List of Subscribers.
In connection with this subject I beg to mention an anecdote, related
to me by an old Gentleman who well remembered the circumstance:--
“When every Shopkeeper had a Sign hanging out before his door, a Dealer
in Snuff and Tobacco on Fish Street Hill, carried on a large trade,
especially in Tobacco, for his Shop was greatly frequented by Sailors
from the Ships in the River. In the course of time, a Person of the name
of Farr opened a Shop nearly opposite, and hung out his Sign inscribed
‘The best Tobacco _by Farr_.’ This (like the Shoemaker’s inscription,
‘Adam Strong Shoemaker,’ so well known) attracted the attention of the
Sailors, who left the old Shop to buy ‘the best Tobacco by far.’ The old
Shopkeeper observing that his opponent obtained much custom by his Sign,
had a new one put up at his Door inscribed ‘_Far better_ Tobacco than
the best Tobacco _by Farr_.’ This had its effect; his trade returned,
and finally his opponent was obliged to give up business.”