I send you the following, as a help to "Materials for a satisfactory
History of Newspapers," alluded to in the last volume of "NOTES AND
QUERIES," p. 375.
I have in my possession some old newspapers, ranging from 1691 to 1694,
entitled _A Collection for Improvement of Husbandry and Trade_, edited by
John Houghton, F.R.S., St. Bartholomew Lane, behind the Royal Exchange,
London. The size is a small folio, published weekly, generally every
Friday. It was carried on for some time merely as a single leaf, with no
advertisements. In this form, the editor says--
"These papers are 2d. each here, and anybody may have them by the post.
But where that is thought too much, it may be eased by ten or twelve
obliging themselves constantly to take them from a bookseller,
coffee-man, or some other, who may afford to pay a carrier, and sell
them there for 2d., or at most 3d.; or carriers themselves may gain
well, if they'll serve the country gentlemen. And any such bookseller,
coffee-man, or carrier, that will apply themselves to me, shall have
good encouragement, with liberty to return those that won't sell."
Ultimately the editor determined on admitting advertisements. He then
doubled the size of his paper, making it two leaves instead of one. In
reference to this increased size he says,--
"My collection I shall carry on as usual. This part is to give away;
and those who like it not, may omit the reading. I believe it will help
on trade, particularly encourage the advertisers to increase the vent
of my papers. I shall receive all sorts of advertisements, but shall
answer for the reasonableness of none; unless I give thereof a
particular character, on which (as I shall give it) may be dependence,
but no argument that others deserve not as well."
"I am inform'd that great numbers of gazettes are each time printed,
which makes them the most universal intelligencers; but I'll suppose
mine their first handmaid, because it goes (tho' not so thick, yet) to
most parts. It's also lasting, to be put into volumes with indexes; and
particularly there shall be an index of all the advertisements,
whereby, for ages to come, they may be useful. I have publish'd on the
subject of Husbandry and Trade, two quarto volumes, three folio
volumes, with the great sheet of taxes, acres, houses, &c.; and am
weekly carrying on this paper, which may be brought to anybodies house
within the Bills of Mortality, or penny post, for one penny the week;
and anywhere else in England (where enough will encourage a bookseller
or carrier). The volumes may be had from most booksellers of England,
Scotland, or Ireland."
The Collection, which the editor will carry on as usual, refers to the
single sheet. The Gazette must have been the London Gazette. In what sort
of way the editor could suppose that advertisements could be useful for
ages to come, we, in this age of enlightenment and knowledge, are at a loss
to conceive. The great sheet of taxes, acres, houses, &c., I have, and may
give you an account of its contents at some future time. The first page
{165} of the paper was always devoted to a letter from the editor's own pen
on husbandry, trade, chemistry, domestic cookery, and a variety of other
topics. The editor appears to have been a spirited man, who collected with
great care and diligence a great variety of facts whereby to interest his
readers. The advertisements are very curious, specimens of which I will
give you in another communication. Each paper contains the weekly prices of
wheat, rye, barley, malt, oats, horse beans, peas, coals, hops, hay,
tallow, and wool, in all the counties of England and Wales; the prices of
provisions in London; also a weekly statement of wind and weather; the
number of deaths, and their causes; the number of christenings and burials,
specifying how many of each sex. The editor often concludes a column of
information by stating, "this is all I see useful to posterity." He not
only appears to have been a man of an active mind, but also a very kind
man; for he says to those who advertise in his paper for situations, &c.,
that "if they apply themselves to me, I'll strive to help them." He appears
also to have kept a shop, or at least to have traded in certain articles:
for in one of his papers is this advertisement:--
"In my first volume of 1682, I publish'd my own selling of chocolate,
and have sold in small quantities ever since: I have now two sorts,
both made of the best nuts, without spice or perfume; the one 5s., and
the other 6s. the pound; and I'll answer for their goodness. If I shall
think fit to sell any other sorts, I'll give notice.