"News from the little World": A Critical Glance at Eighteenth-Century British Advertising

"NewsfromthelittleWorld":A CriticalGlanceatEighteenth-Century BritishAdvertising PETERM.BRIGGS "ItismyCustom,inaDearthofNews,toentertainmyselfwiththose CollectionsofAdvertisementsthatappearattheEndofallourpublick Prints.TheseIconsiderasAccountsofNewsfromthelittleWorld,in thesameMannerthattheforegoingPartsofthePaperarefromthe great." (-Addison,Tatierno.224(1710)1 Xlighteenth-centuryBritons,particularlythosewholivedinornearLon- don,foundthemselvesinthemidstofarevolutionincommerce,the signsofwhichwereallaboutthem.Whilethereweremanycausesforthe dynamicchangesthentakingplace—social,political,economic, imperial—oneofthemostvisibleeffectswastherapidandwide-spread growthofcommercialadvertising."Givemesomethingtodesire," pleadedSamuelJohnson'sRasselas(chap.3),announcingamajortheme ofthenewage;advertiserswhostoodtoprofitfromanunrelenting "pursuitofhappiness"werequicktocomplywithallsuchwishes.Even Johnsonhimselfwasimpressed."Thetradeofadvertisingisnowsonear toperfection,thatitisnoteasytoproposeanyimprovement,"hewrote 29 30 / BRIGGS withoutapparentironyinanIdleressay(no.40),publishedjustashewas completingRasselasinJanuaryof1759.2 Itistempting,ofcourse,tobeironicalatJohnson'sexpense,totrot out230yearsofsubsequentadvertisinghistoryandtherebytotriumphat smallcostoverJohnson'sapparentnaivete.ButasreadersofBoswell's Lifeknowwell,cheapvictoriesoverJohnsoncouldprovedangerousto thosewhoachievedthemandJohnson,whogrewupinacommercial household(albeitnotaverysuccessfulone)andsubsequentlyplunged himselfintothethoroughlycommercializedworldofLondonpublish- ing,wasinfactashrewdobserverofthecontemporarybusinessscene.3Andwhileitiscertainlytruethateighteenth-centuryadvertisingwas significantlydifferentfromitstwentieth-centurydescendants—more fragmented,lessslickandfanciful,moreorientedtowardparticular productsandservicesandlesstowardthedisseminationofbrandnames andcorporateimagery—stillitisreasonabletoassumethattheessential qualitiesofadvertisingchangelessovertimethanthetechniquesof publicdisseminationdo."Promise,largepromise,isthesoulofan advertisement,"Johnsonsuggestedthen—anditstillis.Itisalsopossible tosupposethateighteenth-centuryobserversmighthavenoticedsome aspectsofadvertisingmoreclearlythanwedo,becausetheadvertising thatwasallaboutthem,obtrusiveandinsistent,wasalsorelativelynew tothem.Moreover,manyofthemwereasawareaswearethatmorethingsturnuponadvertisingthanthesuccessorfailureofindividual sellersandbuyers;intheaggregateadvertisingrepresentedthenasitdoes nowanongoingculturalconversationabouthumanhopesandfears, exchangevalues,styleandself-esteem. MostgeneralhistoriesofBritishadvertisingtendtosuggestthatreal advertisingwasmostlyaVictorianinventionandthateighteenth-century advertising,totheextentthatitdeservesacknowledgmentatall,stands onlyasthe"pre-history"oftherealthing.Thusitisusefulattheoutset torecallhowextremelyvariousandvitaleighteenth-centuryadvertising actuallywas.4Newspaperswereimportant,ofcourse—theDailyAdver- tiser(London),whichfeaturedabout15adsperissueintheearly1730's, carriedabout200adsperissueinthe1780's—buttheycoexistedwith manyotherkindsofpublishedadvertising.Individualtradespeople reliedequallyuponhandbills,postednotices,trade-tokens,patternbooks ,productlabels,andthelike—alladaptabletolocalcircumstance andeffectiveforpromotingtradeinadaywhenmostmarketswerelocal andface-to-face.Moreover,printedsourcesoftenwenthand-in-hand withotherkindsofpromotion—distinctivesignboardsorbanners,win- dowdisplays,perhapsapaidcrier.Therereallywasatimewhen"drum- mingupbusiness"impliedhiringadrummer,andagreatvarietyof Eighteenth-CenturyBritishAdvertising / 31 itineranttraderswererecognizablefromafarbyvirtueofcolorfulcos- tuminganddistinctivestreet-cries.5("CollyMollyPuff"meantthe pastry-vendorwascoming.) JosephAddison,writingtotheSpectatorinthecharacterofoneRalph Crotchett,describedLondonasaplaceofunendingcommercialdin— andtheuproaronlygrewlouderasthecenturyadvanced: AFreemanofLondonhasthePrivilegeofdisturbingawholeStreetfor anhouraltogether,withthetwankingofaBrassKettleoraFrying-Pan. ...VocalCriesareofamuchlargerExtent,andindeedsofullof IncongruitiesandBarbarisms,thatweappearadistractedCity,to Foreigners,whodonotcomprehendthemeaningofsuchEnormous Outcries.(Spectatorno.251,2:475) Lessaggressiveadvertisingstrategies,mostoftenaimedattheupscale market,mightincludetheflexibleartsofname-droppingandproduct- naming("Queensware,"abetterlineofchina,madethousandsforJosiah Wedgwood),perhapsarespectfullettersolicitingbusiness,privateshows ofmerchandise,apersonalvisit.6Butonewayoranother,everyprospec- tivecustomer,atleastinthecity,wasgreeteddailybyavarietyof commercialappeals,somehigh,somelow,allincompetitionwithone another,allaimedtocaptureatleastmomentaryattention.Manyof Hogarth'sstreetscenes—"TheEnragedMusician,""BeerStreet,"or scoresofothers—reflectclearlytheinsistentpressuresofadvertisersand vendorsuponthosewhostrollby,andevenifHogarthwas"heightening foreffect,"hewasappropriatingmaterialsfromaculturalsceneinwhich mostitemswerealreadyheightenedforadvantageouseffect. Theworldofadvertisingwasinfactonewithoutsharpedges.Com- mercialadvertisingshadedoffalmostimperceptiblyintogeneralpublic puffery—promotionorself-promotionpassingforsomethingelse.Poli- ticiansandprojectorswrotepamphlets"forthegoodofthenation"and DavidGarrickdidbenefitperformances.JohnNewbery,nowremem- beredprincipallyasapioneerpublisherofchildren'sliterature,wasalso awholesalerofpatentmedicineswhomanagedtoplaceacomplimentary referenceto"Dr.James'sPowder,"ananti-fevernostrum,intheopening paragraphoftheoriginalGoodyTwo-Shoes.1AlexanderPopeandCol- leyCibber,oppositesinsomanyways,wereequallysuccessfulatpro- motingthemselvesas"brand-names"intheirrespectiveprofessions—as werePhilipAstleythebarebackrider,EdmundCuriithescandalous publisher,DanielMendozathegreatboxer,andathousandothers,all withsomethingtosell.8CharlotteBrent,thereigningsopranoofLondon inthe1760's,wastransformedforthepurposesofasongbooktitleto TheBrent:or,EnglishSyren.Andtotheextentthatallthosepersonsin 32 / BRIGGS positionsofrealorcontrivedprominence(withtactfulevasivenessthe agecalledthemnotables)wereturningsuchartsofpromotionintothe newpublicnorm,thoseinhumblerstations—thelocaltradesman,the small-timeentertainer,thepublicauctioneer,eventheprostituteandthe beggar—hadtoimproveupontheirownrudimentaryartsforcommand- ingattentioninordertopresentthemselvesto"bestadvantage."Adver- tisingbegetsmoreadvertising. Notsurprisingly,therewassignificantcontemporarydebateabout commercialpromotionandpersonalpufferyonavarietyofgrounds. Johnsonnotedwithdryironythat"some"personsshared"theprejudice ofmankindinfavourofmodestsincerity"(Idlerno.40,2:125),and JohnGayofferedpointedcriticismofcommercialmotivesgenerally: "AskthegraveTradesmantodirecttheeright,Hene'erdeceives,but whenheprofitsby't"(Trivia,2:71-72).Certainlyitwasshametothe timesthatmanyofthemostartfuladvertisementswerewrittenonbehalf ofsomeofthemostdoubtfulproducts—quackmedicinesinparticular. Andadvertisingwasthoroughlyimplicatedintwooftheeighteenthcen- tury'sgreatdebates—firstabout"privatevices,publicbenefits,"then about"Luxury"—andinbothcaseswaschargedwithcateringto,andin factpromoting,thevanityandviciousnessoftheage. Butsomeofthegroundsforcriticismwerelessobviousandmore closelyargued.InTheCompleteEnglishTradesman,forexample,Dan- ielDefoeurgedthatmuchcommercialpromotionwasnotonlydeceitful ("washingoverabrassshillingtomakeitpassforsterling"),butalso tendedtofalsifylanguageandmisappropriatetheartsofpersuasion:"I mustconfessourshop-rhetorickisastrangekindofspeech;itistobe takennotinalatitudeonly,butinsuchalatitudeasindeedrequiresas manyflourishestoexcuseit,asitcontainsflourishesinitself."Language meantfortruthfulcommunicationandsocialsharingcouldbeturnedby suchdistortionsintomere"tongue-paddlingflutter,"unworthyofboth sellersandbuyers;indeed,Defoecontinued,itwasanunintendedsatire uponthepublictoassumethattheyneededtobeharanguedorflattered orwheedledintopurchasingthingsofgenuinevalue.9 Defoealsoarguedthattoomuchemphasisupontheartsofpublic promotionrepresentedamisallocationofbusinessresources:bettera well-stockedshopthanahugeoutlayformeretrumpetandshow."A showmaybringsomepeopletoashop,but'tisthefameofBusinessthat bringsBusiness;nothingraisesthefameofashoplikeitsbeingashopof goodtradealready;thenpeoplegotoit,becausetheythinkotherpeople gotoit,andbecausetheythinkthereisgoodchoice"(Tradesman, 1:261).Defoe'sconvictionthathavingbusinessbegetsmorebusiness impliesacorollarythatalsoshapedtheprogressofearlyadvertising:in Eighteenth-CenturyBritishAdvertising / 33 somequarters,atleast,adswerereadaspublicconfessionsonthepartof thetradespersonthatheorshedidnotalreadyhaveenoughbusiness— andthosewhodidnothaveenoughbusinessprobablydidnotdeserve more.Itisworthrecallingthen,thatformany,involvementincommercialadvertising —andparticularlythemoreurgentkindsofadvertising— impliedexposureandriskaswellaspotentialreward.Infactthegeneral growthofadvertisingacrossdifferenttrades,professionsandlocalities wasextremelyuneventhroughouttheeighteenthcentury,assomemarket participantsadoptednewbusinesscustomsmorequicklyandwillingly thanothers.10 Toimmerseoneselfintheminutiaeofeighteenth-centuryadvertisingis todiscoverquiteabitaboutthecontemporaryartsofprinting,theearly historyoftrademarks,therulesofretailcommerce,andthepublicdis- seminationofknowledgethroughbooks,lectures,scientificdemonstra- tions,andthelike.11Itisalsotosurveyanearlyendlesssuccessionof misplacedpersonalarticlesandlostdogs,tobeinformedthatthecentury possessedaquiteincrediblenumberofnostrumsforeveryimaginable personalcomplaint,tolearnmanyoftheoddsandendsofknowledge thateighteenth-centuryconsumerscarriedaboutintheirheads—fabric weavesandship-arrivalsand"NowAvailable"notices.Itisalsotogaina considerableglimpseintotheworldofpopularamusements: ToallthatareAdmirersoftheDocilityandSagacityoftheBrute Creation:ThereisatpresentexhibitedattheRingandPearl,opposite Norfolk-StreetintheStrand,aDogofJudgement.Thisamazing Animaldoes,byrangingTypographicalCards,answermanyQuestions outofOvid'sMetamorphoses,inGeography,theRoman,French,and EnglishHistory,distinguishesColours,Coins,Metals,&c.butwhatis moreextraordinary,is,thePersonthatshowstheCreature,beinga MansosurprisinglysmallthatheweighsnomorethantwoStoneand sixPounds,yetisquitealertbothinActionandConversation,andhas hadtheHonourofbeingseenbytheRoyalSociety,andseveralother PhilosophicalGentlemen.(DailyAdvertiser,February26,1760) Thesamemediumoffersawindowintothelives,hopesandvulnera- bilitiesofpeoplenowlongdeadwhowerethenofferingthemselvesfor publicregardinvariousguisesofcompetence,adaptability,goodhabits, andwillingnesstoservetheneedsofothers—peoplestrugglingfora smallplaceintheworld. AYoungPerson,whohasnothingtorecommendherbuttheWantof everyRecommendationthatinthesefashionableTimesrendersa WomanAmiable,wouldbegladtoentertheMatrimonialState;butif notacceptable,wouldacceptofaHousekeeper'sPlace.Ifany GentlemancanthinksounworthyaPersonworthhisNotice,heis 34 / BRIGGS desiredtoleaveaLineforO.P.directedtoHumphriesandCo.atthe Intelligence-OfficeneartheBankinThreadneedle-Street,London. (DailyAdvertiser,December1,1759) Andinitsrelativethoughtlessnessandshort-termperspective,advertis- ingshadowedforthwithoutapologysomeofthegreatunresolvedsocial andpoliticalproblemsofitsday.InthesameissueoftheAdvertiserin whichO.P.preferredmarriageoversomeotherformofdomesticser- vice,anotherpersonaladsoughtamissingperson: ANegroMan,namedDundee,belongingtoCapt.JamesAbercrombie, oftheShipCharmingPeggy,forLisbonandPhiladelphia,jump'd overboardnakedfromsaidShip,lyingatAnchoratGravesend,on Monday,the25thofNovember,betweenTwelveandOneinthe Morning.HeisatallMan,withaScarononeofhisCheeks,andis about25YearsofAge,speaksalittleEnglishverybrokenly,andis brandedononeoftheShoulderswiththeMarkIA[i.e.,J.A.,his owner'sinitials].ShouldhehaveswamtoShore,ifanyonewillsecure him,andwillgiveNoticethereoftoMess.LascellesandMaxwell,in Mark-Lane,London,sothathemaybehadagain,theyshallhave ThreeGuineasRewardfortheirTrouble,andreasonableExpenses. AsHoraceobservedlongago,sometimesitisdifficultnottowritesatire. Certainlysuchperspectivesareoftenintriguingortroublinginthem- selves(adssoseldomrevealhowanythingturnedout)andvaluablefor theglimpsestheyofferintotheeconomicandsocialhistoryoftheage. (Domesticservantswhocoulddosoadvertisedthefactthattheyhad alreadyhadthesmallpox.)Butitisalsoimportanttonoticethatadvertis- ingwassimultaneouslyanevolvingsystemofpublicrepresentationand evaluation,thatintheaggregateandovertimeadvertisingimpliedsocial dynamicsandpossibleproblemsthatstoodquiteapartfromtheparticularneedsofindividualadvertisersandprospectivecustomers .Inanodd way,advertisingintheaggregateoperatesmuchassocialsatiredoes— botharepublicandexpositoryarts,urgentintone,highlytopicaland sometimesunevenincontent,insistentlyevaluative,oftenformally derivative,interestinglysynecdochicinsomuchasvisiblepartsoften implylargersocialandculturaldesigns.Andlikesocialsatireadvertising oftenreflectsgeneralproblemsofculturalevaluationthatwerenotnec- essarilyonthemindsoftheindividualswhoappearintheforeground. Manythoughtfulobserverswereawareatthetimeofatroubling paradoxrightattheheartofeighteenth-centuryadvertising.Onone hand,advertisingbyitsverynaturewasintendedtofocuspublicatten- tionandemphasizedifferentialqualities:takenotethatthisproductor serviceisbetterthanothersandthereforepreferable.Ontheotherhand, themoreadvertisingproliferatedandbecamehabitual,partoftheordi- Eighteenth-CenturyBritishAdvertising / 35 narybackgroundtodailyevents,thelessitwaslikelytoservethese importantfunctions."Whateveriscommonisdespised,"Johnson observed."Advertisementsarenowsonumerousthattheyareverynegli- gentlyperused,anditisthereforebecomenecessarytogainattentionby magnificenceofpromises,andbyeloquencesometimessublimeand sometimespathetic"(Idlerno.40,2:125).Ofcourse,rhetoricalheighten- ingcouldonlydosomuchwheneveryoneelsewasalsodeployingit,and therewasthedistinctpossibilitythatallthoseclaimsandcounterclaims aimedatdifferentiatingproductswereinfacttendingto"level"them,to makethemallatleastpartiallyinterchangeable,thepassingobjectsofa negligentregard. Moreover,inthisincreasinglycommodifiedworldadstendedtoignore andtherebytocanceltherelativeimportanceofitemsdrawnfromdiffer- entrealmsofexperienceandvalue."IfaManhasPainsinhisHead, CholicksinhisBowels,orSpotsinhisClothes,hemayheremeetwith properCuresandRemedies,"Addisonsuggestedcheerfullyoftheadver- tisingcolumns(Tatlerno.224,3:168).Infact,thechanceconjunctions ofunlikeobjectsbetweennewsitemsandtheadscoulddoviolenceto establishednotionsofrelativevalue,and,asJohnsonobserved,thehet- erogeneityofadsonlycompoundedtheproblem."Thenoblestobjects maybesoassociatedastobemaderidiculous.Thecamelandthedrome- darythemselvesmighthavelostmuchoftheirdignitybetween'TheTrue FlowerofMustard'and'TheOriginalDaffy'sElixir';andIcouldnotbut feelsomeIndignationwhenIfoundanillustriousIndianwarriorimme- diatelysucceededby'aFreshParcelofDublinButter'"(Idlerno.40, 2:127).AlexanderPopefacedthesamesortofculturalmelangewithwry amusementwhenitcametimetoadvertisehisgreattranslationof Homer'sOdysseyin1725.SendingalongcopyfortheadtoSamuel Buckley,publisherofboththeGazetteandtheCourant,Popeincluded anironicalpleathattheadbeaccordedspecialhandling:"WhatIpartic...