Successor to John Southall, the first and only person that ever found out the nature of BUGGS, Author of the Treatise of those nauseous venomous Insects, published with the Approbation (and for which he had the honour to receive the unanimous Thanks) of the Royal Society, THAT GIVES NOTICE, HAT since his decease she hath followed the same business, and lives at the house of Mrs Mary Roundhall, in Bearlane, Chris Church Parish, Southwark. Such quality and gentry as are troubled with buggs, and are desirous to be kept free from those vermin, may know, on sending their commands to her lodgings aforesaid, when she will agree with them on easy terms, and at the first sight will justly tell them which of their beds are infested, &c., and which are free, and what is the expense of clearing the infested ones, never putting any one to more expense than necessary. Persons who cannot afford to pay her price, and is willing to destroy them themselves, may by sending notice to her place of abode aforesaid, be furnish'd with the NON PAREIL LIQUOR, &c. &c. Bugs are said to have been very little if at all known in the days of our ancestors. It is indeed affirmed in that valuable addition to zoology, Southall's "Treatise of Bugs" (London, 1730, 8vo), referred to in the advertisement just quoted, that this insect was scarcely known in England before the year 1670, when it was imported among the timber used in rebuilding the city of London after the fire of 1666. That it was, however, known much earlier is not to be doubted, though probably it was far less common than at present, since Dr Thomas Muffet, in the "Theatrum Insectorum," informs us that Dr Penny, one of the early compilers of that history of insects, relates his having been sent for in great haste to Mortlake in Surrey, to visit two noble ladies who imagined themselves seized with symptoms of the plague; but on Penny's demonstrating to them the true cause of their complaint-viz., having been bitten by those insects, and even detecting them in their presence-the whole affair was turned into a jest. This was in the year 1583. It is a somewhat remarkable fact, well known to those whose misfortunes subject them to contiguity with these highlyscented bloodsuckers, that within the past few years bugs have altered considerably. The old, nearly round-bellied, and possibly jovial fellow, has given way to a long dangerous creature who is known to experts as the " omnibus bug," not so much on account of his impartiality as because of his shape. It is believed by some that this change is the result of bugs being discontented with their position, and their natural (and laudable) attempt to become something else in accordance with scientific theory; but we fancy that the true reason of this change is that foreign bugs have been imported in large numbers among cargoes, and not infrequently about passengers, and that the original settlers are being gradually exterminated in a manner similar to that which led to the extirpation of the black rat in this country. There is yet another theory with regard to the change which it would be unfair to pass over. It is that the bugs have altered—it is admitted on all sides that the alteration first exhibited itself at the East End of London-in consequence of feeding on mixed and barbarous races about Ratcliffe Highway and other dock purlieus. Any one who pays his money for this book is at liberty to take his choice of hypotheses, but we can assure him that the change is undoubtedly matter of fact. The next specimen taken is of a literary turn, and appears in the Champion, or the Evening Advertiser, of January 2, 1741. From it we may judge of the number of burlesques and travesties which, some large, some small, were called into existence by the publication of what many consider to be Richardson's masterpiece. Whatever rank "Pamela” may hold as compared with "Clarissa Harlowe," "Sir Charles Grandison," and other works by the same author, it is very little regarded now, while one of the books to which it gave rise is now a representative work of English literature. Here is the literary advertisement of the day :— This Day is publish'd (Price One Shilling and Sixpence), AN APOLOGY for the LIFE of Mrs. SHAMELA ANDREWS, in which the many notorious Falsehoods and Misrepresentations of a book called Pamela are all expos'd and refuted; and the matchless Arts of that young Politician set in a true and just light. Together with a full Account of all that passed between her and Parson Arthur Williams, whose character is represented in a Manner somewhat different from what he bears in Pamela, the whole being exact Copies of authentick Papers deliver'd to the Editor. Necessary to be had in all Families. With a modern Dedication after the Manner of the Antients, especially CICERO. By Mr. Conny Keyber. Printed for A. Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple Bar, Where may be had, Price Is., 1. The Court SECRET, a Melancholy Truth. Translated from the Original Arabic. By an Adept in the Oriental Tongues. Remember that a Prince's Secrets are Balm conceal'd; Also, Price IS., -MASSINGER. 2. A Faithful Narrative of the Unfortunate Adventures of Charles Cartwright, M.D., who in his voyage to Jamaica was taken by a Spanish Privateer, and carried into St Sebastians. His hard usage there, and wonderful Escape from thence, &c. &c. The "Court Secret" is possibly a satire on the evil doings which were notorious in connection with high places at that time, but which happily died out with their primary causes; and the other book is doubtless one of those quaint stories of slavery and adventure which form interesting reading even to this day. Next we come upon an advertisement which offers special temptation to the female mind, as it combines the gratification of more than one ruling passion of the time. It is from the General Advertiser of April 27, 1745: The Interpretation of With the Prints of these DREAMS finely Engraved. If a Single WOMAN Dreams the 18th DREAM, it tells when she'll be married. If the 19th, she may make her fortune.-The 35th tells what children she 'll have. But if she dreams the 34th DREAM She may as well wed FARINELLI, All one To which is added A LOTTERY For HUSBANDS for young MAIDS, With the Prints of these HUSBANDS, Finely Engraved. Is a very Handsome and RICH Young Gentleman that keeps his COACH. To be drawn as soon as full-And Any Maiden that will put off Two Tickets, shall have ONE for Her Self to put her in Fortune's way. 'Tis GIVEN GRATIS at Mr BURCHELL'S ANODYNE NECKLACE SHOP in Long Acre, Cutler and Toyshop. The sign of the case of knives next shop to Drury Lane, Where on the counter it does Ready Lie For ALL who'll step in for't in Passing by. This Mr Burchell of the Anodyne Necklace was a notorious quack, of the time, to whom reference is made further on. It is patent to the most casual observer that he is able to dispose his wares in the most tempting manner, and the book, as well as the tickets, must have had a very good sale indeed. Also portraying the tastes and peculiarities of this portion of the eighteenth century is an invitation taken from the General Advertiser in October 1745, which displays inordinate vanity on the part of the writer, or, to put it in the mildest form, peculiarity of behaviour on that of the lady to whom he addresses himself: WHEREAS a lady last Saturday evening at the playhouse in Drury Lane in one of the left-hand boxes, was observed to take particular notice of a gentleman who sat about the middle of the pit, and as her company would be esteemed the greatest favour, she is humbly desired to send him directions, where and in what manner she would be waited upon, and direct the said letter to be left for P. M. Z. at the Portugal Coffee house near the Exchange. Notices of this kind-many of the most barefaced, and not a few of a decidedly indelicate description-must have been a fruitful source of income to the proprietors of newspapers; and that professions of adoration for unknown women-most of whom were presumably married, else why all the concealment and strategy?—did not fall off as years progressed is shown by the following, taken from a wealth of the same kind in the commencement of 1748. It is also from the General Advertiser :- WH WHEREAS a young lady was at Covent Garden playhouse last Tuesday night, and received a blow with a square piece of wood on her breast; if the lady be single and meet me on Sunday at two o'clock, on the Mall in St James's Park, or send a line directed for A. B., to Mr Jones's, at the Sun Tavern at St Paul's Churchyard, where and when I shall wait on her, to inform her of something very much to her advantage on honourable terms, her compliance will be a lasting pleasure to her most obedient servant. This man, though somewhat rude in his style, and, judging from the description of his adventure at the playhouse, rather coarse in his manners, is noticeable for stipulating that his charmer shall be single. Let us hope that, if his intentions were honourable, he prospered in his suit. If he didn't, then perhaps he felt consoled by the knowledge that virtue is its own reward. TO THE JOYOUS.-The Bloods are desired to meet together at the house known by the name of the Sir Hugh Middleton, near Saddler's Wells, Islington, which Mr Skeggs has procured for that day for the better entertainment of those Gentlemen who agreed to meet at his own house. Dinner will be on the Table punctually at two o'clock. The advertisement just given, which appears in the General Advertiser for January 13, 1748, is one of the rare instances of anything relating to politics in advertisements. The only time when political significance is given to an advertisement is when party dinners, of which the foregoing seems to be one, are advertised. The Sir Hugh Middleton is still in existence, and a few years back, when Sadler's |