The Olden Time Series, Vol. 4: Quaint and Curious Advertisements Gleanings Chiefly from Old Newspapers of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts

About this book

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 4 gathers “quaint and curious advertisements” taken from the archives of Boston and Salem newspapers, a source the editor Henry M. Brooks describes as “not easily accessible.” The volume opens with a preface that frames the collection as both amusing and instructive, noting that while it does not claim to be a formal history, the material it contains is “much material for history.” After a brief endorsement from the Salem Gazette, the book proceeds to present a series of reproduced notices, ranging from a 1767 pamphlet warning against moral decay to a 1759 shop‑owner’s moving announcement, a 1760 town‑clerk’s proclamation about false small‑pox rumors, and a committee’s advice on Sabbath attire. Each entry is accompanied by brief comments from Brooks, offering context for readers who cannot consult the original papers.

The tone is conversational and scholarly, reflecting a mid‑nineteenth‑century antiquarian’s fascination with everyday print. The language is plain yet peppered with period idioms, and the selections reveal the humor, commerce, and civic concerns of colonial New England. Readers who enjoy cultural snapshots, the evolution of advertising, or the social texture of early American towns will find the volume a rewarding glimpse into the daily lives and concerns of Boston and Salem’s past inhabitants.