LINK WITH THE PAST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 591, 24 July 1933, Page 3

LINK WITH THE PAST

RARE MEWSPAPERS NEfW PLYMOUTH MAN'S POSSESSTON OF OLD ISSUES. EAiRLIEST DATED 1691. Three rare links with the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are in the possession of Mrs. L. T. Burwell, Standish Hill, New Plymouth'. They are three old newspapers, "The Athenian Mercury," dated July 25, 1691; "The Public Register," of December 5, 1780; and "The Courier," of November 6, 1802. All three papers. are in a remarkably well-preserved 'state, the paper being as flexible and ] clear and the print as black as the day they came off the hand-press. The two 1 later publications, which were issued j bi-weekly, are marked three half- | pence and sixpence respective.Iy, and j bear a duty stamp. The Courier con- j tains two sides of matter and the Public iReg-'ster four. The Athenian Mercury appears to have been a spiritual, moral, philosophical, historcial, biological and scientific guide. In its two sides of small type may be found the answer to such "weight questions" — you must take the unknown editor's word for it — as "What 'matter is the sun made of and whether or no it is a planet?" "Does the world hang on nothing, and how can you prove plainly that it does so ?" "In what quarter of the year began the world, whether in Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter." All of these posers tbe editor proceeds to answer, chiding his questioners for their ignorance. He cannot resist a sly dig at one "honest gentleman," who plaintively inquiries: — "Which is the best way for one who is willing to serve 'their majesties, when a gentle post is vacant to obtain it." "Let him go find a gold mine, take 'Liberick, rout Luxembourg or make him fight or sink all the French fieet, or take and bring 'em into our own harbours. Let him choose any of these enterprises, and if ha accomplishes them happily, he's certainly a made man." Then in graver mood the editor continues, "Let him be brave and honest, love his country and King Wfi11am, and hate the French . . . and thank God that their Majesties can find so many better men to prefer before you." The freedom of the press exercisea the minds of the people even in the far days of 1780. In the Public Register, printed in Dublin, we find a meeting of officers passlng the following resolution: "That when the liberty of the press is invaded, liberty itself is in danger." A correspondent wishes to know "whether a certain magistrate means to convert to his own use the 'whisky' money which he colleeted from the scavengers." Unfortunately the magistrate's xeply is lost to posterity. In those more leisurely and dignified days a youth might apply for a position through a newspaper as follows: "A young man regularly bred to the cabinet and upholstery business, would be willing to engage as master of walks or groom of the chamber, with a nobleman or gentleman. Any gentleman wanting such a person would find it to his interest to engage him." Scare headlines of "Lose Not a Mo-men-t," "Make No Delay," do not refer to the imminent disintegration of England or a war; they only head lottery announcements. According to an advertisement baths were obtainable at reduced rates as follows: First-class 7s 7d, secorid 6s 6d, third, 2s 8d, all being hourly payments.About the time the Courier, the most modern of these old papers, was printed, the people of England had apparently beconie aware of their Parliament, for we find a whole two eolumns devoted to the opening of that august hody. In carefully guarded language the editor "leaves our readers" to decide whether the imperialistic politics of France v/ere aimed at England. The affairs of the rest of the world are dismissed in a paragrahp to the effect that the Pasha of Egypt was fortifying Cairo. No little space is devoted to the advertisement of an "Imperial State Lottery," the total prize money of which was £552,000. Amongst other things, "Solomon's Guide to Health" contains advice to bathers, bathing at the time apparently being an exercise to be approached only after medical advice.