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Essay(s) by Samuel Johnson
Idler 040 [No. 40: The art of advertising exemplified]
Samuel Johnson
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       Idler No. 40. Saturday, January 20, 1759.
       The practice of appending to the narratives of publick transactions more minute and domestick intelligence, and filling the newspapers with advertisements, has grown up by slow degrees to its present state.
       Genius is shown only by invention. The man who first took advantage of the general curiosity that was excited by a siege or battle, to betray the readers of news into the knowledge of the shop where the best puffs and powder were to be sold, was undoubtedly a man of great sagacity, and profound skill in the nature of man. But when he had once shown the way, it was easy to follow him; and every man now knows a ready method of informing the publick of all that he desires to buy or sell; whether his wares be material or intellectual; whether he makes clothes, or teaches the mathematicks; whether he be a tutor that wants a pupil, or a pupil that wants a tutor.
       Whatever is common is despised. Advertisements are now so numerous that they are very negligently perused, and it is, therefore, become necessary to gain attention by magnificence of promises, and by eloquence sometimes sublime and sometimes pathetick.
       Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement. I remember a _wash-ball_ that had a quality truly wonderful--it gave an _exquisite edge to the razor_. And there are now to be sold, _for ready money only_, some _duvets for bed-coverings, of down, beyond comparison superior to what is called otter-down_, and indeed such, that its _many excellencies cannot be here set forth_. With one excellence we are made acquainted--_it is warmer than four or five blankets, and lighter than one._
       There are some, however, that know the prejudice of mankind in favour of modest sincerity. The vender of the _beautifying fluid_ sells a lotion that repels pimples, washes away freckles, smooths the skin, and plumps the flesh; and yet, with a generous abhorrence of ostentation, confesses, that it will not _restore the bloom of fifteen to a lady of fifty_.
       The true pathos of advertisements must have sunk deep into the heart of every man that remembers the zeal shown by the seller of the _anodyne necklace_, for the ease and safety of _poor teething infants_, and the affection with which he warned every mother, that _she would never forgive herself_, if her infant should perish without a necklace.
       I cannot but remark to the celebrated author who gave, in his notifications of the camel and dromedary, so many specimens of the genuine sublime, that there is now arrived another subject yet more worthy of his pen. _A famous Mohawk Indian warrior, who took_ Dieskaw _the French general prisoner, dressed in the same manner with the native Indians when they go to war, with his face and body painted, with his scalping-knife, tom-axe, and all other implements of war! a sight worthy the curiosity of every true Briton!_ This is a very powerful description; but a critick of great refinement would say, that it conveys rather _horrour_ than _terrour_. An Indian, dressed as he goes to war, may bring company together; but if he carries the scalping-knife and tom-axe, there are many true Britons that will never be persuaded to see him but through a grate.
       It has been remarked by the severer judges, that the salutary sorrow of tragick scenes is too soon effaced by the merriment of the epilogue; the same inconvenience arises from the improper disposition of advertisements. The noblest objects may be so associated as to be made ridiculous. The camel and dromedary themselves might have lost much of their dignity between _the true flower of mustard_ and the _original Daffy's elixir_; and I could not but feel some indignation when I found this illustrious Indian warrior immediately succeeded by _a fresh parcel of Dublin butter_.
       The trade of advertising is now so near to perfection, that it is not easy to propose any improvement. But as every art ought to be exercised in due subordination to the publick good, I cannot but propose it as a moral question to these masters of the publick ear, Whether they do not sometimes play too wantonly with our passions, as when the registrar of lottery-tickets invites us to his shop by an account of the prize which he sold last year; and whether the advertising controvertists do not indulge asperity of language without any adequate provocation; as in the dispute about _straps for razors_, now happily subsided, and in the altercation which at present subsists concerning _eau de luce_?
       In an advertisement it is allowed to every man to speak well of himself, but I know not why he should assume the privilege of censuring his neighbour. He may proclaim his own virtue or skill, but ought not to exclude others from the same pretensions.
       Every man that advertises his own excellence should write with some consciousness of a character which dares to call the attention of the publick. He should remember that his name is to stand in the same paper with those of the king of Prussia and the emperour of Germany, and endeavour to make himself worthy of such association.
       Some regard is likewise to be paid to posterity. There are men of diligence and curiosity who treasure up the papers of the day merely because others neglect them, and in time they will be scarce. When these collections shall be read in another century, how will numberless contradictions be reconciled? and how shall fame be possibly distributed among the tailors and bodice-makers of the present age?
       Surely these things deserve consideration. It is enough for me to have hinted my desire that these abuses may be rectified; but such is the state of nature, that what all have the right of doing, many will attempt without sufficient care or due qualifications[1].
       [1] A history of newspapers, more diffuse than the chronological series in Nichols' Literary Anecdotes, Vol. iv. is desirable.
       [The end]
       Samuel Johnson's essay: Idler No. 40
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Account Of A Book Entitled An Historical And Critical Enquiry
An Account Of An Attempt To Ascertain The Longitude
Account Of The Harleian Library
Adventurer 034 [No. 34: Folly of extravagance. The story of Misargyrus]
Adventurer 039 [No. 39: On sleep]
Adventurer 041 [No. 41: Sequel of the story of Misargyrus]
Adventurer 045 [No. 45: The difficulty of forming confederacies]
Adventurer 050 [No. 50: On lying]
Adventurer 053 [No. 53: Misargyrus' account of his companions in the Fleet]
Adventurer 058 [No. 58: Presumption of modern criticism censured...]
Adventurer 062 [No. 62: Misargyrus' account of his companions concluded]
Adventurer 067 [No. 67: On the trades of London]
Adventurer 069 [No. 69: Idle hope]
Adventurer 074 [No. 74: Apology for neglecting officious advice]
Adventurer 081 [No. 81: Incitement to enterprise and emulation]
Adventurer 084 [No. 84: Folly of false pretences to importance...]
Adventurer 085 [No. 85: Study, composition, and converse equally necessary...]
Adventurer 092 [No. 92: Criticism on the Pastorals of Virgil]
Adventurer 095 [No. 95: Apology for apparent plagiarism...]
Adventurer 099 [No. 99: Projectors injudiciously censured and applauded]
Adventurer 102 [Infelicities of retirement to men of business]
Adventurer 107 [Different opinions equally plausible]
Adventurer 108 [On the uncertainty of human things]
Adventurer 111 [The pleasures and advantages of industry]
Adventurer 115 [The itch of writing universal]
Adventurer 119 [The folly of creating artificial wants]
Adventurer 120 [The miseries of life]
Adventurer 126 [Solitude not eligible]
Adventurer 128 [Men differently employed unjustly censured by each other]
Adventurer 131 [Singularities censured]
Adventurer 137 [Writers not a useless generation]
Adventurer 138 [Their happiness and infelicity]
Advertisement To The Fourth Edition Of The English Dictionary
An Appeal To The Publick
Ascham
Barretier
Boerhaave
Browne
Burman
Cave
Cheynel
Considerations On The Case Of Dr. T[rapp]'s Sermons
Considerations On The Corn Laws
Considerations On The Plans Offered For The Construction Of Blackfriars Bridge
Controversy Between Crousaz And Warburton
Dedications
A Dissertation Upon The Greek Comedy, Translated From Brumoy
An Essay On Epitaphs
The False Alarm 1770
Father Paul Sarpi
Further Thoughts On Agriculture
General Conclusion To Brumoy's Greek Theatre
General Observations On The Plays Of Shakespeare
Idler 001 [No. 1: The Idler's character]
Idler 002 [No. 2: Invitation to correspondents]
Idler 003 [No. 3: Idler's reason for writing]
Idler 004 [No. 4: Charities and hospitals]
Idler 005 [No. 5: Proposal for a female army]
Idler 006 [No. 6: Lady's performance on horseback]
Idler 007 [No. 7: Scheme for news-writers]
Idler 008 [No. 8: Plan of military discipline]
Idler 009 [No. 9: Progress of idleness]
Idler 010 [No. 10: Political credulity]
Idler 011 [No. 11: Discourses on the weather]
Idler 012 [No. 12: Marriages, why advertised]
Idler 013 [No. 13: The imaginary housewife]
Idler 014 [No. 14: Robbery of time]
Idler 015 [No. 15: Treacle's complaint of his wife]
Idler 016 [No. 16: Drugget's retirement]
Idler 017 [No. 17: Expedients of idlers]
Idler 018 [No. 18: Drugget vindicated]
Idler 019 [No. 19: Whirler's character]
Idler 020 [No. 20: Capture of Louisbourg]
Idler 021 [No. 21: Linger's history of listlessness]
Idler 022 [No. 22: Imprisonment of debtors]
Idler 023 [No. 23: Uncertainty of friendship]
Idler 024 [No. 24: Man does not always think]
Idler 025 [No. 25: New actors on the stage]
Idler 026 [No. 26: Betty Broom's history]
Idler 027 [No. 27: Power of habits]
Idler 028 [No. 28: Wedding-day. Grocer's wife. Chairman]
Idler 029 [No. 29: Betty Broom's history continued]
Idler 030 [No. 30: Corruption of news-writers]
Idler 031 [No. 31: Disguises of idleness. Sober's character]
Idler 032 [No. 32: On Sleep]
Idler 033 [No. 33: Journal of a fellow of a college]
Idler 034 [No. 34: Punch and conversation compared]
Idler 035 [No. 35: Auction-hunter described and ridiculed]
Idler 036 [No. 36: The terrific diction ridiculed]
Idler 037 [No. 37: Useful things easy of attainment]
Idler 038 [No. 38: Cruelty shown to debtors in prison]
Idler 039 [No. 39: The various uses of the bracelet]
Idler 040 [No. 40: The art of advertising exemplified]
Idler 041 [No. 41: Serious reflections on the death of a friend]
Idler 042 [No. 42: Perdita's complaint of her father]
Idler 043 [No. 43: Monitions on the flight of time]
Idler 044 [No. 44: The use of memory considered]
Idler 045 [No. 45: On painting. Portraits defended]
Idler 046 [No. 46: Molly Quick's complaint of her mistress]
Idler 047 [No. 47: Deborah Ginger's account of city-wits]
Idler 048 [No. 48: The bustle of idleness described and ridiculed]
Idler 049 [No. 49: Marvel's journey narrated]
Idler 050 [No. 50: Marvel's journey paralleled]
Idler 051 [No. 51: Domestick greatness unattainable]
Idler 052 [No. 52: Self-denial necessary]
Idler 053 [No. 53: Mischiefs of good company]
Idler 054 [No. 54: Mrs. Savecharges' complaint]
Idler 055 [No. 55: Authors' mortifications]
Idler 056 [No. 56: Virtuosos whimsical]
Idler 057 [No. 57: Character of Sophron]
Idler 058 [No. 58: Expectations of pleasure frustrated]
Idler 059 [No. 59: Books fall into neglect]
Idler 060 [No. 60: Minim the critic]
Idler 061 [No. 61: Minim the critic]
Idler 062 [No. 62: Hanger's account of the vanity of riches]
Idler 063 [No. 63: Progress of arts and language]
Idler 064 [No. 64: Ranger's complaint concluded]
Idler 065 [No. 65: Fate of posthumous works]
Idler 066 [No. 66: Loss of ancient writings]
Idler 067 [No. 67: Scholar's journal]
Idler 068 [No. 68: History of translation]
Idler 069 [No. 69: History of translation]
Idler 070 [No. 70: Hard words defended]
Idler 071 [No. 71: Dick Shifter's rural excursion ]
Idler 072 [No. 72: Regulation of memory]
Idler 073 [No. 73: Tranquil's use of riches]
Idler 074 [No. 74: Memory rarely deficient]
Idler 075 [No. 75: Gelaleddin of Bassora]
Idler 076 [No. 76: False criticisms on painting]
Idler 077 [No. 77: Easy writing]
Idler 078 [No. 78: Steady, Snug, Startle, Solid and Misty]
Idler 079 [No. 79: Grand style of painting]
Idler 080 [No. 80: Ladies' journey to London]
Idler 081 [No. 81: Indian's speech to his countrymen]
Idler 082 [No. 82: The true idea of beauty]
Idler 083 [No. 83: Scruple, Wormwood, Sturdy and Gentle]
Idler 084 [No. 84: Biography, how best performed]
Idler 085 [No. 85: Books multiplied by useless compilations]
Idler 086 [No. 86: Miss Heartless' want of a lodging]
Idler 087 [No. 87: Amazonian bravery revived]
Idler 088 [No. 88: What have ye done?]
Idler 089 [No. 89: Physical evil moral good]
Idler 090 [No. 90: Rhetorical action considered]
Idler 091 [No. 91: Sufficiency of the English language]
Idler 092 [No. 92: Nature of cunning]
Idler 093 [No. 93: Sam Softly's history]
Idler 094 [No. 94: Obstructions of learning]
Idler 095 [No. 95: Tim Wainscot's son a fine gentleman]
Idler 096 [No. 96: Hacho of Lapland]
Idler 097 [No. 97: Narratives of travellers considered]
Idler 098 [No. 98: Sophia Heedful]
Idler 099 [No. 99: Ortogrul of Basra]
Idler 100 [The good sort of woman]
Idler 101 [Omar's plan of life]
Idler 102 [Authors inattentive to themselves]
Idler 103 [Honour of the last]
An Introduction To The Political State Of Great Britain
Introduction To The Proceedings Of The Committee
Introduction To The World Displayed
King Of Prussia
Letter On Du Halde's History Of China
Letter On Fireworks
A Letter To The Reverend Mr. Douglas,occasioned By His Vindication Of Milton
Marmor Norfolciense
Morin
Observations On The State Of Affairs In 1756
Observations On The Tragedy Of Macbeth
Observations On The Treaty
On Lay Patronage In The Church Of Scotland
On Pulpit Censure
On School Chastisement
On The Bravery Of The English Common Soldiers
On The Importance Of Small Tracts
On Vitious Intromission
Opinions On Questions Of Law
The Patriot
The Plan Of An English Dictionary
Preface To An Essay On Milton's Use & Imitation Of Moderns In His Paradise Lost
Preface To Payne's New Tables Of Interest
Preface To Rolt's Dictionary
Preface To Shakespeare
Preface To The Artists' Catalogue For 1762
Preface To The English Dictionary
Preface To The Gentleman's Magazine, 1738
Preface To The Literary Magazine, 1756
Preface To The Octavo Edition Of The English Dictionary
Preface To The Preceptor, Containing A General Plan Of Education
Preface To The Translation Of Father Lobo's Voyage To Abyssinia
Preliminary Discourse To The London Chronicle
A Project For The Employment Of Authors
Proposals For Printing The Works Of Shakespeare
Proposals For Printing, By Subscription, Essays In Verse And Prose
Rambler 005 [No. 5]
Rambler 042 [The Misery Of A Modish Lady In Solitude]
Rambler 051 [The Employments Of A Housewife In The Country]
Rambler 060 [No. 60]
Rambler 106 [The vanity of an author's expectations]
Rambler 107 [Properantia's hopes of a year of confusion. Misery of prostitute]
Rambler 108 [Life sufficient to all purposes if well employed]
Rambler 109 [The education of a fop]
Rambler 110 [Repentance stated and explained]
Rambler 111 [Youth made unfortunate by its haste and eagerness]
Rambler 112 [Too much nicety not to be indulged]
Rambler 113 [History of Hymenaeus's courtship]
Rambler 114 [Necessity of proportioning punishments to crimes]
Rambler 115 [Sequel of Hymenaeus's courtship]
Rambler 116 [The young trader's attempt at politeness]
Rambler 117 [Advantages of living in a garret]
Rambler 118 [The narrowness of fame]
Rambler 119 [Tranquilla's account of her lovers, opposed to Hymenaeus]
Rambler 120 [History of Almamoulin the son of Nouradin]
Rambler 121 [The dangers of imitation...]
Rambler 122 [A criticism on the English historians]
Rambler 123 [The young trader turned gentleman]
Rambler 124 [The lady's misery in a summer retirement]
Rambler 125 [Difficulty of defining comedy...]
Rambler 126 [Universality of cowardice...]
Rambler 127 [Diligence too soon relaxed. Necessity of perseverance]
Rambler 128 [Anxiety universal. The unhappiness of a wit and a fine lady]
Rambler 129 [The folly of cowardice and inactivity]
Rambler 130 [The history of a beauty]
Rambler 131 [Desire of gain the general passion]
Rambler 132 [The difficulty of educating a young nobleman]
Rambler 133 [The miseries of a beauty defaced]
Rambler 134 [Idleness an anxious and miserable state]
Rambler 135 [The folly of annual retreats into the country]
Rambler 136 [Meanness and mischief of indiscriminate dedication]
Rambler 137 [The necessity of literary courage]
Rambler 138 [Original characters to be found in the country...]
Rambler 139 [A critical examination of Samson Agonistes]
Rambler 140 [The criticism continued]
Rambler 141 [Danger of attempting wit in conversation]
Rambler 142 [An account of squire Bluster]
Rambler 143 [The criterions of plagiarism]
Rambler 144 [Difficulty of raising reputation. Various species of detractors]
Rambler 145 [Petty writers not to be despised]
Rambler 146
Rambler 147 [The courtier's esteem of assurance]
Rambler 148 [The cruelty of parental tyranny]
Rambler 149 [Benefits not always entitled to gratitude]
Rambler 150 [Adversity useful to the acquisition of knowledge]
Rambler 151 [The climactericks of the mind]
Rambler 152 [Criticism on epistolary writings]
Rambler 153 [The treatment incurred by loss of fortune]
Rambler 154 [The inefficacy of genius without learning]
Rambler 155 [Usefulness of advice. Danger of habits]
Rambler 156 [Laws of writing not always indisputable]
Rambler 157 [The scholar's complaint of his own bashfulness]
Rambler 158 [Rules of writing drawn from examples...]
Rambler 159 [The nature and remedies of bashfulness]
Rambler 160 [Rules for the choice of associates]
Rambler 161 [The revolutions of a garret]
Rambler 162 [Old men in danger of falling into pupilage...]
Rambler 163 [The mischiefs of following a patron]
Rambler 164 [Praise universally desired...]
Rambler 165 [The impotence of wealth...]
Rambler 166 [Favour not easily gained by the poor]
Rambler 167 [The marriage of Hymenaeus and Tranquilla]
Rambler 168 [Poetry debased by mean expressions]
Rambler 169 [Labour necessary to excellence]
Rambler 170 [The history of Misella debauched by her relation]
Rambler 171 [Misella's description of the life of a prostitute]
Rambler 172 [The effect of sudden riches upon the manners]
Rambler 173 [Unreasonable fears of pedantry]
Rambler 174 [The mischiefs of unbounded raillery...]
Rambler 175 [The majority are wicked]
Rambler 176 [Directions to authors attacked by criticks...]
Rambler 177 [An account of a club of antiquaries]
Rambler 178 [Many advantages not to be enjoyed together]
Rambler 179 [The awkward merriment of a student]
Rambler 180 [The study of life not to be neglected for the sake of books]
Rambler 181 [The history of an adventurer in lotteries]
Rambler 182 [The history of Leviculus, the fortune-hunter]
Rambler 183 [The influence of envy and interest compared]
Rambler 184 [Subject of essays often suggested by chance]
Rambler 185 [Prohibition of revenge justifiable by reason...]
Rambler 186 [Anningait and Ajut; a Greenland history]
Rambler 187 [The history of Anningait and Ajut concluded]
Rambler 188 [Favour often gained with little assistance from understanding]
Rambler 189 [The mischiefs of falsehood...]
Rambler 190 [The history of Abouzaid, the son of Morad]
Rambler 191 [The busy life of a young lady]
Rambler 192 [Love unsuccessful without riches]
Rambler 193 [The author's art of praising himself]
Rambler 194 [A young nobleman's progress in politeness]
Rambler 195 [A young nobleman's introduction to the knowledge of the town]
Rambler 196 [Human opinions mutable. The hopes of youth fallacious]
Rambler 197 [The history of a legacy-hunter]
Rambler 198 [The legacy-hunter's history concluded]
Rambler 199 [The virtues of Rabbi Abraham's magnet]
Rambler 200 [Asper's complaint of insolence of Prospero...]
Rambler 201 [The importance of punctuality]
Rambler 202 [The different acceptations of poverty]
Rambler 203 [Pleasures of life to be sought in prospects of futurity]
Rambler 204 [Ten days of Seged, emperour of Ethiopia]
Rambler 205 [The history of Seged concluded]
Rambler 206 [The art of living at the cost of others]
Rambler 207 [The folly of continuing too long upon the stage]
Rambler 208 [The Rambler's reception. His design]
Reply To A Paper In The Gazetteer
Review Of A Free Enquiry Into The Nature And Origin Of Evil
Review Of A Journal Of Eight Days' Journey
Review Of An Essay On The Writings And Genius Of Pope
Review Of Four Letters From Sir Isaac Newton
Review Of Memoirs Of The Court Of Augustus
Review Of The Account Of The Conduct Of The Dutchess Of Marlborough
Review Of The History Of The Royal Society Of London
Sir Francis Drake
Some Thoughts On Agriculture, Both Ancient And Modern
Sydenham
Taxation No Tyranny
Thoughts On The Coronation Of His Majesty King George The Third
Thoughts On The Late Transactions Respecting Falkland's Islands. 1771.
To The Catalogue Of The Harleian Library
Vindication Of The Licensers Of The Stage
The Vulture [Idler 22]