doubtless
watching with much interest, the attempt to found a newspaper
in Boston.
Advertisements similar to the following were found in colonial papers:
/Captain Peter Lawrence is going a Privateering from Rhode-Island in a good Sloop, about 60 Tuns, six Guns, and 90 Men for Canada, and any Gentlemen or Sailors that are disposed to go shall be kindly enter- tained.
The first advertisements of any size were those announcing the sale of books and pamphlets especially those dealing with religious topics, or giving the sermons of noted divines. After the colonial publishers had reprinted extracts from The London Gazette, The London Flying Post, The London Post-Boy, etc., they advertised these English newspapers for sale at greatly reduced prices.
Franklin especially knew the value of The Pennsylvania Gazette as an advertising medium, and used it frequently, not only for himself, but also the members of his family. His wife, for example, sold in the print-shop a so-called very fine grade of toilet soap, said to have been imported from abroad, but doubt- less manufactured by Franklin's father in Boston. He occa- sionally put into his " house" advertisements some of the humor found in "Poor Richard's Almanac." The following advertise- ment of this character was taken from The Pennsylvania Ga- zette:
HPAKEN out of Pew in the Church some months since, a Common Prayer Book, bound in red, gilt, and lettered D.F. (Deborah Frank- lin) on each cover. The Person who took it is desired to open it and read the eighth Commandment, and afterwards return it into the same Pew again, upon which no further Notice will be taken.
Another advertisement, inserted by Franklin in 1742, must have given his subscribers the impression that he was in the im- porting as well as in the printing business:
TUst import'd from Lond and to be sold by B. Franklin, at the Post- U Office, near the Market in Philadelphia.
All sorts of fine Paper, Parchment, Ink-powder, Sealing Wax, Wafers, fountain Pens, Ink and Sand Glasses with Brass Heads, Pou
