Item 9 - Letter from Edwin E. Willoughby to R. B. McKerrow

1 single sheet

39 Bedford Place, W.C.1.—Cites a 17th-century reference illustrating the practice of posting up title-pages as advertisements.

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Transcript

39 Bedford Place | W.C.1,
April 18, 1930

Dr. R. B. McKerrow
44 Museum Street, W.C.1.

Dear Sir,

On page 90, note 2, of your Introduction to Bibliography you cite a number of allusions to the practise of posting up title-pages as advertisements. You may be interested in this passage from Dr. Fludds Answer Unto M. Foster, or, The Squesing of Parson Fosters Sponge (London, for N. Butler, 1631, sig. A3v) which although it does not refer exactly to a commercial advertisement takes its point from the fact that they were common. Dr. Fludd writes in his Introduction

“I have perceived his [William Foster’s] indiscreet importunity to extend itself so far as to urge me beyond the bounds of patience by setting up in the night time two of the frontispieces or Titles of his book [Hoplocrisma-spongus, or, A Sponge to Wipe away the Weapon Salve, 1631.] as a Challenge, one on each poste of my doore”.

Yours very truly,
Edwin E. Willoughby

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The square brackets are original.