The publication of births, marriages, and deaths seems to have begun almost as soon as newspapers were in full swing. At first only the names of the noble and eminent were given, but soon the notices got into much the same form as we now find them. One advantage of the old style was that the amount a man died worth was generally given, though how the exact sum was known directly he died passes our comprehension, unless it was then the fashion to give off the secret with the latest breath. Even under such circumstances we should hesitate to believe some people of our acquaintance, who have tried now and again, but have never yet succeeded in telling the truth about their own affairs or those of their relatives. And doubtless many an heir felt sadly disappointed, on taking his property, to find it amount to less than half of the published sum. Notices of marriages and deaths were frequent before the announcement of births became fashionable; and in advertisements the real order of things has been completely changed, as obituaries began, marriages followed, and births came last of all. In the first number of the _Gentleman’s Magazine_, January 1731, we find deaths and marriages published under separate heads, and many papers of the time did likewise. The _Grub Street Journal_ gave them among the summary of Domestic News, each particular item having the initials of the paper from which it was taken appended, as was done with all other information under the same head; for which purpose there was at the top of the article the information that C. meant _Daily Courant_, P. _Daily Post-Boy_, D. P. _Daily Post_, D. J. _Daily Journal_, D. A. _Daily Advertiser_, S. J. _St James’s Evening Post_, W. E. _Whitehall Evening Post_, and L. E. _London Evening Post_. In the number for February 7, 1734, we find this:-- _Died_ last night at his habitation in Pall-mall, in a very advanced age, count Kilmanseck, who came over from Hanover with King George I. _S. J._--At his lodgings. _L. E._ _D. A. Feb. 1._--Aged about 70. _P. Feb. 1._----Of the small-pox, after 8 days illness, in his 23d year count Kilmansegg, son of the countess of Kilmansegg, who came over from Hanover the beginning of the last reign. _D. P. Feb. 1._--He came over with his highness the prince of Orange, as one of his gentlemen. _D. J. Feb. 1._--_Tho’_ Mr Conundrum _cannot_ account _for these different_ accounts _of these two_ German counts, _yet he_ counts _it certain, that the younger_ count _was the_ son of the countess, who came over _from the_ county _of_ Hanover. About the same time we find in the same paper another paragraph worthy of notice:--