Ein wunderlichs Gewechs man hat, Von Soltwedel der Alten stad, Der Berber die Vorstadt genand, Gefunden welchs gar niemand kend. In einem Garten gewachsen ist, Bey andern Kreutern ist gewis, Sein Conterfey und recht gestalt, Wird auffm Tittel gezeiget bald, Ein Buch Hoffarts Laster genand, Welches jetzt noch sehr unbekand Darin gewiesen und vermied, Was das gewechse in sich hilt, Mag: Cunaw hats geben an den Tag Zu Wittemberg druckts Matths Welack, Wer des bedeutung noch nicht weis Kauff das Buch lisz mit allem fleis. Though this is an advertisement to all intents and purposes, still it is of the kind now best known amongst those most interested as “puff pars,” and is similar to those that the early booksellers frequently inserted in their works. It is therefore not unlikely that the book in question and the newsletter were printed at the same shop. Another, in fact, _the_ earliest instance of newspaper advertising, is that of Nathaniel Butler; still this also only relates to books. The first genuine miscellaneous advertisements yet discovered occur in a Dutch black-letter newspaper, which was published in the reign of our James I., without name or title. The advertisement in question is inserted at the end of the folio half-sheet which contains the news, November 21, 1626, and, in a type different from the rest of the paper, gives notice that there will be held a sale by auction of articles taken out of prizes, viz., sugar, ivory, pepper, tobacco, and logwood. At that time there appeared two newspapers in Amsterdam, and it is not a little curious that Broer Jansz[24] occasionally advertised the books he published in the paper of his rival, which was entitled “Courant from Italy and Germany.” Gradually the advertisements become more frequent, the following being some of them literally translated. The first is from the _Courante uyt Italien ende Duytschland_ of July 23, 1633:-- With the last ships from the East Indies have been brought an elephant, a tiger, and an Indian stag, which are to be seen at the Old Glass house, for the benefit of the poor, where many thousands of people visit them. [Illustration: The _Hollandsche Mercurius_, which was issued more than two hundred years ago, showed great interest in English affairs, especially with regard to the Civil War. It was much inclined to the Royal cause; and when in 1653 Cromwell assumed supreme power, the above was issued as a title, and purported to show the various events which had recently passed in Great Britain.] The heirs of the late Mr Bernardus Paludanus, Doctor, of the City of Enkhuyzen, will sell his world-famed museum in lots, by public auction, or by private contract, on the 1st of August, 1634. The two following are taken from the _Tydinghen_, the first appearing on May 27, 1634:--