I have in my possession some old newspapers, ranging from 1691 to 1694, entitled _A Collection for Improvement of Husbandry and Trade_, edited by John Houghton, F.R.S., St. Bartholomew Lane, behind the Royal Exchange, London. The size is a small folio, published weekly, generally every Friday. It was carried on for some time merely as a single leaf, with no advertisements. In this form, the editor says-- "These papers are 2d. each here, and anybody may have them by the post. But where that is thought too much, it may be eased by ten or twelve obliging themselves constantly to take them from a bookseller, coffee-man, or some other, who may afford to pay a carrier, and sell them there for 2d., or at most 3d.; or carriers themselves may gain well, if they'll serve the country gentlemen. And any such bookseller, coffee-man, or carrier, that will apply themselves to me, shall have good encouragement, with liberty to return those that won't sell." Ultimately the editor determined on admitting advertisements. He then doubled the size of his paper, making it two leaves instead of one. In reference to this increased size he says,-- "My collection I shall carry on as usual. This part is to give away; and those who like it not, may omit the reading. I believe it will help on trade, particularly encourage the advertisers to increase the vent of my papers. I shall receive all sorts of advertisements, but shall answer for the reasonableness of none; unless I give thereof a particular character, on which (as I shall give it) may be dependence, but no argument that others deserve not as well." "I am inform'd that great numbers of gazettes are each time printed, which makes them the most universal intelligencers; but I'll suppose mine their first handmaid, because it goes (tho' not so thick, yet) to most parts. It's also lasting, to be put into volumes with indexes; and particularly there shall be an index of all the advertisements, whereby, for ages to come, they may be useful. I have publish'd on the subject of Husbandry and Trade, two quarto volumes, three folio volumes, with the great sheet of taxes, acres, houses, &c.; and am weekly carrying on this paper, which may be brought to anybodies house within the Bills of Mortality, or penny post, for one penny the week; and anywhere else in England (where enough will encourage a bookseller or carrier). The volumes may be had from most booksellers of England, Scotland, or Ireland."