Transcriber’s Notes Words printed in italics in the original work have been transcribed between underscores: _text_. Small capitals have been transcribed as CAPITALS. More transcriber’s notes may be found at the end of this text. THE AGONY COLUMN OF THE “TIMES” 1800-1870 _WITH AN INTRODUCTION_ EDITED BY ALICE CLAY [Illustration] London CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY 1881 [_All rights reserved_] PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES. INTRODUCTION. THE contents of the little volume now presented to the public have been taken from the second column (commonly called the “Agony Column”) of the _Times_ newspaper, from the commencement of the present century to the end of the year 1870. Readers of newspapers (more especially of the _Times_) cannot fail to be struck by the mysterious communications which daily appear, and I venture to hope my selection of some of the most remarkable may interest those who peruse these pages. Most of the advertisements selected show a curious phase of life, interesting to an observer of human existence and human eccentricities. They are veiled in an air of mystery, with a view of blinding the general public, but at the same time give a clue unmistakable to those for whom they were intended. At the early period of 1800 the “Agony Column” seems to have been the chief medium for matrimonial advertisements; but, unfortunately, we are left considerably in the dark, and our curiosity as to whether the young nobleman (in advertisement No. 2) eventually married the unknown “Catholic widow” is not gratified; but we do learn something, namely, that love at first sight was not so rare in those days as it is supposed to be in the present unromantic age. There is little doubt that lovers separated by unfortunate circumstances, or by angry parents, as well as bachelors meditating matrimony, have found in the “Agony Column” a safe means of secret correspondence. With what despair did “One-winged Dove” (advertisement No. 214) beseech her lover, the “Crane,” to return to her! Sorely must her patience have been tried as she scanned the paper in vain day after day for four months. The answer came at last (advertisements No. 234 and 235), but only to kill every hope. I do not know how this portion of the _Times_ newspaper came to be called the “Agony Column;” but when we read advertisements like the one quoted above, and which is only one in a hundred, I think all my readers will agree that it is an unquestionably appropriate name.