This wonderful advertisement is from an 1864 edition of my favorite New York Clipper (really, it is filled with wonderful things - you could devote a blog solely to Clipper gems and have plenty to write about for years).Can't you just imagine what sort of man Morphy was, and hear him speaking as you read this?
The first part is about all the terrific and saucy books that you can buy from Mr. Morphy: Yankee Notions, London Absurdities and Paris Rumbustifications*!
"Avoid country mushroom concerns and one horse city establishments. Send to us only, and save yourself from being Barnumized...Beware of ROGUES copying this advertisement for fraudulent purposes."
Morphy was not a fan of Phineas Barnum's.
You can also find many naughty photographs and "Fancy Goods" such as:
The Fancy Budget; or, Flash Cove's Bang Up Companion. It's full of songs, jokes, and toasts! Off color, every one of them, guaranteed.
The Love Album; or the Casket of Love. Twelve dirty pictures, each one a "Hunkey Dorie**." And you can carry this book around in your pocket!
But wait, there's more. Mr. Morphy wants us all to avoid being swindled by "the Hungry Howlers and Systematic Swindlers on the Rampage. Don't be trapped by their Puffery, Bogus Promises and Lying Assertions. They are Professional Peter Funks***." All this in outraged capitals, see left (Morphy was a soulmate of John Palmer, it would seem).I would like to try and find out about the Swindling Book and Fancy Job Ring that enrages Mr. Morphy so much - as well as more about him. He sounds like he was a real character, doesn't he?
I'll let you know what I can find out.
* Rumbustious was a corruption of the 17th century slang word robustious, which meant loud and obnoxious, approximately. Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage states that "in the 19th [century] it ["rumbustious"] had a revival, especially by archaizing writers." [ p. 530]
** Hunky-Dory: The slang word "hunk" was first used in print about 1847, meaning "in good condition." Wentworth and Flexner note the first occurrence of the phrase "hunky-dory" in 1947, meaning a sexually attractive woman - but obviously it was first used much earlier. [Wentworth and Flexner, Dictionary of American Slang, p. 277]
*** A Peter Funk was the accomplice of an auctioneer, who stood in the audience bidding fraudulently in order to drive the price up [Wentworth and Flexner, Dictionary of American Slang, p. 384].
6 comments:
I think it's about time I told you how much I enjoy your blog. It's absolutely hunky dory.
Thank you for saving us from being Barnumized
Catana - That is so nice of youm thank you! :)
Mild Colonial Boy, Esq. - I wonder what it would be like to be Barnumized, actually. I have a feeling that Mr. Morphy had a special beef with Barnum, as it were.
This is too much! Such drama and dire consequences. I agree with Catana - love your blog!www.satisfiedsole.com
I've heard Australians of my parents' generation saying 'well, everything's hunky dory, then', to mean 'well that's okay, then'... So I wonder how the meaning changed from 'a bit of alright' along the way?
Pam - Thank you, too! :)
Bellanta - I've also heard the phrase used to mean 'OK' - I reckon it partakes of the original slang meaning of 'good' or 'all right'.
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