The insertion of marriages is of early date, they first appearing as news, and in certain respects were much more satisfactory than those now given, as for instance, the one in the Daily Post Boy of February 21st, 1774:
"Married, yesterday at St. James' church, by the Right Rev. Dr. Hen. Egerton, Lord Bishop of Hereford, the Hon. Francis Godolphin, Esq., of Scotland Yard, to the third daughter of the Countess of Portland, a beautiful lady of £50,000 fortune."
Sometimes the papers in those days disputed as to the matters of marriages and deaths. The London Evening Post, in April, 1734, said:
"Married.—A few days since—Price, a Buckinghamshire gentleman of near £2,000 per annum, to Miss Robinson, of the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane."
At this the Daily Advertiser remarks, a few days later, "Mr. Price's marriage is entirely false and groundless"—a peculiar kind of marriage that. The Daily Journal about the same time asserts:
"Died.—On Tuesday, in Tavistock-street, Mr. Mooring, an eminent mercer, that kept Levy's warehouse, said to have died worth £60,000."
But the Daily Post informs the public that "this was five days before he did die, and £40,000 more than he died worth."
That the principle of protection was known in 1804 is clearly shown by the following important advertisement:
"To be disposed of, for the benefit of the poor widow, a Blind Man's Walk in a charitable neighborhood, the comings-in between twenty-five and twenty-six shillings a week, with a dog well drilled, and a staff in good repair. A handsome premium will be expected. For further particulars inquire at No. 40, Chiswell street."