"The Liquor Merchant and Water Server. These are on a platform of about two feet square, which (as the former pieces) will be placed on a table. The Liquor Merchant stands at a small cask from which it will draw every kind of spirits, wine, &c., required. The Water Server stands at a pump, and will fill a tumbler with water as often as called for.—Fourth,
"The Highland Oracle: a Figure in the Highland Dress, stands on a Time-piece, and gives the Hour and Minutes whenever asked, by striking its Sword on a Target: it gives a rational Answer (by Motion) to any Question proposed: it calculates Sums in Arithmetic, and gives the amount instantly of any number of pounds, yards, &c., at any given price, beats time to music, &c.
"The Table the different Pieces will be played on, contains an Organ, on which the Proprietor introduces a few Notes: also
"The Machine or (self-playing) Organ, will play occasionally several Pieces of Music, Airs, Country Dances, &c.
"Mr. Hadcock flatters himself the Androides will be found more curious than anything of the kind ever before offered to the Public, as the principles of Action are entirely new. The Theatre is neatly fitted up, and everything calculated to give satisfaction to a polite and discerning Audience.
"Boxes 4s., Gallery 2s. Admittance, after the Two First Parts, Half Price. Exhibition lasts nearly Two hours."—(Times, Jany. 15, 1796.)
If there was little mention of "Art," in the old newspapers, there was still less of "Literature," except in the advertisement of new books.
"What is Jemmy Boswell about? where is his Life and Adventures of the great Lexicographer, the Atlas of obscure sentiment, and pompous phraseology? Mrs. Piozzi's last work hath been read, and re-read, with avidity, and admiration. If the men doth not look sharp, the women will run off with all the biographic laurels."—(Morning Post, June 12, 1788.)
Mrs. Thrale's book, "Letters to and from S. Johnson," was published in 1788, and her "Anecdotes of S. Johnson, during the last twenty years of his life," in 1786. Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson," &c., was published in 1791.
"The last exit of the celebrated Mr. Gibbon, was attended with some very extraordinary circumstances. He was sitting with an intimate friend, on the evening of his death, and remarking of himself, that he thought there was a probability of his enjoying thirteen, or fourteen, more years of life. He had not been long in bed, before he was seized with excruciating pains. He endeavoured to swallow some brandy, but in vain. He then made a signal to his valet to leave the room, and in a few minutes expired. He has left everything indiscriminately to a young Swiss gentleman, to whom he was attached, and who accompanied him last year to this country."—(Times, Jany. 27, 1794.)