Selling Science in the Age of Newton: Advertising and the Commoditization of Knowledge

219 Pages·2010·5.2 MB·English

by  Jeffrey R. Wigelsworth

Selling Science in the
Age of Newton
Advertising and the Commoditization
of Knowledge
Jeffrey R. Wigelsworth
Selling Science in the
Age of newton
Science, technology and culture,
1700–1945
Series Editors
David M. Knight
University of Durham
and
Trevor Levere
University of toronto
Science, Technology and Culture, 1700–1945 focuses on the social, cultural, industrial
and economic contexts of science and technology from the ‘scientific revolution’ up
to the Second World War. It explores the agricultural and industrial revolutions of
the eighteenth century, the coffee-house culture of the Enlightenment, the spread
of museums, botanic gardens and expositions in the nineteenth century, to the
franco-Prussian war of 1870, seen as a victory for german science. it also addresses
the dependence of society on science and technology in the twentieth century.
Science, Technology and Culture, 1700–1945 addresses issues of the interaction of
science, technology and culture in the period from 1700 to 1945, at the same time
as including new research within the field of the history of science.
Also in the series
Popularizing Science and Technology in the European Periphery, 1800–2000
Edited by Faidra Papanelopoulou, Agustí Nieto-Galan and Enrique Perdiguero
Essays on David Hume, Medical Men and the Scottish Enlightenment
‘Industry, Knowledge and Humanity’
Roger l. emerson
Writing the History of the Mind
Philosophy and Science in France, 1900 to 1960s
cristina chimisso
Selling Science in the
Age of newton
Advertising and the commoditization of Knowledge
JeffRey R. wigelSwoRth
Red Deer College, Canada
© Jeffrey R. wigelsworth 2010
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Jeffrey R. Wigelsworth has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company
wey court east Suite 420
Union Road 101 cherry Street
farnham Burlington
Surrey, gU9 7Pt Vt 05401-4405
england USA
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
wigelsworth, Jeffrey R.
Selling science in the age of Newton : advertising and the commoditization of knowledge.
1. Advertising, Newspaper – England – London – History – 17th century.
2. Advertising, Newspaper – England – London – History – 18th century.
3. Science – Social aspects – England – History – 17th century.
4. Science – Social aspects – England – History – 18th century.
i. title
659.1’95’09421–dc22
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
wigelsworth, Jeffrey R.
Selling science in the age of Newton : advertising and the commoditization of knowledge /
Jeffrey R. wigelsworth.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4094-0075-2 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Research—Economic aspects—
History—18th century. 2. Science—Social aspects—History—18th century. 3. Science—
History—18th century. I. Title.
Q180.55.e25w54 2010
509.4093’3—dc22
2010024207
ISBN 9781409400752 (hbk)
ISBN 9781409423102 (ebk)
V
To Maggie, Larry, and Steve
Teachers and Mentors
This page has been left blank intentionally
contents
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 introduction 1
2 Advertisements in the Philosophical Transactions 17
3 Newspapers and Bipartisan Advertisement 41
4 Daily Newspapers and Advertisements as Science Texts 71
5 Navigation and Newsprint: Advertising Longitude Schemes 119
6 Advertising Experiment and Reputation: Newtonian Lecturer
as Brand 147
7 Science as a commodity: the eighteenth century and Beyond 175
Bibliography 183
Index 199
This page has been left blank intentionally
list of figures
1.1 trade card of John Bennett, crown court, london, 18th century,
Science Museum, Science & Society Picture library 12
2.1 header from London Gazette © British library Board 37
2.2 Advertisement for Newton’s Principia, London Gazette,
2 April 1726 © British Library Board 39
3.1 Trade card for John Yarwell, optician, 1697, Science Museum,
Science & Society Picture library 65
3.2 Advertisement for Rhinoceros Skeleton, Post Boy, 26 May 1711
© British library Board 67
3.3 Advertisement for John Willdey’s Store, Post Man, 20 May 1718
© British library Board 68
4.1 Advertisement for Dr. Newman’s Anti-Venereal Pill, Daily Gazetteer,
5 August 1735 © British library Board 86
4.2 Advertisement for case of inoculating the Small Pox, Daily Journal,
5 october 1722 © British library Board 87
4.3 Two back-to-back advertisements for Experimental Lectures,
Daily Post, 1 february 1726 © British library Board 92
4.4 Advertisement for Great Formidable Eclipse, Daily Post,
8 September 1725 © British Library Board 103
5.1 William Hobbs’ Longitude Advertisement, Daily Courant,
20 July 1715 © British library Board 129
5.2 William Whiston’s Longitude Advertisement, Post Man,
14 July 1715 © British library Board 138
6.1 Advertisements for the competing Newtonian books, Post Boy,
31 December 1719 © British library Board 149
6.2 Trade card of James Mann, optician, Ludgate Hill, London,
c.1707-1751, Science Museum, Science & Society Picture library 160
6.3 Desaguliers’s response to Mears and Woodward in an advertisement,
Post Boy, 25 february 1720 © British library Board 167