The text reads:More...
Matrimonial. - An intelligent gentleman, of good standing in society and in favorable circumstances, having some pretensions as to good looks, with a limited female acquaintance, wishes to correspond with a lady, either maid or widow, from 20 to 35 years of age, possessing an independent competency, with an ultimate view to matrimony; as to beauty, it is not particularly desired; mediocrity will be respectfully entertained. Any one considering this worthy of attention, it is at her pleasure to adopt an assumed name in her address, and it is desired that none will communicate unless the tenor of this notice is in unison with her inclinations, and with sincere intentions and profound secrecy. Address Orlando S. Summer, New York City Post office.
I start out reading this thinking, okay, successful, respectable gentleman, attractive, doesn't know many women, wants to meet a woman with some money. So far, nothing out of the ordinary. As to beauty, no big deal. That's kind of nice. But then he says, "mediocrity will be respectfully entertained." Er, what? "Respectfully entertained"? This being an era when one word is never as good as ten, and no grammatically correct sentence can be left unmangled, it's possible he's just saying in a rather insensitive way that he doesn't care about looks. Or maybe he's making sort of gentle jest. But it comes off (to me) as a bit callous, like: "If you're unattractive, I'll still consider you." Why bother with that last part? Why not just leave off after "it is not particularly desired"?
I am, as you have seen, often a bit suspicious about many of these ads, and here's another that strikes me as a little fishy. The only qualities he mentions as important in his wife is that she be between 20 to 35 and have some of her own money. She doesn't have to be respectable or refined, she doesn't have to be friendly or affectionate, or attractive (or even prepossessing). Plus he mentions "profound" secrecy (like, "don't tell anyone about this!"). Seems like he's reaching out to try and find some lonely, wealthy woman who can't get married because she's too old, or too plain, and he'll take her because he needs the money.
Having trouble reading the ads? Click one to enlarge!
©2009 Pam Epstein
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PS: I clicked on the "more" link, but nothing happened. God bless you for finding these gems!
As a woman engaged to a man she met online, the topic of personal ads through the ages has a lot of interest for me. Thanks!
Rated!
Glad you all like the site!
lol. rated
Do we really all live in "Lake Wobegon", where all the people are extraordinary? If you look at the dictionary, the precise original meaning of "mediocre" was "of moderate ability or value"...from Latin, "in a middle state; of middle size; moderate; ordinary"
This tendency to elevate ourselves unrealistically is new. People of the 19th century were perhaps more apt to put it to the point. Gentlemanly "C's" were allowed, and not everyone was expected to excel.
I posit that this must be taken into account when reading the ad. In addition, the idea of having one's reputation ruined by scandal was so much more hideous to a "lady" of that era, that his insistence on his own discretion was certainly an attempt to reassure the ladies who might respond that his intentions were true, and he would not broadcast the manner of their meeting to anyone.
PRECISELY the type of stuff that makes my socks roll up and down. These weird ads are better than fiction. Your commentary is lucid and hilarious. As of now I am using your posts as study breaks and rewards when I have accomplished allotted work tasts.
Please keep going and never stop!
yekdeli - you may be right, and if I was using this ad in my dissertation I'd probably probe it more carefully, but isn't it more fun to think of it this way?
Fun post.
English is my FIRST language;)