The Cosaque Times. [a humorous pastiche of the London Times and other British Newspapers of the period]

16mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper, lightly discoloured. A typographical curiosity, and interesting social document, the background to which is not easily discoverable. Three columns to a page, with the text divided into short sections including Marriages, Deaths, Shipping and Railways. The first section, 'BIRTHS', reads 'Jan. 1, at the residence of the Proprietor, The First Number of the Cosaque Times. Friends will please accept this intimation.' Spoof advertisements. Much of the humour is lost on the modern reader: parliamentary report has a section on House of Commons beginning 'The Licensing Bill - Mr. Wary asked the Home Secretary whether there was any truth in the report that the Licensing bill was got up by a number of conspirators who thought by proposing an extreme measure of the kind to cause a reaction against the Permissive Bill. The Home Secretary replied that he had no official knowledge of such a conspiracy.' Last page carries sections on music, literature and auctions, the last giving an idea of the tone of the whole: 'Mr. B. Right will sell by Auction, on the Premises, The Lantern of Diogenes, strongly recommended to any one in search of an honest man.' Scarce: no copy on COPAC, or in the British Library.