Old school dating

Posted in Aris's Birmingham Gazette, 7 March 1785:

TO THE FAIR SEX

A PERSON of Character, 26 Years of Age, of a genteel profession, and of moderate fortune, wishes to engage in the Hymenial State, with an agreeable, good-tempered LADY, in AGE inferior to himself, in FORTUNE equal, or nearly so; but, in GOODNESS, as superior as Emulation CAN excite. - One having no Objection to enter a Public Line or Shop-Keeping, would be preferred; And it would be no Object of Denial, if she happens to have a fortune of MORE Capital than required. - Any Lady this may suit, may depend on a punctual Answer by addressing (Post paid) for T. H. to be left at the Printers till called for.

It's such a pity we will never know if T.H. found his perfect woman!

Bog buddies, just more tourist tat?

Archaeologists are used to the ethical questions involved with bog bodies.....but what about tourist tat?

An industrious company has set up to sell "Bog Buddies", little characters and motifs (men, women, sheep, hearts, shamrocks) carved from bog materials. Not a terrible idea considering the lack of enterprise following the recession, and the fact that tourists will buy anything. They look nice enough when framed, but really, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of skill in the carving, and certainly not enough to justify the €14 price tag for the smallest piece in the cheapest box, or €40 for a small framed heart. 

I also wonder if they really thought through the name "bog buddies" - did they actively seek association with millenia-old corpses?