CJO 



A. D. 1720. 



was the impreflion of a leal in wax, being the figri of the globe tavern 

 in the neighbourhood, witli the motto or infcription of iail-cloth per- 

 mits, fwithout any name figned thereon), the pofleHbrs thereof being to 

 be hereafter permitted to fubfcribe to a new fail-cloth manufactory, pro- 

 jeded by one who was then known to be a man of fortune, thougli af- 

 terward involved in great calamities and difgrace. 



Thefe inftances, out of hundreds more that might be produced, are 

 fufficient to difplay the frenzy of the time : when the taverns, coffee- 

 houfes, and even vidualling-houfes, near the Exchange were conftantly 

 crowded, and there was known to be much extravagance therein. The 

 very advertifements of thofe bubbles were fo many, as to fill up two or 

 three fheets of paper in fome of the dayly newfpapers for fome months. 

 Yet, all men were not infatuated : and one advertifemcnt in a weekly 

 newfpaper well enough burlefqued the madnefs, in the following flrain. 

 ' At a certain (fham) place, on Tuefday next, books will be opened for 

 ' a fubfcription of two millions, for the invention of melting down faw- 

 ' duft and chips, and cafting them into clean deal boards without cracks 

 ' or knots !' 



Before we return to the remainder of the execution of the grand 

 South-fea fcheme, we fhall, as an ufeful warning to pofterity, here ex- 

 hibit a more complete catalogue than any we have feen, of the flocks, 

 fubfcriptions, projeds, or bubbles, of this unparalleled time, with their 

 higheft prices in Exchange-alley, before the fatal Jcire facias had (like 

 the touch of Ithuriel's fpear) reduced them all to their proper fize and 

 value ! 



I) South-fea flock - 

 Ditto ifl: money-fub- 

 fcription, at 300 per cent 

 2d do. at 400 per cent 

 3d do. at 1 000 per cent 

 4th do. at 1 000 percent 

 Eafl-India capital ftock 

 L3, 200,000 



Bank of England ca- 

 pital, then L5,559,995 

 14/8 - - - - 



This was the bank's 

 nominal or transferable 

 capital : yet the govern- 

 ment adually owed them 



