Quarrelling, Swearing and Drunkenness; or, Brighton Beach

The cure to quarrelling, swearing and drunkenness.

Can you believe it? ‘… there was a time when a part of the beach at Brighton exhibited a scene of quarrelling, swearing and drunkenness, such as was seldom witnessed.’ So claims the introduction to this 1863 book, ‘Lectures on Natural History Delivered at The Fishermen’s Home, Brighton.’ The solution – temporary, it would seem – was found by Edward Jesse who cured the uncouth rabble by talking to them about quadrupeds, limestone and butterflies. Jesse was a popular author and lecturer who lived and died in Brighton and you can read more about him here. The Fisherman’s Home was opened in 1860 and is now home to The Fisherman’s Museum. This book, by the way, is not a first edition, which is excellent news. The first edition contains eleven lectures, this one has twenty-two. First edition matters a great deal to lovers of fiction but far less to lovers of… well, books. Later editions are often updated, illustrated, better quality or otherwise desirable and this one is no exception. This copy is pretty shabby externally but complete, rare and interesting and you can buy it for a very modest £15 at Brighton and Hove Stuff, 20 Western Road, Hove.

Booth, 1863. Reprint.