In 1803 Exeter had an established tobacconist in a prime corner of the city, Wescomb's. So established indeed, that it was able to advertise in the leader column of The Exeter Flying Post (15th December, 1803.) verses and all!
"To a person of taste there is nothing so highly gratifying as an excellent pinch of Snuff, or a good whiff of Tobacco; - but where can they be had genuine? why at Wescomb's Warehouse, in St. Martin's Lane, which is allowed by all ranks of people to contain a greater variety of Snuffs and Tobaccos than any one house in London, where upward of two hundred different sorts are constantly kept on sale, for the accommodation of the nobility, gentry, and public in general.
Life is a smoke! if this be true
Tobacco will your life renew!
Then fear not death, nor killing care,
But fill a Pipe with Wescomb's ware!"
Today Exeter still has a tobacconist but the nobility and gentry have fled beyond the city walls. The hope of our nation, the up-coming generation, certainly fear not death. Too many young people are still finding a good whiff of tobacco highly gratifying. Mostly, it seems, they choose to sit on the floor somewhere in public and roll their own cigarettes with 'rizla paper' and with, no doubt genuine, tobacco but also other substances. I have seen some of our many 'homeless' glean their tobacco from the fag-ends of the Exeter pavement and fill their pouches with their frugal gains.
Persons of taste?
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