Struggles and Triumphs

From the first, it was my study to give my patrons a superfluity of novelties, and for this I make no special claim to generosity, for it was…

Knowing that a visit to my varied attractions and genuine curiosities was well worth to any one three times the amount asked as an entrance fee, I…

It was the world’s way then, as it is now, to excite the community with flaming posters, promising almost everything for next to nothing. I confess…

It was even so, for the water flowed into a reservoir behind the scenes, and was forced back with a pump over the falls. On one occasion, Mr. Louis…

But the _Knickerbocker_ spoke kindly of me, and refrained from all allusions to “the Cataract of Niagara, with real water.” Some months after,…

Thereupon he advised me to engage the wonder at any price; that it would startle the naturalists, wake up the whole scientific world, draw in the…

This was the curiosity which had fallen into Mr. Kimball’s hands. I requested my naturalist’s opinion of the genuineness of the animal and he said he…

While I expended money liberally for attractions for the inside of my Museum, and bought or hired everything curious or rare which was offered or…

The American Museum was the ladder by which I rose to fortune. Whenever I cross Broadway at the head of Vesey Street, and see the _Herald_ building…

The Museum was always open at sunrise, and this was so well known throughout the country that strangers coming to the city would often take a tour…

I confess that I liked the Museum mainly for the opportunities it afforded for rapidly making money. Before I bought it, I weighed the matter well in…

About the first of July, 1842, I began to make arrangements for extra novelties, additional performances, a large amount of extra advertising, and an…

I wanted to run out a string of American flags across the street on that day, for I knew there would be thousands of people passing the Museum with…

Returning to the Museum I gave orders to have the string of flags made ready, with directions at daylight on the Fourth of July to attach one end…

Throngs of excited, exasperated men crowded around, and the vestryman, seeing the effect of my ruse, smiled faintly and said, “Oh, of course it is…

was opened and a few people were passed down the new stairs, while a corresponding number came in at the front. But I lost a large amount of money…

“The Aigress,” said others, “sure: that’s an animal we haven’t seen,” and the throng began to pour down the back stairs only to find that the…

In this excited state the Doctor would go upon the stage, dressed very neatly in a suit of black. Addressing a few pleasant words to the audience, he…

“Blast this infernal, stupid audience! they would not laugh to save the city of New York!” said the Doctor, while he rapidly slipped on a lady’s…

After five minutes of similar rollicking nonsense, down would bob the head again, and the cursing, swearing, tearing, and teeth-grating would…

On several occasions I got up “Baby shows,” at which I paid liberal prizes for the finest baby, the fattest baby, the handsomest twins, for triplets,…

principal prize of $100 at the baby shows. Every mother thought her own baby the brightest and best, and confidently expected the capital prize.

Not foreseeing this when I first stepped into the expectant circle and announced in a matter of fact way that a committee of ladies had decided…

After the public had enjoyed a laugh for several days over the Hoboken “Free Grand Buffalo Hunt,” I permitted it to be announced that the…

It will be seen that very much of the success which attended my many years proprietorship of the American Museum was due to advertising, and…

About this time, I engaged a band of Indians from Iowa. They had never seen a railroad or steamboat until they saw them on the route from Iowa to New…

One of the beautiful squaws named Do-humme died in the Museum. She had been a great favorite with many ladies,--among whom I can especially name Mrs.…

The president and directors of the “New York Museum Company” not only failed to buy the American Museum as they confidently expected to do, but,…

It devolved upon me to open a rival mesmeric performance, and accordingly I engaged a bright little girl who was exceedingly susceptible to such…

“Never mind,” I would say, looking at my watch; “I have two minutes more, and meantime, to show that a person in this state is utterly insensible…

I kept up this performance for several weeks, till I quite killed Peale’s “genuine” mesmerism in the rival establishment. After Peale, “Yankee”…

He made every effort to win the money, and even went to the landlord and offered him the entire receipts for a week if he would only let him stay…

I ran my opposition long enough to beat myself. It answered every purpose, however, in awakening public attention to my Museum, and was an…

A Museum proper obviously depends for patronage largely upon country people who visit the city with a worthy curiosity to see the novelties of the…

I have already mentioned some of the immediate reforms I made in the abuses of the stage. I went farther, and, at the risk of some pecuniary…

The Museum became a mania with me and I made everything possible subservient to it. On the eve of elections, rival politicians would ask me for…

In November, 1842, I was in Albany on business, and as the Hudson River was frozen over, I returned to New York by the Housatonic Railroad,…

I took the greatest pains to educate and train my diminutive prodigy, devoting many hours to the task by day and by night, and I was very successful,…

When the four weeks expired, I re-engaged him for one year at seven dollars a week, with a gratuity of fifty dollars at the end of the engagement,…

Two years had now elapsed since I bought the Museum and I had long since paid for the entire establishment from the profits; I had bought out my only…

After arranging my business affairs for a long absence, and making every preparation for an extended foreign tour, on Thursday, January 18, 1844, I…

My name has been so long associated with mirthful incidents that I presume many persons do not suppose I am susceptible of sorrowful, or even…

Several of the passengers were English merchants from Canada and one of the number, who reckoned himself “A, No. 1,” and often hinted that he was too…

On our arrival at Liverpool, quite a crowd had assembled at the dock to see Tom Thumb, for it had been previously announced that he would arrive in…

It is needless to add that the honor of his company as a guide in Liverpool was declined, and he went off apparently in a huff because his…

“Madame CELESTE presents her compliments to Mr. Barnum, and begs to say that her private box is quite at his service, any night, for himself and…

“Indeed!” they exclaimed. They had seen the announcements of our visit and were greatly gratified at an interview with the pigmy prodigy. They at…

My letters of introduction speedily brought me into friendly relations with many excellent families and I was induced to hire a hall and present…

Meanwhile confidential letters from London informed me that Mr. Maddox, Manager of Princess’s Theatre, was coming down to witness my exhibition, with…

Immediately after our arrival in London, the General came out at the Princess’s Theatre, and made so decided a “hit” that it was difficult to…

A few evenings afterwards the Baroness Rothschild sent her carriage for us. Her mansion is a noble structure in Piccadilly, surrounded by a high wall…

I now engaged the “Egyptian Hall,” in Piccadilly, and the announcement of my unique exhibition was promptly answered by a rush of visitors, in…

On arriving at the Palace, the Lord in Waiting put me “under drill” as to the manner and form in which I should conduct myself in the presence of…

We were conducted through a long corridor to a broad flight of marble steps, which led to the Queen’s magnificent picture gallery, where Her…

A burst of laughter followed this salutation. The Queen then took him by the hand, led him about the gallery, and asked him many questions, the…

Before describing the process and incidents of “backing out,” I must acknowledge how sadly I broke through the counsel of the Lord in Waiting.…

The Queen was modestly attired in plain black, and wore no ornaments. Indeed, surrounded as she was by ladies arrayed in the highest style of…

The Lord in Waiting was perhaps mollified toward me when he saw me following his illustrious example in retiring from the royal presence. He was…

The courtesies of the Palace were not yet exhausted, for we were escorted to an apartment in which refreshments had been provided for us. We did…

This notice of my visit to the Queen wonderfully increased the attraction of my exhibition and compelled me to obtain a more commodious hall for my…