The Bodleian Library at Oxford contains among its literary curiosities a copy of the First Number of the Reading Mercury (dated July 8, 1723), a facsimile of which was last week published as a supplement by the proprietors of the Mercury. It is a curious specimen of a newspaper of the olden time, consisting of twelve small quarto pages, and is full of quaint and interesting information. Its issue was intended to mark the opening of the Royal Agricultural Society's Show at Reading, and also to commemorate the Reading Mercury and Berks County Paper entering on its 160th year.

Source: The Illustrated London News, No.2254—Vol. LXXXI, Saturday, July 15, 1882, p.71