[ 'Andre Massena, Baron de Camin', anti-Catholic rabble-rouser. ] Printed anti-Catholic handbill headed 'Popish Malice. | To the Protestant Inhabitants of York and its Vicinities.' With Autograph Notes by Massena and 'W Haty' of Sunderland.

Theodore Hoppen, in his 'The Mid-Victorian Generation', refers to a 'growing band of anti-Catholic lecturers who toured Britain in the 1850s and 1860s', adding that most 'were rogues like the former Dominican, Giacinto Achilli, and the soi-disant Baron de Camin. Almost all depended financially upon admission fees. Their lurid handbills advertised travesties of the mass, "the secrets of the confessional", and "wafer Gods" to be "sold at 1d. each at the doors".' See also Paul Colman Mulkern, 'Irish immigrants and public disorder in mid-Victorian Britain, 1830-80'. The handbill is printed on one side of a piece of 50.5 x 37.5 cm paper. In good condition, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Text in two columns, signed at end 'ANDRÊ MASSÊNA, BARON de CAMIN.' The opening conveys the 'lurid' tone: 'FELLOW PROTESTANTS. - Many of you have read the vituperation heaped upon me by the two Editors, the Hull Packet, and the Hull Advertiser, the Packet, although calling himself a Protetstant of the "first water" (i.e. the poisonous water of the Thames, because it is the first river in England,) at the same time he stated that he hated me, and heartily wished me out of Hull, and the latter the Hull Advertiser in his abusive language called me the Italian Image maker, and compared me to a Skunk or sunk. [sic]' The rambling text that follows contains references to 'Father Tripp Trapp' and 'his very dear and sympathising friend, the stipendiary magistrate, Mr. Travis of Hull', and to 'Mr. Porteous, known by the firm of "Porteous and Paul," 25, Mosley-street, Manchester' (responsible for the use of 'insulting language against me and my wife, in the Free Trade Hall'). Of the 'Priests of the Pope of Rome' he writes, 'You have read of their deeds on my appearance in the Circus in Anlaby-road, on the 9th January last, and on the 11th in the Sailors Institute Hull.' He states that he is 'eight years an exile in your hospitable land, and almost 7 years of that time I have been lecturing through the United Kingdom, and the surrounding Isles, on the Abominations of Popery'. At the foot of the page, above the printer's slug: 'On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 28th, 29th and 30th, the Baron de Camin will deliver three Orations in the Festival Concert Room, York. Subject - Wednesday, Masks and Faces, and the Worship of the Bambino - Thursday, Smiles and Tears and the Double Marriage - Friday, on Auricular Confession. Ladies cannot be admitted to the last Oration. The Baroness will address the Ladies.' On the reverse is a semi-literate endorsement by the appropriately-named 'W Haty Esqr | 14 Edwread [sic] street | Sunderland', dated 7 April 1860. K. Scarce: no copy on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. Massena's Autograph Note is on one side of a grubby piece of 16mo paper, and reads: 'The Baron de Caminn will be obliged to Mr. Haty if he can see him to morrow friday 6 inst at 2 ock p.m. | April 5/60'.