Episode 3.10. Snuff, Smelling Salts, and Sulfur: Scent in 18th Century Fiction

Dirty Sexy History

What did the 18th Century smell like? You probably think of horses and chamber pots, but do you think of tobacco? How about sulfur? This week, we talk to Dr Emily Friedman about common scents in fiction from the Long 18th Century, mentioned by authors like Frances Burney and Jane Austen. We’re talking snuff, smelling salts, taking the waters at Bath, bathing before showers, Queen Charlotte’s bad habits, Marie Antoinette’s perfume, and more! Dr Friedman’s book is Reading Smell in Eighteenth-Century Fiction. Check out our Instagram for discount codes @dirtysexyhistory