What is 'find an offset'? Hi, The following paragraph is what P.T. Barnum wrote in his memoir. I do not understand the sentence in the middle. "and I should hope that a little `clap-trap' ccasionally, in the way of transparencies, flags with exaggerated pictures, and puffing advertisements might find an offset in a wilderness of wonderful, instructive, and amusing realities...." part. - What does 'find an offset' mean? Is it the verb of the whole sentence? Could anyone help me? ""If I have exhibited a questionable dead mermaid in my Museum, it should not be overlooked that I have also exhibited cameloleopards, a rhinoceros, grisly bears, orang-outangs, great serpents, etc., about which there could be no mistake because they were alive; and I should hope that a little `clap-trap' ccasionally, in the way of transparencies, flags with exaggerated pictures, and puffing advertisements might find an offset in a wilderness of wonderful, instructive, and amusing realities.... The titles of `humbug' and the `prince of humbugs' were first applied to me by myself. I made these titles a part of my `stock in trade."'