"Chess-Club, 1795. Parsloe's, St. James's Street."By particular desire, Mons. Philidor, positively for the last time, will play on Saturday, the 20th of June, at two o'clock precisely, three games at once against three good players; two of them without seeing eitherof the boards, and the third looking over the table. He most respectfully invites all the members of the Chess-Club to honour him with their presence. Ladies and gentlemen not belonging to the Club may be provided with tickets at the above-mentioned house, to see the match, at five shillings each."
"Chess-Club, 1795. Parsloe's, St. James's Street.
"By particular desire, Mons. Philidor, positively for the last time, will play on Saturday, the 20th of June, at two o'clock precisely, three games at once against three good players; two of them without seeing eitherof the boards, and the third looking over the table. He most respectfully invites all the members of the Chess-Club to honour him with their presence. Ladies and gentlemen not belonging to the Club may be provided with tickets at the above-mentioned house, to see the match, at five shillings each."
Upon the death of Philidor, the Chess-Clubs at the West-end seem to have declined; and in 1807, the stronghold and rallying-point for the lovers of the game was "The London Chess-Club," which was established in the City, and for many years held its meetings at Tom's Coffee-house, in Cornhill. To this Club we are indebted for many of the finest chess-players of the age.
About the year 1833, a Club was founded by a few amateurs in Bedford-street, Covent Garden. This establishment, which obtained remarkable celebrity as the arena of the famous contests between La Bourdonnais and M'Donnell, was dissolved in 1840; but shortly afterwards, through the exertions of Mr. Staunton, was reformed under the name of the "St. George's Club," in Cavendish-square.
(Page 86.)
Captain Gronow, writing in 1814, says: "At the present time, one can hardly conceive the importance which was attached to getting admission to Almack's, the seventh heaven of the fashionable world." Of the three hundred officers of the Foot Guards, not more than half-a-dozen were honoured with vouchers of admission to this exclusive temple of thebeau monde; the gates of which were guarded by lady patronesses, whose smiles or frowns consigned men and women to happiness or despair. These lady patronesses were the Ladies Castlereagh, Jersey, Cowper, and Sefton; Mrs. Drummond Burrell, now Lady Willoughby; the Princess Esterhazy, and the Countess Lieven.
"The most popular amongst thesegrandes dameswere unquestionably Lady Cowper, now Lady Palmerston. Lady Jersey's bearing, on the contrary, was that of a theatrical tragedy queen: and whilst attempting the sublime, she frequently made herself simply ridiculous, being inconceivably rude, and in her manner often ill-bred.Lady Sefton was kind and amiable; Madame de Lieven haughty and exclusive; Princess Esterhazy was abon enfant; Lady Castlereagh and Miss Burrell,de très grandes dames.
"Many diplomatic arts, much finesse, and a host of intrigues, were set in motion to get an invitation to Almack's. Very often persons, whose rank and fortunes entitled them to theentréeanywhere, were excluded by the cliqueism of the lady patronesses; for the female government of Almack's was a pure despotism, and subject to all the caprices of despotic rule: it is needless to add that, like every other despotism, it was not innocent of abuses. The fair ladies who ruled supreme over this little dancing and gossiping world, issued a solemn proclamation, that no gentleman should appear at the assemblies without being dressed in knee-breeches, white cravat, andchapeau bras. On one occasion, the Duke of Wellington was about to ascend the staircase of the ball-room, dressed in black trousers, when the vigilant Mr. Willis, the guardian of the establishment, stepped forward and said, 'Your Grace cannot be admitted in trousers;' whereupon the Duke, who had a great respect for orders and regulations, quietly walked away.
"In 1814, the dances at Almack's were Scotch reels, and the old English country-dance; the orchestra, being from Edinburgh, was conducted by the then celebrated Neil Gow. In 1815, Lady Jersey introduced from Paris the favourite quadrille. The persons who formed the very first quadrille that was ever danced at Almack's were Lady Jersey, Lady Harriett Butler, Lady Susan Ryder, and Miss Montgomery; the men being the Count St. Aldegonde, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Montague, and Charles Standish. The mazy waltz was also brought tous about this time; but there were comparatively few who at first ventured to whirl round the salons of Almack's; in course of time Lord Palmerston might, however, have been seen describing an infinite number of circles with Madame de Lieven. Baron de Neumann was frequently seen perpetually turning with the Princess Esterhazy; and in course of time, the waltzing mania, having turned the heads of society generally, descended to their feet, and the waltz was practised in the morning in certain noble mansions in London with unparalleled assiduity."—Abridged from the Reminiscences of Captain Gronow, 1862.
Mr. Willis took this tavern from Mr. Freere, about 1755; and, as a relative of Mr. Almack, afterwards succeeded to the celebrated assembly-rooms which bore his name. "If the old saw, that 'practice makes perfect,'" writes Admiral Smyth, "be correct, thecuisinerieof the Thatched House ought to surpass that of all others; for besides accidental parties and visitors, the Messrs Willis ably entertain the following Societies and Clubs: [this was written in 1860.]
And they moreover accommodate the following Masonic Lodges:—
(Page 62.)
Charles Dartiquenane, better known by the abbreviated name of Dartineuf, was the intimate friend and associate of Swift, Steele, and Addison, and a member of the Kit-Kat Club. He was not only famous as an epicure, but as a punster. He is said to have been a contributor to theTatler, though his papers cannot now be ascertained. Pope, in hisEpistles, has:
"Each mortal has his pleasure, none deny—Scarsdale his bottle, Darty his Ham Pie.Hard task to suit the palate of such guests,When Oldfield loves what Dartineuf detests."
"Each mortal has his pleasure, none deny—
Scarsdale his bottle, Darty his Ham Pie.
Hard task to suit the palate of such guests,
When Oldfield loves what Dartineuf detests."
Lord Lyttelton has a Dialogue in the Shades between Dartineuf and Apicius, on good eating, in which ham pie is stated to have been the favourite dainty of the former. Darty died in 1737, and is stated to have left the receipt for his favourite pie with an old lady, who transferred it to Dr. Kitchiner. (See hisHousekeeper's Oracle, 1829, p. 249.)
(Page 168.)
Captain Gronow also relates the following account of the origin of this noted but short-lived Club:—
Upon one occasion, some gentlemen of both White's and Brookes's had the honour to dine with the Prince Regent, and during the conversation, the Prince inquired what sort of dinners they got at their Clubs; upon which Sir Thomas Stepney, one of the guests, observed "that their dinners were always the same, the eternal joints or beef-steaks, the boiled fowl with oyster sauce, and an apple-tart; this is what we have at our Clubs, and very monotonous fare it is." The Prince, without further remark, rang the bell for his cook Watier, and in the presence of those who dined at the Royal table, asked him whether he would take a house, and organize a dinner-club. Watier assented, and named Madison, the Prince's page, manager; and Labourie, the cook, from the Royal kitchen. The Club flourished only a few years, owing to the night-play that was carried on there. The Duke of York patronized it, and was amember. The dinners were exquisite: the best Parisian cooks could not beat Labourie. The favourite game played there was Macao. Upon one occasion, Jack Bouverie, brother of Lord Heytesbury, was losing large sums, and became very irritable. Raikes, with bad taste, laughed at Bouverie, and attempted to amuse the company with some of his stale jokes; upon which Bouverie threw his play-bowl, with the few counters it contained, at Raikes's head; unfortunately, it struck him, and made the City dandy angry, but no serious results followed this open insult.
Captain Gronow, in his very entertainingAnecdotes and Reminiscences, gives these details of the Clubs of the above period:—
"The members of the Clubs in London, many years since, were persons, almost without exception, belonging exclusively to the aristocratic world. 'My tradesmen,' as King Allen used to call the bankers and the merchants, had not then invaded White's, Boodle's, Brookes's; or Watier's, in Bolton-street, Piccadilly; which, with the Guards, Arthur's, and Graham's, were the only Clubs at the West End of the town. White's was decidedly the most difficult of entry; its list of members comprised nearly all the noble names of Great Britain.
"The politics of White's Club were then decidedly Tory. It was here that play was carried on to such an extent that made many ravages in large fortunes, the traces of which have not disappeared at the present day.General Scott, the father-in-law of George Canning and the Duke of Portland, was known to have won at White's 200,000l.; thanks to his notorious sobriety and knowledge of the game of whist. The General possessed a great advantage over his companions by avoiding those indulgences at the table which used to muddle other men's brains. He confined himself to dining off something like a boiled chicken, with toast-and-water: by such a regimen he came to the whist-table with a clear head; and, possessing, as he did, a remarkable memory, with great coolness and judgment, he was able honestly to win the enormous sum of 200,000l.
"At Brookes's, for nearly half a century, the play was of a more gambling character than at White's.... On one occasion Lord Robert Spencer contrived to lose the last shilling of his considerable fortune given him by his brother, the Duke of Marlborough. General Fitzpatrick being much in the same condition, they agreed to raise a sum of money, in order that they might keep a faro-bank. The members of the Club made no objection, and ere long they carried out their design. As is generally the case, the bank was a winner, and Lord Robert bagged, as his share of the proceeds, 100,000l.He retired, strange to say, from the fœtid atmosphere of play, with the money in his pocket, and never again gambled. George Harley Drummond, of the famous banking-house, Charing Cross, only played once in his whole life at White's Club at whist, on which occasion he lost 20,000l.to Brummell. This even caused him to retire from the banking-house, of which he was a partner."
Arthur's and Graham's were less aristocratic than those Clubs I have mentioned. It was at the latter place,in 1832, that a most painful circumstance took place. A nobleman of the highest position and influence in society, was detected in cheating at cards, and after a trial, which did not terminate in his favour, he died of a broken heart.
The following curious piece of evidence, probably an extract from the Journals of the House of Lords, although there is no reference to the subject in the published "Parliamentary Debates," was found not long since by the Editor of theAthenæumamongst a mass of contemporary MSS.:—
"Die Lunæ, 29° Aprilis, 1745.—Gaming.—A Bill for preventing the excessive and deceitful use of it having been brought from the Commons, and proceeded on so far as to be agreed to in a Committee of the whole House with amendments,—information was given to the House that Mr. Burdus, Chairman of the Quarter Session for the city and liberty of Westminster, Sir Thomas de Veil, and Mr. Lane, Chairman of the Quarter Sessions for the county of Middlesex, were at the door; they were called in, and at the Bar severally gave an account that claims of privilege of Peerage were made and insisted on by the Ladies Mordington and Cassillis, in order to intimidate the peace officers from doing their duty in suppressing the public gaming-houses kept by the said ladies. And the said Burdus thereupon delivered in an instrument in writing underthe hand of the said Lady Mordington, containing the claim she made of privilege for her officers and servants employed by her in her said gaming-house.—And then they were directed to withdraw.—And the said instrument was read as follows:—'I, Dame Mary, Baroness of Mordington, do hold a house in the Great Piazza, Covent Garden, for and as an Assembly, where all persons of credit are at liberty to frequent and play at such diversions as are used at other Assemblys. And I have hired Joseph Dewberry, William Horsely, Ham Cropper, and George Sanders as my servants or managers (under me) thereof. I have given them orders to direct the management of the other inferior servants, (namely) John Bright, Richard Davids, John Hill, John Vandenvoren, as box-keepers,—Gilbert Richardson, housekeeper, John Chaplain, regulator, William Stanley and Henry Huggins, servants that wait on the company as the said Assembly, William Penny and Joseph Penny as porters thereof—And all the above-mentioned persons I claim as my domestick servants, and demand all those privileges that belong to me as a peeress of Great Britain appertaining to my said Assembly.—M. Mordington.—Dated 8th Jan. 1744.'—Resolved and declared that no person is entitled to privilege of Peerage against any prosecution or proceeding for keeping any public or common gaming-house, or any house, room, or place for playing at any game or games prohibited by any law now in force."
END OF VOL. I.
PRINTED BY J. E. TAYLOR, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, HOLBORN
FOOTNOTES:[1]Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Royal Society Club. 1860. (Not published.)[2]Notes and Queries, 3rd S. i. p. 295, in which is noted:—"A good illustration of the connexion between the ideas ofdivisionandunionis afforded by the two equivalent wordspartnerandassocié, the former pointing especially to thedivisionof profits, the latter to the community of interests."[3]Notes and Queries, No. 234, p. 383. Communicated by Mr. Edward Foss, F.S.A.[4]Notes and Queries, 2nd S., vol. xii. p. 386. Communicated by Mr. Buckton.[5]Memoir of Aubrey, by John Britton, qto., p. 36.[6]Macpherson's History of England, vol. iii.—Original papers.[7]SeeWalks and Talks about London, p. 246. The Mitre in Fleet-street was also the house frequented by Dr. Johnson.[8]Quarterly Review, 1840.[9]This was thebon-vivantDuke who had got ready for him every night, for supper, at Brookes's, a broiled blade-bone of mutton.[10]National Review, No. 8.[11]London Clubs, 1853, p. 51.[12]At the sale of the curiosities belonging to Mr. Harley, the comedian, at Gower-street, in November, 1858, a silver gridiron, worn by a member of the Steaks, was sold for 1l.3s.[13]This and the subsequent lists have been printed by Mr. John Green.[14]See Century of Anecdote, vol. i. p. 321.[15]These Tureens were removed for two dishes of White Bait.[16]Westminster. By the Rev. Mackenzie S. C. Walcott, M.A., Curate of St. Margaret's, 1849, pp. 105-107.[17]Forster'sLife of Goldsmith, p. 253.[18]The house in Ivy-lane, which bore the name of Johnson, and where the Literary Club is said to have been held, was burnt down a few years since: it had long been a chop-house.[19]See Forster'sLife of Goldsmith, pp. 422-424.[20]Edinburgh Review, No. 214, p. 500.[21]London Clubs, 1853.[22]New Quarterly Review.[23]Timesjournal.[24]New Quarterly Review.[25]The Builder.[26]London Clubs, 1853, p. 75.[27]Civil Engineer and Architects' Journal, 1841.[28]The Palace clock has connected with it an odd anecdote, which we received from Mr. Vulliamy, of Pall Mall, who, with his family, as predecessors, had been the royal clockmakers since 1743. When the Palace Gate-house was repaired, in 1831, the clock was removed, and not put up again. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood, missing the clock, memorialized William IV. for the replacement of the time-keeper, when the King inquired why it was not restored; the reply was that the roof was reported unsafe to carry the weight, which His Majesty having ascertained, he shrewdly demanded how, if the roof were not strong enough to carry the clock, it was safe for the number of persons occasionally seen upon it to witness processions, and the company on drawing-room days? There was no questioning the calculation; the clock was forthwith replaced, and a minute-hand was added, with new dials. (Curiosities of London, p. 571.)[29]Edinburgh Review.[30]Athenæum review of Captain Gronow's Anecdotes.[31]Athenæum, No. 1739.[32]Written, it must be recollected, some thirty years since. Reprinted in Murray's 'Reading for the Rail.'[33]Perhaps one of the finest specimens of good coachmanship was performed by Sir Felix Agar. He made a bet, which he won, that he would drive his own four-horses-in-hand, up Grosvenor-place, down the passage into Tattersall's Yard, around the pillar which stands in the centre of it, and back again into Grosvenor-place,without either of his horses going at a slower pace than a trot.[34]Abridged from theTimesjournal.[35]The Laws of Short Whist, edited by J. L. Baldwin, and a Treatise on the Game, by J. C. Harrison, 59, Pall Mall.[36]Abridged from theDaily News.
[1]Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Royal Society Club. 1860. (Not published.)
[2]Notes and Queries, 3rd S. i. p. 295, in which is noted:—"A good illustration of the connexion between the ideas ofdivisionandunionis afforded by the two equivalent wordspartnerandassocié, the former pointing especially to thedivisionof profits, the latter to the community of interests."
[3]Notes and Queries, No. 234, p. 383. Communicated by Mr. Edward Foss, F.S.A.
[4]Notes and Queries, 2nd S., vol. xii. p. 386. Communicated by Mr. Buckton.
[5]Memoir of Aubrey, by John Britton, qto., p. 36.
[6]Macpherson's History of England, vol. iii.—Original papers.
[7]SeeWalks and Talks about London, p. 246. The Mitre in Fleet-street was also the house frequented by Dr. Johnson.
[8]Quarterly Review, 1840.
[9]This was thebon-vivantDuke who had got ready for him every night, for supper, at Brookes's, a broiled blade-bone of mutton.
[10]National Review, No. 8.
[11]London Clubs, 1853, p. 51.
[12]At the sale of the curiosities belonging to Mr. Harley, the comedian, at Gower-street, in November, 1858, a silver gridiron, worn by a member of the Steaks, was sold for 1l.3s.
[13]This and the subsequent lists have been printed by Mr. John Green.
[14]See Century of Anecdote, vol. i. p. 321.
[15]These Tureens were removed for two dishes of White Bait.
[16]Westminster. By the Rev. Mackenzie S. C. Walcott, M.A., Curate of St. Margaret's, 1849, pp. 105-107.
[17]Forster'sLife of Goldsmith, p. 253.
[18]The house in Ivy-lane, which bore the name of Johnson, and where the Literary Club is said to have been held, was burnt down a few years since: it had long been a chop-house.
[19]See Forster'sLife of Goldsmith, pp. 422-424.
[20]Edinburgh Review, No. 214, p. 500.
[21]London Clubs, 1853.
[22]New Quarterly Review.
[23]Timesjournal.
[24]New Quarterly Review.
[25]The Builder.
[26]London Clubs, 1853, p. 75.
[27]Civil Engineer and Architects' Journal, 1841.
[28]The Palace clock has connected with it an odd anecdote, which we received from Mr. Vulliamy, of Pall Mall, who, with his family, as predecessors, had been the royal clockmakers since 1743. When the Palace Gate-house was repaired, in 1831, the clock was removed, and not put up again. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood, missing the clock, memorialized William IV. for the replacement of the time-keeper, when the King inquired why it was not restored; the reply was that the roof was reported unsafe to carry the weight, which His Majesty having ascertained, he shrewdly demanded how, if the roof were not strong enough to carry the clock, it was safe for the number of persons occasionally seen upon it to witness processions, and the company on drawing-room days? There was no questioning the calculation; the clock was forthwith replaced, and a minute-hand was added, with new dials. (Curiosities of London, p. 571.)
[29]Edinburgh Review.
[30]Athenæum review of Captain Gronow's Anecdotes.
[31]Athenæum, No. 1739.
[32]Written, it must be recollected, some thirty years since. Reprinted in Murray's 'Reading for the Rail.'
[33]Perhaps one of the finest specimens of good coachmanship was performed by Sir Felix Agar. He made a bet, which he won, that he would drive his own four-horses-in-hand, up Grosvenor-place, down the passage into Tattersall's Yard, around the pillar which stands in the centre of it, and back again into Grosvenor-place,without either of his horses going at a slower pace than a trot.
[34]Abridged from theTimesjournal.
[35]The Laws of Short Whist, edited by J. L. Baldwin, and a Treatise on the Game, by J. C. Harrison, 59, Pall Mall.
[36]Abridged from theDaily News.