The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-06-26 00:00:00

THE LONDON CLUBS.

SURUEBUTTER is not a dissipated nor an idle man.
He rises betimes, and issues forth from the Temple
gate by half-past eight, takes a gallop on horseback,
or a rapid walk, but never extends it beyond half-past
nine. Just as St. Martin's Church rings out the half-
hour, he steps into the gorgeous coffee-room of the—
ALTERNATIVE Club." There, not too far from the
fire, with a dwarf screen before it, stands the little
table, consecrated, by matutinal custom, to his use ;
there the particular waiter, who knows Surrebutter
and his habits. The whitest of damask gleams upon
the table, and his letters, all of which are directed to
his club, lie upon the serviette ; the coffee-service is
irreproachable in its polish ; the coffee is pure, and
very strong, and bright as Burgundy ; the boiled milk
is affluent in quantity, and there is cream, if Surre-
butter loves it. The rolls and the dry toast are
perfect, and an omelette, delicately flavoured, aux
fines herbes, makes its appearance, according to order,
by the time our bachelor has poured out his coffee—
has glanced at the telegraphic news in the Times, the
Chronicle, and the Daily News, and is looking down
the short paragraphs of the Post. Not above twenty
men breakfast even at the " Alternative," at half-past
nine, and the appliances of an establishment of ten
thousand a-year are all their own.
By ten o'clock Surrebutter has breakfasted, has
taken in his matutinal portion of news, and has paid
one shilling and ninepence. Now he repairs to the
writing-room, and passes half-an-hour in answering
his letters. Thence he ascends to a luxurious library,
where, although the library of the "Alternative" is not
very strong in law, he may find a better assortment of
Blackstones, Chitties, and Archbolds, than Hare-court
can boast—the editions are decidedly more modern
than those of the Middle Temple library. Half-past
twelve is a very respectable hour for a " pup" to make
his appearance at Pleaders' Chambers, and three or
four hours there spent are quite enough to learn all
that can there be learnt. But we have nothing to do
with Surrebutter's daily occupations. As an indus-
trious candidate for the Woolsack, he, of course, is
assiduous in conninc, over Pearson's Chitty, in noting
up the reports, in drafting opinions upon evidence for
his relative, the great Mr. De Injuria, the pleader ;
and in drawing bills and answers for that very rising
junior, Mr. eypres, of the Chancery bar (who was
called in the year '2O, and is thinking of giving up

pupils and applying for silk). As a man of fashion,
Surrebutter spends an hour in the Park, and an hour
in " firing pasteboard" in the purlieus of Belgravia.
But, "just as the evening shades prevail," he usually
returns home to Pall-mall.

In the lower library of the " Alternative," about six
o'clock, all the quid MOWS of the town are assembled.
The city men, on their way home, drop in to read the
evening papers, and hear the comments upon them.
Members of parliament are come to snatch a hasty
dinner between the morning sitting and the serious
work of the evening. The Secretary to the Treasury
(if the Alternative be political, and if the Alternative
party be in power) moves about telling whether and,
when a division is expected ; or if the Alternative
party is in opposition, then the opposition whipper-in
is there and busy. If the Alternative be not political,
then the talk is of hebdomadal boards and Tractarians,
threatened reforms and vacant professorships ; and
perhaps an energetic but quiet canvass is going on for
Demosthenes Jones and Pericles Hogg, candidates for
the public oratorship. In this room, and at this
moment, the last piece of news is known, the last piece
of scandal is repeated, the last rumour passes from
mouth to mouth ; candidates for election are talked
over, and it is quietly settled that Stiggins shall be
black-balled. Naturally, Surrebutter has his part in
this chit-chat ; takes care to be made known to the
Treasury or the opposition whipper-in, as the case may
be ; compliments the judge upon his hale appearance,
or the bishop upon his published charge, and then
betakes himself to the dressing-rooms and bath-rooms.
If he is going to dine out, the urchin, who, at the
wage of ss. a week, passes his days in polishing his
master's boots and flying paper-kites out of the win-
dows of the Bite in Hare-court, has brought the
evening paraphernalia, and Surrebutter makes a lei-
surely toilet and disappears from the door of the club
in a cab. But Surrebutter only allows himself two
dinner-parties a week—he says this is a sufficient
sacrifice of time to society, for all essential purposes.
We will take one of the days when he stays at home.
He has ordered a quiet, frugal dinner, with old
Nosebag, at half-past seven. Not that he loves Nose-
bag, or that Nosebag greatly loves Surrebutter ; but
their dinner tastes are pretty much alike ; they stand
upon no ceremony with each other, and there is this
great aclypntage in dining together—they can divide
the portions.
Surrebutter's companion is not intellectual—a tete
a tete dinner with a clever man, who talks and expects
to be answered, is a fearful bore. Slight criticisms are
ejaculated upon the productions of the cordon bleu,
and occasionally a word Of information falls from a
passing acquaintance as to what is going on in "the
house ;" but this is all that does, or that ever should,
disturb the process of dining. When the cheese is
removed, Surrebutter calls for the bill, and Nosebag
fora pint of port and the Standard.

Here is the bill :
Mr. Surrebutter and Mr. Nosebag.
_ _ •

No. of. Portions.
* Table .. .
1 Consomme aux ceufs poches .
1 Cabillaud a la religieuse
1 Cotelettes au beurre d'anchois
1 Demi poulet aux truffes
1 Beignets de pommes. .......
Vin ordinaire, une bouteille
Pint of sherry

Price.
£0 1 6
1 0
2 0
1 4
3 0
0 6
2 6
2 0